I’m standing here in the middle of the merger and acquisition airport. There are connecting people coming and going all over the place. The massive amounts of things going on right now are incredible. People want to know where they’re going, what to do and how to keep things running on time!
In 2009, the heroes of mergers and acquisitions were the rare people that could put a deal together. Now that M&A velocity has recovered, integrating two different infrastructures turns to the IT heroes to bring it together (fast!). Similar to elsewhere in the industry, we at Dell know what it feels like with recent acquisitions like Force10 and SecureWorks. In the middle of keeping the continuity going are IT systems that enable two companies to make a disruptive integration event, well… less disruptive.
How do you take the systems and information assets of two companies abruptly converged? Is there a way to make it happen smoothly without exaggerated costs? How do you deal with an overnight “remote access” situation that often includes geographically diverse users with a wide variety of existing desktops?
The common applications needing immediate access include fundamental systems like email, HR management, benefits, and company intranets. Converting desktop images is time-consuming and expensive; many look at replacing these devices as being easier than trying to migrate a large group of heterogeneous desktops to a common image.
Leveraging a desktop virtualization solution, users can securely access the acquirer’s standard applications and desktop images. Practically speaking, any functioning desktop contains the necessary elements to get immediate remote access to the parent company’s resources without overhauling the existing desktops. Day one, new employees get access to important applications that keep the integration process moving. Even desktops running alternative operating systems, like Linux developers, can immediately participate.
Setting up a pre-acquisition IT strategy:
- Inventory your business critical applications that new employees need to access
- Establish a hosted desktop virtualization infrastructure
- Implement an SSL/VPN gateway for remote access
- Create an on-boarding process to provision new users their credentials
Post acquisition process:
- Leverage communication templates to instruct users on how to get connected
- Be ready for common tasks like printing and help users with setup steps
- Be prepared to handle special application needs – there are always exceptions, so have a process
Getting the integration puzzle pieces lined up means keeping operations running smoothly with the least amount of disruption. Keeping people centered on your airport traffic control radar screen ensures a smooth trip. Help create a comfortable and familiar transition environment that keeps things moving along by giving new members of the team ways to quickly connect. Make your next merger smooth and seamless as a non-stop flight to keep business moving at high speed.
To see how technology like Dell’s Desktop Virtualization Solutions can provide immediate connections to new takeoffs, please speak to a Dell travel agent or visit us at Virtual desktop solutions. Do your M&A passengers carry different devices like Linux desktops of tablets… see how we can help them with a ticket to fly as well at mobility and desktop virtualization – alternative devices.
