The Aldridge Company as geographically diversified its data center portfolio to ensure stability in the event of a natural disaster.

HOUSTON, May 7, 2012 – The Aldridge Company (www.aldridge.com), a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions for SMBs, today announced it has geographically diversified its data center portfolio to ensure stability in the event of a natural disaster. With a majority of its clients located in the hurricane-prone Houston area, The Aldridge Company has selected Phoenix NAP in Phoenix, Ariz., one of the safest-from-natural-disaster cities in the U.S., for colocation and cloud hosting needs.

Although hurricane season has been mild since Hurricane Ike, data from the past 60 years shows the Texas coast is hit by an average of three hurricanes and two tropical storms each decade. The resulting floods and prolonged power interruptions can be crippling for businesses of all sizes, which have grown increasingly reliant on IT systems for financial data, employee information, customer databases, data on projects in progress, and sales and distribution information.

“We are adding data center services in Phoenix because our customers and prospective customers depend on uninterrupted access to their data,” said Chief Operating Officer, Patrick R. Wiley. “We take these responsibilities seriously and this diversification ensures Houston-area businesses have cost effective access to a secure environment with resilient power and cooling systems and a high level of physical security to make sure customers’ IT infrastructure is running 24×7.”

The Aldridge Company offers a range of hosting services, including dedicated servers, colocation and cloud hosting, which provide constant and current data availability, security and stability, thus giving customers peace-of-mind and allowing them to focus on their business. The Aldridge Company’s IT solutions include complete management of servers, PCs and networks coupled with rapid and accurate technical support. They also provide audits of security and disaster recovery readiness.

Phoenix NAP is a PCI DSS Validated Services Provider and a SOC Type 2 audited facility. The modern facility features backup systems that include redundant generators and 99 percent efficient PureWave™ Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) units. The central cooling system is capable of moving 1.6 million cubic feet of air per minute through the entire 160,000 sq. ft. data center building and it is among the most redundant the manufacturer has ever designed. The facility also features security systems that include 24×7 on-site guards, encrypted badges, PIN entry pads, and iris and vascular scanners.

About The Aldridge Company

The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company.  Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes.  The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions.  In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.

About Phoenix NAP

Phoenix NAP, a full service data center, premier infrastructure-as-a-service (IaaS) provider and primary network access point (NAP) for the Phoenix, AZ, metro region leads the path for technology systems and solutions through its innovation and vastly redundant data center systems. Phoenix NAP’s highly personalized approach ensures that all of customer requirements are met. Whether it’s high-density colocation, flexible storage, physical servers or cloud hosting services, their enterprise-grade facility and certified NOC technicians supply IT solutions to fit every customer need. For more information, visit the company’s website at www.phoenixnap.com.

Missy and Wayne Herndon established The Will Herndon Fund for Juvenile Batten Disease Research when their son, Will, was diagnosed with the disease.

The team at The Aldridge Company is proud to be involved in the “HOPE on the Green” Tournament at Woodforest Golf Club today. The sellout event supports The Will Herndon Fund for Juvenile Batten Disease Research, a fund of the Beyond Batten Disease Foundation that is raising funds for research to treat and cure juvenile batten disease.

The Zoo’s increasingly complex IT needs demanded a broader skill set and additional technology expertise.

In 2010, the growth of the Houston Zoo was rapidly outpacing the capabilities of its existing IT infrastructure and in-house staff members. The Aldridge Company applied its technical expertise and extensive Managed Services capabilities to make improvements in the Zoo’s IT infrastructure and provide on-site support, thereby facilitating the Zoo’s strategic expansion and public outreach programs.

Client Profile

Founded in 1922, the Houston Zoo provides a fun, unique, and inspirational experience fostering appreciation, knowledge and care for the natural world. It is the most-attended zoo in Texas, with almost 2-million visitors each year. In addition to caring for more than 6,000 animals representing more than 800 species, many of them classified as critically endangered, the Zoo develops and manages conservation initiatives in 11 countries around the world.

The Business Challenge

The Houston Zoo has almost 400 employees using 250 desktops, clients and laptops distributed over a 55-acre campus. Despite the size and complexity of the Zoo’s IT needs, until recently, only two employees were responsible for all hardware installation and maintenance. Another two employees were responsible for application support. The IT staff members were constantly playing catch-up and did not have either the abilities or expertise to meet the Zoo’s increasingly complex needs. As the Zoo prepared for its African Forest Expansion, managers realized that the Zoo’s IT needs were pushing the limits of its in-house capabilities.

The Zoo’s increasingly complex needs demanded a broader skill set and additional expertise. In addition, the Zoo needed to upgrade its equipment and secure faster Internet connectivity to support its distance learning programs for local schools and hospitals.

“Many people don’t think of a zoo as a business, but we have the same IT needs as any other organization, plus some unique needs you won’t find anywhere else,” said CFO Leslie Forestier.

The Zoo requires IT support for accounting, ticket sales, fundraising, membership functions, donor relations, educational programs, volunteer management and a fully staffed veterinary hospital with extensive medical records.

“We’re running a much bigger operation than most people ever think about,” said Ms. Forestier.

Management recognized the need to expand the Zoo’s IT functions, but wanted to avoid hiring new staff members if possible. Ultimately, the African Forest Expansion was the impetus for the Zoo’s outsourcing decision.

“We needed to expand in an efficient and scalable way, so we could have the technical skills when we need them, but not have to pay for them when we don’t need them,” explained Ms. Forestier. “A lot of zoos are outsourcing various services, so I thought, why not IT?”

Another IT company that had been providing services on an as-needed basis referred the Zoo to The Aldridge Company. Following an extensive review, the Zoo interviewed three finalists. Of the three IT companies, the Zoo chose to work with The Aldridge Company partly because it wanted to work with a partner that could provide on-site support to meet the Zoo’s unique needs.

Solution

When The Aldridge Company first began working with the Houston Zoo in the summer of 2010, it was tasked primarily with providing IT assistance to Zoo employees, upgrading the network to make it faster, and securing better connectivity to the Internet. Today, two dedicated Aldridge employees work onsite at the Zoo full time, supported remotely by The Aldridge Company’s other team members, infrastructure, and the entire company’s expertise.

The Zoo needed a stronger, faster and more reliable Internet connection to facilitate communication with the outside world. Of particular importance were the Zoo’s efforts to reach and engage the community through live video broadcasts from the Zoo to schools and local hospitals. . However, because the Zoo sits in a public park, any negotiations with Internet service providers must be coordinated with the City of Houston and the Houston Parks and Recreation Department. The Aldridge Company successfully navigated the bureaucracy to secure a better Internet connection. At the same time, Aldridge employees improved the design of the network and replaced switches to upgrade connectivity and reliability within the Zoo.

The Aldridge Company moved some of the Zoo’s servers into its Data Center facility – a best practice for business continuity. Moving the infrastructure off-premise provides fire protection and a 24-hour power guarantee. The Zoo’s Microsoft Exchange Server is now in The Aldridge Company cloud, too.

To further protect the Zoo’s information, The Aldridge Company helped the Zoo switch from its outdated tape backup system to a new cloud-based backup system. The transition provided greater speed, reliability and peace-of-mind.

Most recently, in late 2011, The Aldridge Company implemented thin clients, which are small computer terminals that are connected to a central server. With fewer moving parts, they are more reliable and durable than traditional PCs, and they are cheaper to replace. This results in lower maintenance and replacement costs.

Benefits

The Aldridge Company and the Houston Zoo have proven they can work together to provide seamless service to benefit thousands of resident animals and millions of visiting people. Today, the two onsite Aldridge employees fit in and function in conjunction with the Zoo’s team of regular full-time employees. The Zoo also receives 24×7 telephone support and onsite assistance from the rest of the Aldridge team. For example, when a storm disrupts the Zoo’s electrical supply and causes systems to crash in the middle of the night, Aldridge is there to make sure everything is up and running again in plenty of time for the Zoo gates to open.

And, like most organizations, the Zoo keeps a close eye on the budget. Ms. Forestier notes that the relationship with The Aldridge Company has been very cost-effective.

“Compared to what we projected we would have had to spend with the African Forest expansion, we’ve achieved about 10 percent cost savings on IT expenditures,” said Forestier.

Most notably, because the Aldridge specialists work onsite, the Zoo no longer needs to pay salary and benefits for in-house IT staff members, yet it benefits from having access to a much broader range of technical expertise as needed.

“Now we have access to additional resources of whatever IT skill set is required to meet our ever-changing needs,” says Ms. Forestier. “That has been one of the biggest benefits of working with The Aldridge Company.”

The IT management and other services provided by The Aldridge Company allow the Zoo to contemplate future growth and strategic expansion without viewing IT services and support as a limited resource.

About The Aldridge Company

The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company. Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes. The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of information technology and cloud computing solutions. In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.

The Aldridge Company provides enterprise-level management of servers, PCs, and networks, coupled with rapid and accurate technical support. In addition, it operates and manages data center facilities offering fully-redundant, secure hosting of servers that cross the spectrum of business disciplines. By offering a broad range of IT Solutions in one organization, The Aldridge Company allows clients to benefit from having a single point of contact for the entire IT environment.

For more information about The Aldridge Company and how it can help transform your IT management and services, visit www.aldridge.com or call (832) 209-2940.

HOUSTON, April 3, 2012 – The Aldridge Company (www.aldridge.com), a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions for SMBs, today announced the completion of its acquisition of the IT Managed Services practice of Extreme Technologies Inc. This strategic acquisition will accelerate The Aldridge Company’s growth and will complement its current operations. The Aldridge Company will absorb the IT Managed Services practice of Extreme Technologies, including employees and the customers they serve, enabling Extreme Technologies to focus on strategic business consulting services.

Officials did not disclose the terms of the agreement.

The acquisition expands both the size and breadth of expertise of The Aldridge Company’s IT staff and strengthen its portfolio of service offerings, particularly its Complete IT Management solution, which removes the burden of managing, monitoring and maintaining IT systems and allows small and medium-sized businesses to focus on their core business. The acquisition enables The Aldridge Company to deliver greater value to small and medium-sized businesses through the efficient and effective use of strategic technology solutions to accelerate growth.

“We pursued the Extreme Technologies IT Managed Services practice because it is comprised of a strong, engaged team that shares our client-focused culture, which will facilitate a successful integration,” said Chief Operating Officer, Patrick R. Wiley. “We instantly grow our base of talented employees, expand our capabilities to benefit both new and existing customers, and plan to continue pursuing our aggressive growth strategy.”

“This is a win-win for our customers and employees,” said Extreme Technologies’ CEO Lisa Guidry. “By spinning off our IT Managed Service practice to The Aldridge Company, customers will continue to get the personal service they expect from The Aldridge Company’s highly capable IT services staff, while being able to access the latest advances in IT systems. Meanwhile, we are able to focus on strategic IT Staffing and Consulting Services.”

The Aldridge Company provides a broad range of IT management services, including management of servers, PCs and networks coupled with rapid and accurate technical support. Other services include technology and work process evaluations, audits of security and disaster recovery readiness, and hosting services such as cloud hosting, collocation and dedicated servers.

Earlier this year, The Aldridge Company absorbed the IT services of Rafte & Company into its Managed Services practice, which expanded the firm’s reach into law firms, nonprofit organizations and other professional services firms.

About The Aldridge Company
The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company. Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes. The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions. In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.

HOUSTON, February 1, 2012 – The Aldridge Company (www.aldridge.com), a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions for SMBs, and Rafte & Company (www.rafte.com), a leading provider of business and technology consulting services for law firms, nonprofit organizations  and other professional services firms, today announced the completion of the merger of IT support services. Under the agreement, Rafte & Company will leverage the strengths of The Aldridge Company’s Managed Services practice while continuing to focus on its strengths in the areas of business process improvement, application evaluation/selection, and consulting services for professional services firms.

“After working closely with Rafte & Company on numerous projects during the past three years, it became clear that we could accomplish more and deliver more value to our customers by combining our IT support services than we could separately,” said Chief Operating Officer, Patrick R. Wiley. “Dena and her team are experts in business process and technology for professional services firms who will be valuable assets as The Aldridge Company works to gain a strong foothold in those markets.”

The two companies share a similar history. Both were established to help Houston companies integrate technology into their business processes in the mid-1980s – Rafte & Company in 1983 and The Aldridge Company in 1984. Despite the similarities, the two rarely competed. The Aldridge Company focuses on helping small and medium-sized businesses integrate the use of strategic technology solutions to accelerate growth while Rafte’s consulting services are focused on law firms, nonprofit organizations and other professional services firms.

“With combined IT support services, Rafte & Company and The Aldridge Company offer easy availability of cloud services as well as a full complement of technology and business consulting services for small businesses, law firms and other professional services firms,” said Rafte. “While The Aldridge Company makes it possible for organizations to focus on what they do best and handoff their IT to the experts, Rafte & Company will introduce those services to law firms, nonprofit organization and professional services firms to drive efficiencies and positively impact profitability through work flows and technology.”

This combination expands both the size and breadth of expertise of the IT staff, which will better serve customer needs. Together, The Aldridge Company and Rafte & Company will jointly provide IT solutions that include a focus on the client’s business initiatives complimented by a broad range of IT management services, including management of servers, PCs and networks coupled with rapid and accurate technical support along with expertise in business strategy and process. Other services include technology and work process evaluations, audits of security and disaster recovery readiness,  a range of hosting options from dedicated servers to cloud hosting, and makes available a full suite of business consulting services.

About Rafte & Company

Established in 1983 with headquarters in Houston, Texas, Rafte & Company specializes in designing, implementing and managing strategic business and technology consulting solutions, remote collaboration systems, document management software solutions, legal software support, IT design and management services. For more information about Rafte & Company’s business consulting, IT consulting and hosted solutions, visit www.rafte.com.

About The Aldridge Company

The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company.  Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes.  The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions.  In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.

HOUSTON, January 9, 2012 – The Aldridge Company (www.aldridge.com), a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions for SMBs, today announced it has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Shanghai Lingang Economic Development (Group) Co., Ltd. (SLED) to help advance cloud computing in the Pudong district of Shanghai. The Aldridge Company is among a dozen organizations joining forces to form the Shanghai Lingang Free Trade Port Economic Development, which will develop a new state-of-the-art data center designed for cloud computing.

Under the terms of the MOU, The Aldridge Company will offer consulting and operational services for cloud computing as customers move into the data center. In addition to opening the data center, the development intends to act as a business incubator for its partners in the Pudong district of Shanghai.

“We are proud to be helping to bring the benefits of cloud computing to business and government organizations in Eastern China and view this partnership as a key step forward in our international growth,” said David L. Aldridge, president of The Aldridge Company. “This is the first of what we hope will be many new opportunities in China and elsewhere as organizations around the world embrace the cloud.”

The Aldridge Company offers a broad range of IT solutions, including enterprise-level management of servers, PCs and networks coupled with rapid and accurate technical support. Additionally, The Aldridge Company’s data center facilities offer fully-redundant, secure hosting of servers that cross the spectrum of business disciplines. These capabilities are especially in demand in China. As a result of the Shanghai Lingang Free Trade Port Economic Development partnership, The Aldridge Company is in talks with at least one potential customer about replacing its aging IT infrastructure with a cloud computing platform.

The companies that formed the Shanghai Lingang Free Trade Port Economic Development, along with the government of Pudong, will open the development in the Yangshan Free Trade Port Area near the Yangshan Deep Water Port, part of the world’s busiest cargo port of Shanghai.  The free trade port area also has the advantages of the nearby Pudong International Airport, as well as rail and highway access. Among the 11 other partners signing the memorandum of understanding with the Shanghai Lingang Economic Development (Group) Co., Ltd., are Cisco Systems and NetApp.

About The Aldridge Company

The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company.  Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes.  The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions.  In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.

Long gone are the days when IT was a separate entity from the business it served– called on only for computer malfunctions. Today, across every industry and country, technology experts are an integral part of a company’s work. That is why it is more important than ever that a business’s technical support is able to understand thoroughly the company, its goals, and its needs.

The Aldridge Company, founded in 1984 in Houston, Texas, has never been a call-if-there’s-a-problem IT firm. The company is directed by its founder David Aldridge and a group of highly qualified professionals satisfying 300 clients, typically small-to-medium-sized businesses. Aldridge develops long-term relationships with its clients through fixed-rate service, meaning that instead of billing hourly (which some other companies use to inflate issues and take advantage of clients), Aldridge charges a flat fee for a given period, and services all of their clients’ technology needs, problems, and questions at that fixed-rate.

Read More

The Aldridge Company is ranked among the fastest growing tech companies in Houston.

Thanks for trusting us with your most valuable asset — your information!

HOUSTON, November 29, 2011 – The Aldridge Company (www.aldridge.com), a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions for SMBs, today was recognized for the third year in a row by the Houston Business Journal as one of Houston’s fastest growing technology companies. The Aldridge Company was ranked 11th in the publication’s Fast Tech 50, achieving revenue growth of more than 106 percent in 2010.

“We thank our customers for entrusting us with their IT systems and information, which we believe are the most valuable assets of any business,” said Patrick R. Wiley, Chief Operating Officer of The Aldridge Company. “For many companies, IT becomes a burden that makes it harder to succeed, so our role is to remove IT obstacles and help customers align their systems and processes with their business strategy. Our customers can focus on their business and let our team of IT experts fully leverage technology to get them where they want to go.”

The Aldridge Company’s IT solutions include complete management of servers, PCs and networks coupled with rapid and accurate technical support. They provide audits of security and disaster recovery readiness, and offer a range of hosting services from dedicated servers to cloud hosting.

The Fast Tech 50 Awards recognize local technology companies with record performance based on percentage of annual revenue growth. To be eligible for the Fast Tech 50, a company’s 2009 and 2010 net revenue must have exceeded $200,000, and at least 51 percent of the consolidated revenue must involve the original manufacture, design or development of technology products or services. Companies must be for-profit and headquartered in the 10-county Houston region. This marks the 11th year of this prestigious award program.

The Houston Business Journal honored its Fast Tech 50 during a luncheon at the Hilton Americas Hotel in downtown Houston.

About The Aldridge Company
The Aldridge Company is a Houston, Texas-based technology management, consulting and outsourcing company. Founded in 1984, the company brings a winning combination of professional technical expertise, extensive capabilities and a strict focus on the importance of business processes. The Aldridge Company is a leading provider, consultant and integrator of Information Technology and Cloud Computing solutions. In 2011, the company was listed as No. 11 on the Houston Business Journal’s Fast Tech 50 list of fastest growing Houston technology companies.