The Challenges
For over two decades, The Sherwood Group operated with minimal focus on IT. The infrastructure was largely reactive; systems were only addressed when they broke, and there was no dedicated IT role within the company.
An MIS vendor supported a small part of the business, but the rest was managed ad hoc, leading to inefficiencies and vulnerabilities.
This approach proved expensive in 2019 when Sherwood Group was hit by a ransomware attack. Although their MSP at the time responded quickly, the recovery was mishandled.
In the months following, the company found that two SAN disks had failed because of improper server restoration, resulting in the loss of around nine months of data. Their disaster recovery plan was insufficient, and backups couldn’t handle the crisis.
The Solution
Following the ransomware incident, Sherwood began searching for a new MSP. However, the cost of reputable providers was three times higher than what they were used to paying. Despite the financial hurdle, it became clear that having an MSP was essential.
During this period, Sherwood had already been engaged with Millgate for hardware purchases. The relationship grew organically, and when the time came for them to acquire an MSP, Millgate was the natural choice. Millgate’s industry presence, all-around service offerings, and proactive approach made them stand out.
Despite the complexity of the transition and the infrastructure upgrade, Millgate delivered a seamless experience. The new system increased capacity and future-proof the business, and the installation was executed flawlessly.
The Long-Term Benefits
Projects that had been on hold for three years because of hardware limitations were finally back on track. System speed improved significantly, reducing downtime and increasing productivity. Millgate’s clean-up of legacy issues and thoughtful system design made an obvious difference.
One of the most critical upgrades was the firewall replacement. Millgate tailored the setup to Sherwood’s specific needs, not just following a generic installation script. This attention to detail ensured the best protection and performance.
The Sherwood team now feels like they’re working with trusted friends who bring professionalism and confidence to every interaction.
