OREANDA-NEWS. September 29, 2011. G4S, the world’s leading security solutions group, has signed a £32.9 million contract with Fujitsu UK & Ireland to provide business-critical IT infrastructure and services support over seven years. The company is looking to increase its overall agility and support business growth while reducing costs.

The contract covers the three core G4S business units in the UK and Ireland: Cash Solutions UK; Secure Solutions UK; and the Group and UK & Ireland Regional Management teams. Fujitsu will migrate G4S systems and data to its own data centres, transform end-user computing to reduce operational costs and provide service desk support from its service centre in Wakefield.

The G4S server and storage estate will be split between two of Fujitsu’s tier III data centres, with dual connections for disaster recovery. Fujitsu will use its cloud-based Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) architecture to deliver applications. The end-user experience will be boosted by Windows 7 migration and a Citrix desktop virtualisation, in conjunction with AppSense, across c.3,500 desktops and laptops, and 10,500 email clients to facilitate and enhance remote working.

“Agility and flexibility are fundamental to success in our business. IT is a core enabler for our merger and acquisition activity across the group, while being able to scale our IT levels up and down to meet our changing requirements is essential,” commented Declan Hunt, IT Director at G4S Cash Solutions UK. “We needed a partner who truly understood those types of challenges we face in our diverse businesses and who offered us a cost effective, flexible solution. It also helps that we share a large number of mutual customers, and Fujitsu is well-placed to meet their need for high quality, highly secure UK-based service delivery and support.”

The technology transition from the incumbent supplier will commence immediately with an anticipated go live date for services of 1st March 2012.

Jon Wolfe, business unit director, private sector division, at Fujitsu UK & Ireland, added: “Getting IT infrastructure basics right is a ‘must’ for any business, but the complex and fast-paced nature of the work that G4S does on behalf of Government departments, major retailers, banks and transport hubs means it is a critical part of service delivery. Our integrated offering will increase service levels and competitiveness, provide flexibility and drive down the total cost of ownership for G4S.”