What was the scope of their involvement?
When they came on board, we didn’t have an IT infrastructure. Their team helped me build everything from the ground up. This included our main server, firewalls, core and distribution switches, and more. In some cases, like with the firewalls, I made the purchases myself, but they advised me on what to buy with most other hardware. Once we’d bought everything, they helped me configure, operate, and maintain it. They also helped me transition lots of our hardware during a network restructuring in 2017. In addition, they step in as-needed whenever there’s a power outage or unforeseen problem, even on weekends and holidays.
At the moment, they’re working on a huge server co-location project. We’re moving all our hardware from our on-site data center to a secure location. They’ve helped me physically move all our equipment from the server room to this facility and are helping to route, switch, and reconfigure the hardware.
What is the team composition?
I primarily work with Alex, their VCIO, and Adrian, one of the managing partners. He’s a friend of mine and we’ve been working together for the last 3-4 years.
How did you come to work with GAM Tech?
We initially received a referral from our account manager at an internet company in Calgary. One of the main reasons I chose them is that they’re good at finding low prices. They’re also good at accomplishing tasks according to our specifications.
How much have you invested with them?
We pay $500–$600/month for monitoring services and we also have a hardware and support contract. We spend between $150,000-160,000 CAD ($120,000 USD) per year.
What is the status of this engagement?
We started working together in May 2014 and the work is ongoing.
Customer service is one of their biggest strengths. The team at GAM Tech goes out of their way to understand specific project needs and deliver them as requested. They’ve helped stave off major server issues and respond well to any problems that arise.