Companhia das Lezírias trusts Eurotux for future-proof technological evolution
Companhia das Lezírias, set up as a public limited company (Sociedade Anónima) with exclusively public capital, is the largest agricultural, livestock, and forestry operation in Portugal, with an area covering the Lezíria de Vila Franca de Xira, the Charneca do Infantado, and the Paul de Magos. It also manages the Coudelaria de Alter (Alter stud farm) under a 30-year State concession.
Companhia das Lezírias’ largest property is the Charneca do Infantado, covering around eleven thousand hectares. Used mainly for forestry (8,500 ha), it is dominated by cork oak woodland (montado, 6,570 ha), and it is here that the main directly farmed crops are located: rice, corn, vineyards, and olive groves. In this area, and in the rest of the estate, there are natural meadows and pastures (5,800 ha in total) where more than three thousand head of cattle graze extensively, along with the Purebred Lusitano stud herd of the Companhia das Lezírias stud farm.
Given the importance of its assets, and the fact that it is state-owned, the management of Companhia das Lezírias’ assets is guided by the pursuit of sustainability in every respect and by maximizing public service.
Challenge
The biggest challenge identified by CL was to ensure that all IT systems were properly maintained by a qualified organization. With the rapid expansion of its activity and the consequent growth of Companhia das Lezírias’ infrastructure, it became imperative to ensure that all systems were properly managed and maintained.
IT management, which can be highly complex and evolves very quickly, is an area that the CL team has never stopped valuing, in line with the company’s strategy.
Solution
Eurotux helped ensure the robustness and versatility of CL’s platforms. The ability for teams to access all systems anytime and anywhere is a present-day need, which Eurotux implemented without ever losing sight of the inherent security challenges. In addition to the work on replacing and virtualizing, and properly managing, the personal computer fleet, data backup processes were also optimized.
Jorge Paiva, Commercial Director at Eurotux, recalls that “a client with the profile of Companhia das Lezírias, which operates in an essentially rural environment and has no IT department, requires special attention when it comes to providing IT infrastructure and associated services”. Through the partnership with Eurotux, these services are being provided almost exclusively remotely.
The company relies on on-premise platforms virtualized on IBM Power servers (running IBM i and Linux systems) and Lenovo Intel servers (running Microsoft systems), combining proprietary and open source solutions. It also makes use of cloud solutions (for email, for example) with a robust security layer, ensured by the implementation of Sophos solutions. Everything is managed, maintained, and monitored by Eurotux. Companhia das Lezírias has access to a help desk service whenever needed.
In addition, all users were migrated to the Office 365 platform, essential for the mobility and efficiency required in the digital era. Security policies are an area of particular attention. Processes and routines were improved in order to provide the most productive and secure environment possible.
Result
According to Dr. Rui Brito, Administrative and Financial Director of Companhia das Lezírias, “the technological restructuring work carried out lays the foundations for the future“. Confidence in CL’s IT capabilities was strengthened through the equipment renewal plan and strategies implemented in a measured and consistent way by Eurotux. In addition, “replacing servers and the increasing virtualization of this type of infrastructure, as well as renewing the computer fleet and boosting data backup processes, reinforce the foundations so that CL can focus on what it does best“.
Eurotux’s involvement also ensured that all users have access to all systems and services via VPN, up-to-date productivity software, as well as the recent migration of all users to 365. Furthermore, the same manager states that “Eurotux brought the security and peace of mind regarding our IT systems that allow CL to face the challenges of 2022 with solid tools and the foundations for excellent performance, aiming at greater productivity and improved working conditions, always mindful of the digital transition process,” the same manager concludes.
The relationship with the Eurotux team has been one of extreme cooperation and availability. Together, we have been able to analyse and discuss, constructively, every aspect of the challenges facing our business, and, with Eurotux’s competence and experience, achieve results and follow paths that have led us to progress in a very solid way.
Dr. Rui Brito, Administrative and Financial Director of Companhia das Lezírias
Companhia das Lezírias is very focused on sustainability, and it was therefore necessary to provide solutions that guarantee good functionality and good performance while also being simple to operate, and this was achieved, even within a fairly heterogeneous environment of solutions.
Jorge Paiva, Eurotux CCO
