RSM Australia has teamed up with Macquarie Telecom, part of Macquarie Technology Group, for collaboration across both SD-WAN network and voice services.
The partnership first began in late 2019 amid a period of significant growth for RSM. From the implementation of cutting-edge SD-WAN technology across its 32 locations, with a significant presence in regional Australia, RSM has seen a remarkable transformation in network performance and user experience.
This success drove RSM to extend the partnership to include SIP trunking in 2021 – the use of VoIP – to maintain telephone service across the large and far-flung organisation.
RSM realised that its existing MPLS network was not the best solution to support its rapidly expanding business – particularly in terms of resiliency, capacity, and cost.
The previous network, providing private connectivity between RSM’s locations and cloud, did not deliver the expected resiliency. This inadequacy, coupled with the high cost and challenging relationship with the previous provider, prompted RSM to seek a more reliable, cost-effective, and customer focused solution.
According to Andre Bracetti, IT Manager at RSM, the company recognised the potential of SD-WAN technology to greatly improve network bandwidth and resiliency.
RSM went to market for a partner to deliver this solution, and chose Macquarie Telecom following a rigorous due diligence process. The roll-out began in late 2019, just prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Despite the challenges posed by the pandemic, Macquarie Telecom’s proactive and responsive approach ensured the deployment continued smoothly,” said Bracetti.
Deployment was completed by mid-2020, significantly enhancing RSM’s network performance and reliability as a result. This success was further highlighted by RSM’s recent decision to extend the partnership.
According to Bracetti, a crucial part of the firm’s history and strategy is to be closer to its clients, particularly those in regional areas.
“SD-WAN has completely transformed the service we can provide our clients, from Bunbury to Ballarat and everywhere in between,” said Bracetti.
“Previously, we faced limited bandwidth and frequent outages, especially in our regional offices. With the new technology, we’ve increased capacity and resiliency, reducing IT outages, and significantly improving network reliability,” he added.
Previously, some of RSM’s regional offices had access to very limited bandwidth which often led to poor user experiences. With SD-WAN, a secondary link was added to every location which not only improved capacity but also reliability, drastically improving user experience.
The partnership has allowed RSM to focus on strategic initiatives rather than managing network stability issues. This shift has enabled the team to concentrate on improving system performance, enhancing security, improving digital literacy, and supporting business acquisitions and office moves.
“This partnership has minimised distractions and allowed us to focus on strategic growth and client satisfaction,” said Bracetti.
