CASE STUDYNEXON KEEPS ISOLATED LUXURY RESORT IN TOUCH WITH THE WORLD

Based in Dubai, the Emirates Group is a highly profitable business with a turnover of approximately US$18.4 billion. Among the Group’s most recognisable interests are dnata, one of the largest air services providers globally and Emirates airline, a rapidly expanding and award-winning international carrier.

Slightly less well-known is the Group’s commitment to eco-friendly practices. The organisation selects and operates the world’s most eco-efficient aircraft, has signed up to the International Air Transport Association’s emissions reduction strategy, and works closely up and down the supply chain to drive eco-efficient practices and technologies.

Image © Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa

THE NEED FOR CONNECTIVITY

To find out how Nexon can transform the way your people connect, interact and collaborate, email us at sales@nexon.com.au or visit nexon.com.au

NEXON DELIVERED SOLUTIONS Network: Managed LAN, Managed Wireless LAN, Business Internet

Security: Managed Firewall, IPS, Secure remote access

Communications & Voice: PBX Solution, Voice Carriage

EMIRATES WOLGAN VALLEY RESORT AND SPAFor 20 years Emirates has been the major force behind a conservation project known as the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve. In 2009, the organisation turned its attention to Australia, with the establishment of a new conservation project combined with development of the world’s first internationally accredited carbon neutral certified hotel -- the Emirates Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa in the Blue Mountains of New South Wales.

The resort delivers luxury within a spectacular, World Heritage setting. The grounds contain 40 free-standing villas, each with its own private pool and terrace. In keeping with Emirates’ conservation focus, not a single tree was cut down when building the resort.

Although it is an isolated area, well out of mobile phone range, the villas are equipped with the connectivity and devices necessary to enable guests to remain in touch with the outside world. Every villa has a WiFi access point, an IPTV service delivering television and movies, and up to three cordless IP phones which are be connected over the Resort’s WiFi network.

To service the guests, maintain the grounds and manage the business, the resort employs 100 staff, 70 of whom live on site. Their rooms are equipped with phones, as are the administrative offices. In total, the resort maintains around 250 handsets.

Behind the scenes there is an extensive, end-to-end communications solution managing all voice, data and internet requirements. The system comprises all core infrastructure, including LAN switching and Power over Ethernet (PoE) access. To provide guests with safe and secure access to the Internet, there’s an Internet WAN service complete with Cisco security firewall appliances. And there’s a virtual private network that provides connectivity between the resort and the Dubai-based Emirates headquarters.

The infrastructure was designed and deployed by Nexon, an Australian IT and communications specialist. It was a demanding project that ran on time and which was delivered on budget. Since going live, the company has provided managed services, including maintenance, support and a help desk for users. The relationship was expanded in mid-2013 when Nexon also took on responsibility for all of the resort’s data and voice services.

Finance Manager, Scott McLeod, says, “We began working with Nexon because they offered everything we needed – hardware, infrastructure and they could act as our liaison for other software in the resort. So, no matter what goes wrong, they will either fix it or escalate it to right vendor and see the issue through. It has simplified the process for us as the end user because we don’t end up getting caught between two different vendors. If it’s anything to do with IT, we just call Nexon.”

He points out the communications system is critical for the resort. “Where we are there is no mobile reception unless you want to drive a good 25 minutes into town. Our only communications with the outside world runs across the data links Nexon supplies. If the links are down, we’re literally high and dry. That’s why, since inception, it has been absolutely vital our communications stay active.”

KEEPING IT UNOBSTRUSIVE

Another important requirement of the communications system is that it remain invisible. McLeod explains, “We appeal to a certain market. Part of the design brief was that everything had to be of a high standard but we don’t want it to be seen. Guests should never see cabling or an access point poking up on the roof. This environment is nothing like an office. The aesthetics are vital, so everything must be hidden away as much as possible.”

If anything ever goes wrong, support must be equally unobtrusive. “The way the property is designed, there’s a resort side for the guests and a staff side which contains admin offices, staff accommodation and so on. If anything needs to be fixed on the staff side, it can occur at any time, but we are less free on the visitor side. Nexon has to work around our guests and bookings,” McLeod adds.

Over the years, resort management and Nexon have fallen into a pattern of proactive support and maintenance. “Nexon comes out every fortnight to maintain the system and do odd jobs. We have a good working relationship. They understand us, our business and our requirements. They built the system and it has proven to be very reliable. Very rarely have we had links drop out and that’s usually been a telco problem at the exchange. But if anything happens, Nexon is there to fix it straight away. Having a single supplier that can cover all of the IT and communications for the resort makes it easier for us. Administrative staff don’t have to spend time juggling vendor relationships and we benefit from a reliable service,” McLeod concludes.

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