Mainstream Renewable Power is a rapidly expanding renewable energy company that operates globally. They needed a strategic IT partner to help deliver a global communications solution across their 11 offices in 8 countries. Eircom provided an MPLS network connecting Mainstream's key sites and data centers. Eircom also pre-configured and shipped "office-in-a-box" solutions to new offices to ensure consistent setups. This strategic partnership with Eircom allows Mainstream to achieve faster, better, and cheaper deployment of IT services globally.

1. Mainstream Renewable Energy
Case Study Strategic ICT Partnership

2. 2 Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power
“everyone in Mainstream
has video-conferencing
enabled laptops, and all
of our offices have high-
end video conferencing
facilities, so our business
travel has been diminished”
John Shaw
CIO,
Mainstream Renewable Power
eircom supports Mainstream Renewable
Power’s global vision with a strategic
ICT partnership
Mainstream Renewable Power is a rapidly expanding renewable energy company, with an
ambitious global agenda. Since establishment in 2008, the wind-and solar-power provider
has opened 11 offices in 8 countries around the world. A robust, global communications
network is essential to underpin strategic requirements; that’s why Mainstream has
chosen eircom as an IT partner that can deliver world-class infrastructure and support.
Experiencing a rapid growth phase soon after Mainstream set eircom an ambitious three-
launch, the Sandyford-based company realised month timeframe for the rollout of a global
it needed a strategic IT partner to help deliver communications solution, with a high-quality
on its global vision. With 150 employees based connection at each site and consistency of
in operational outposts around Europe, South user experience in each location. “We knew
Africa, Chile, the US and Canada, Mainstream we could open offices in major cities but our
faced the challenge of maintaining consistent, challenge was to rapidly and reliably supply our
high-quality communications between all of services to those locations. We couldn’t make
its offices. Mainstream CIO John Shaw invited that strategy a reality unless eircom was able
eircom to review his company’s operational to deliver the network connection on time and
requirements and suggest an appropriate reliably,” says Shaw.
communications solution.

3. Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power 3
eircom recommended an MPLS network at four Shaw says Mainstream’s global vision is
sites (Toronto, Chicago, Santiago and Dublin) supported by a strong partner who can
and at Mainstream’s two data centres in Dublin, deliver a complex set of solutions. “Strategic
and ISP connectivity for the remainder. eircom partnerships in IT are the way of the future,
also pre-configured an ‘office-in-a-box’ in and eircom understand that. We saw that they
Dublin -- a rack containing the complete voice had the expertise, and we saw that we needed
and data package for each office -- and then a strategic partner. When we looked at the
shipped it out to each site for installation by a market we couldn’t see anyone else who could
local partner, ensuring that each office would do it.”
have exactly the same technical footprint and
end-user experience. eircom also configured
Mainstream’s disaster recovery environment, and
recommended ICT equipment at the local level
for telecoms and videoconferencing solutions.

4. 4 Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power
John Shaw, CIO,
Mainstream Renewable Power
In conversation with
John Shaw, CIO, Mainstream Renewable Power
Renewable energy is a global industry. Why did you choose eircom as your
Where does Mainstream fit in? IT partner?
Mainstream focuses on developing, building In a nutshell, eircom was a one-stop shop. We
and operating large-scale wind and solar get a vast range of services from them. We saw
powered plants. Since the company was formed that eircom had the expertise, and we saw that
in 2008, we’ve expanded into eight countries. we needed a strategic partner. When we looked
Outside of Europe, we are in South Africa, Chile, at the market we couldn’t see anyone else who
the US and Canada. This industry has a very could do it; eircom were peerless in their ability
entrepreneurial culture, where innovation is to execute.
prized above everything else. While we operate
globally, all business is local, so we work very There was very much a sense that eircom could
closely with local farmers, local businesses, the provide us with a service that we couldn’t match
local supply chain, to ensure that we get our internally, not in terms of quality nor in terms
global vision implemented. of price.

5. Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power 5
As we’ve grown, our demands have grown. We As a practical example, everyone in Mainstream
found that eircom were receptive to the reality has video-conferencing enabled laptops, and
of where Mainstream would be by 2012, by all of our offices have high-end Polycom-based
2015... eircom could see the strength of the video conferencing facilities, so our business
strategic argument. That was refreshing; we travel has been diminished. We also have our
hadn’t seen eircom’s competitors behave key business systems hosted by eircom, our
like that. security, our firewall management and disaster
recovery.
At eircom headquarters we also saw a strong
focus on teamwork, collaboration and In fact, our approach to disaster recovery shows
innovation with the way they use technology the benefit of dealing with a company like
themselves. We wanted that same ease of eircom. We have all of our key business systems
communication, that same rapid decision- in a single enterprise data centre, hosted by
making, as we built our own business. eircom, and we have those services replicated in
a different eircom data centre. So in the event
What are the benefits of your strategic of a crisis, we’re dealing with one team, not two
partnership with eircom? teams, one organisation, not two organisations.
We’ve achieved faster, better, simpler and
indeed cheaper deployment of IT services.
Strategic partnerships in IT are the way of the
future, and eircom understand that. eircom can
provide an integrated set of services that’s very
difficult to beat.

6. 6 Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power
Solution at a glance:
eircom delivers for Mainstream Renewable Power
Challenge:
Provide a complete global communications solution at multiple sites across the world within
a three-month timeframe, with a high-quality connection at each site and consistency of user
experience in each location.
eircom response:
• MPLS backbone between Mainstream’s four global sites and two data centres supports key
applications and business systems across the globe while delivering guaranteed quality of service.
• Full management of the global network by eircom from its network operations centre in Dublin
ensures that any problems are spotted early and optimum performance achieved.
• Pre-configured office-in-a-box solution allows common voice and data set-up to be shipped to
each remote office, ensuring network rollout and user experience objectives can be met.
• Advanced computer security tools including web and email content filtering, remote access and
intrusion prevention ensure total protection for the network.
• eircom Security Operations Service provides continuous monitoring and maintenance of security
devices on the network.

7. Case Study - Mainstream Renewable Power 7
“Strategic partnerships in IT
are the way of the future,
and eircom understand
that. When we looked at
the market we couldn’t see
anyone else who could
do it.”
John Shaw

8. Get in touch
To find out how eircom’s ICT solutions can benefit your business,
please contact your eircom account manager.
www.eircomforbusiness.ie