Case Studies

At KGM, we plan for the unforeseen with comprehensive contingencies and the deployment of appropriate resources.

Our integrations are seamless and we consistently surpass client expectations. The following examples illustrate the caliber of work that uniquely defines our company. We turn challenges into successes.

 

CLIENT Global Financial Firm
TIMEFRAME Thirteen-phase project executed over the third and fourth quarters of 2009
 
CHALLENGE
Migrate sensitive trading floor operations from turret technology to Cisco equipment and PBX users over to turret technology while simultaneously building out a new location.
 
SCOPE

The desktop technology of nine high-profile business units totaling (2,420) turrets were converted to two different turret vendor platforms. These cutovers encompassed the migration of over (3,800) dial tone lines and (2,400) private lines.

This major implementation was accomplished in synchronization with a multi-phase Cisco project for the Investment Banking Division while a new site was being built-out to accommodate the relocation of (3000) end-users.

RESULT
The most complex and challenging project ever undertaken by this international investment management firm was a resounding success according to the business units and senior technology management. The feedback stated that the entire project was well planned, well managed, and well executed.
 
 
 
CLIENT Downtown NYC Financial Firm – IQMX Project
TIMEFRAME February 2005 – March 2008
 
CHALLENGE
Manage every aspect of the in-place swap out of 2700 IPC turrets to IQMX
 
SCOPE

In addition to being the liaison between the business units, the day-to-day operations groups and the vendor teams (IPC, Avaya, Network & Facilities); KGM was responsible for the conversion of all the private lines from analog to digital, the line usage and sharing for each group to appropriately groom the facilities and effect the QSIG and line networking conversions, as well as the administration of line and cross connect lists and management of the segment and IP assignment. KGM handled the names-to-desk spreadsheets, floor plans, certification documents, and phasing and execution plans for business units and vendors.

In addition to all of the custom layouts for the users, KGM also scheduled the training and kept the Continuity of Business resources informed of all circuit changes and updates critical to their tables. KGM coordinated the facilities, business, and operations resources for each cutover weekend and provided support while managing weekend testing, user acceptance, and operated the Day One Help Desk.

RESULT
A brilliantly managed project implemented on time and on budget with no functional impact to the business units.
 
 
 
CLIENT Financial Firm: NY, Boston, San Francisco
TIMEFRAME July 2005 – October 2006
 
CHALLENGE
To plan and manage the technology infrastructure build-out of three company locations and execute the simultaneous cutover between multiple states and across time zones.
 
SCOPE

KGM coordinated the architects, engineers, and construction teams to ensure integrity and cohesion of client standards and goals. KGM managed the vendors and oversaw the design, delivery, and implementation of the PBX, Turret system, Hoot and Holler, and Voice Recording systems and their seamless integration. KGM was additionally responsible for all of the business unit interviews, station data, line lists, layouts, demarcs and carrier due date schedules and assurance of line and facility delivery.

After conducting a comprehensive inventory of existing circuits and required services, KGM developed and maintained a centralized database of all line lists, circuit IDs, demarcations, carrier transport and service/signaling type. KGM also conducted an assessment to determine usability of remote modules from existing PBX, Turret, and NiceLog equipment in New York. Additional KGM resources developed and executed structured test plans for all voice systems and facilitated regular meetings between vendors while managing all phases of pre-testing, cutover and post-cutover testing including the delivery, installation, and testing of all market data equipment.

RESULT
The project was successfully completed on time and within budget.
 
 
 
CLIENT ISG – ITG Backbone Project – NY Metro
TIMEFRAME July 2004
 
CHALLENGE
Review, analyze, and improve telecommunications costs for eight locations in the NY Metro area.
 
SCOPE

This multi-phase effort over numerous sites required stringent coordination and adherence to strict notification and confirmation standards to ensure continuity of justified services.

Phase 1:

• Reviewed all Local & LD carriers (Verizon, AT&T, Sprint, Worldcom, Allegiance, Focal, etc.)
• Created current billing inventory of the dedicated, switch, dedicated toll free, switched toll free, and analog services over all eight locations
• Conducted physical survey in the Comm Rooms to confirm all voice services at all sites

Phase 2:

• Compiled verifications into a database to track disconnects and changes to the new Avaya PBX
• Reviewed existing facility and the new Metro 2 requirements
• Designed and executed all the Metro 2 orders and both Telco and internal SONET orders
• Verified toll free numbers and converted client-owned lines to the dedicated service on the new Avaya switch

Phase 3:

• Confirmed circuit designs with carriers and conducted weekly carrier meetings
• Submitted orders to Voice Engineering, Voice Deployment, and Operations
• Processed all vendor orders
• Managed all Metro 2 orders for Telco & Data network
• Verified all circuits were properly demarked and labeled according to standards
• Issued disconnect orders for the 5ESS and other Metro 2 sites
• Monitored the disconnects on both internal and external billing
• Maintained and produced detailed documentation of all orders

RESULT
Across the board savings on each facility type in every location and a full scale circuit clean-up with database restructure.
 
 
 
CLIENT Global Voice Mail Network Project – NY Financial Firm
TIMEFRAME May 2003 – July 2005
 
CHALLENGE
To manage the global voice mail network project for this leading NY-based financial services firm.
 
SCOPE

KGM was responsible for coordinating the configuration of Global Point-to-Point Networking as well as the creation and execution of test plans for Voicemail Regionalization.

The scope of the project included the deployment of three QSIG-based Messaging Servers to support two Voicemail Hubs for Regionalization and the implementation of inverter power to support AC requirements for all voice equipment in the Brooklyn location.

In the process, three Octel Serenades were decommissioned while more than 15,000 mailboxes over five remote sites were migrated to Voicemail Regionalization.

In addition to providing high level support and notification throughout, KGM also developed the company’s new Voicemail Standards including Network Diagrams and Access Detail database.

RESULT
The planning implementation and decommissioning processes were completed on schedule, on budget, with full functionality provided to the end-users on Day One.
 
 
 
CLIENT Midtown NY Financial Firm
TIMEFRAME November 2000 – February 2002
 
CHALLENGE
Relocate approximately 2600 private lines to the new headquarters.
 
SCOPE

KGM was responsible for the entire design development, business unit interviews and station detail, ordering of facilities and their integration, developing and maintaining circuit inventory’s central database and implementation of all pre-testing phases, cutover, user acceptance and Day One and Day Two support.

RESULT
A well executed and functionally transparent implementation of thousands of circuits.
 
 
 
CLIENT NY Financial Services Firm - Westchester Infrastructure Project
TIMEFRAME July 2002 – June 2004
 
CHALLENGE
Manage the telecommunications upgrade for a financial services firm’s Westchester campus.
 
SCOPE

This project entailed an audit of all existing ring-down circuits and verification of all circuits for Business Continuity Plans and ERS plans with respective carriers. The scope also included the swap-out of any circuit that could not be supported in a BCP environment to another carrier.

Installation of a SONET-based infrastructure with multiple carriers was coordinated including additional nodes in NYC and Brooklyn as well as the implementation of dual OC12c pipes for data backup. Services were sent over the network utilizing Verizon CRS and Avaya ARS capabilities. Extensive testing of the ERS plan was conducted by selecting random carriers to test coordinated swings.

PBX lines – (88) Verizon PRI’s, (8) AT&T ADL, (4) Sprint in Manhattan
PBX lines - (56) VZ PRI’s, (6) AT&T, (6) Qwest in Brooklyn
In-house SONET ring with (36) T1’s out to branch locations, and (2) DS3’s for Equant System

RESULT
All facilities were operational and documented and approved for full BCP readiness.
 
 
 
CLIENT Financial Firm, Jersey City, NJ
TIMEFRAME January 2002 – March 2003
 
CHALLENGE
Confirm all under-utilized circuits and restore non-working facilities via testing, troubleshooting, and coordination with carriers and distant end contacts.
 
SCOPE

In addition to planning for the analog-to-digital conversions, KGM provided and established the status inventory of circuits and recommended facility requirements to the WAN group. The circuit verifications were conducted from the DACS while KGM also ordered (6) permanent DS3’s and (6) triangular facilities for contingency planning.

RESULT
By leveraging KGM’s industry resources, 1200 circuits were restored and relocated.
 
 
 
CLIENT Midtown NY Financial Firm
TIMEFRAME November 2001 – November 2002
 
CHALLENGE
Recovery of voice and data network in addition to circuit ordering and installation from temporary location to regional sites in Connecticut, New Jersey, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco and Boston.
 
SCOPE

KGM created an inventory of circuits and maintained the subsequent database. KGM coordinated all the day-to-day ordering and installation of private line circuits, T-1’s, PRI’s and DS3’s as well as all facilities for the eSpeed network.

KGM conducted all user interviews for the IPC turrets and the PBX telephones, handled all the installations between the client and the equipment vendor and addressed any issues with voice and/or data hardware.

RESULT
The successful reconnection of this office to their clients and their colleagues and the eventual permanent relocation to their new office space.