Specsavers Ditches Open Source For Google Apps

The open source community may not be ‘going to Specsavers’ in the future, after it emerged that the company has ditched its open source email system in favour of Google Apps.

The decision to opt for Google Apps to deliver its email and colloboration for its staff of 2,500, means that the high street optician will no long require local IT support.

According to Specsavers, the world’s largest privately owned chain of opticians, the decision is part of the organisation’s continued global expansion which has seen it open more than 200 stores in the past two years, as well as launching into the Asia-Pacific region.

Centralised Management

Cloud computing and security provider Ancoris, was chosen help with the the deployment of Google Apps. Ancoris initially implemented Google Apps for 80 users in a newly opened lens manufacturing plant in Hungary before implementing the solution to Specsavers’ global workforce.

Specsavers claims that the adoption of Google Apps has meant that it no longer needs IT specialists at local sites, but can instead centralise control and the management of the corporate email system. It says it is able to make use of existing infrastructures, such as Active Directory for access and user accounts, and link to its corporate intranet. In addition, mobile working is catered for as staff can access their email and calendar from any Internet-enabled device.

Google Apps is an excellent set of tools for our email and collaboration requirements because of its capability, technology and ease of management,” said John Lister, CIO at Specsavers. “Google Apps allows us to scale easily and quickly, without having to invest heavily in buying software and licences we may not use.”

“Modern businesses need to be able to grow or evolve quickly to remain competitive,” said Robert Whiteside, head of Google Enterprise for the UK, Ireland and Benelux. “Cloud-based solutions such as Google Apps offer this flexibility and deliver constant innovation, with new products and updates introduced instantly and easily to all users. We are thrilled to see Specsavers moving to Google Apps with Ancoris.”

Cloud Uptake

“As cloud computing has become mainstream and the demand for our products grows, working with professional and skilled partners continues to be key to our business expansion,” Whiteside said.

Specsavers is currently rolling out Google Apps to head office staff in Australia and New Zealand.  Deployment to the remaining head office, laboratory and manufacturing operations in the UK, Nordics and Netherlands is planned to be complete in the first half of 2011.

The Specsavers move is indicative of the shift that many organisations are making to the cloud.

Most organisations are opting for a hybrid cloud model at present, where they move certain systems such as email to the cloud, whilst others stay in house. Security remains a main concern for many IT managers when considering the cloud, however.

A recent survey of eWEEK Europe UK readers found that there were mixed attitudes to the government’s cloud-based IT strategy, which some claim could save billions from its ICT bill. Despite this, roughly equal numbers of readers predicted it would either be an outright failure and an outright success.