ITOCHU Techno-Science Corporation Ltd.

CTC Improves Security and Collaboration

Tokyo-based ITOCHU Techno-Science Corporation (CTC) supplies cutting-edge computer networking applications and other products. The company also provides total solutions from consulting through to systems development, operation, management, maintenance, training and outsourcing under its operational directive of "Challenging Tomorrow's Changes.

Customer Challenges

Increase collaboration and knowledge sharing
Improve security and enhance employee experience

Solution

Using Sun Ray thin clients, Sun servers and Sun software, CTC consolidated eight offices into an integrated, secure environment. Mobile workers can access their personal working environment from any desk using their Java card.

Business Results

Company-wide compliance and identity management
Improved security through centralization of data and elimination of notebook PCs
Reduced floor space and maintenance costs through office sharing

Products and Services

Story Details

ITOCHU Techno-Science Corporation (CTC) wanted to improve security and collaboration by consolidating eight Tokyo offices into one physical location featuring an integrated computing environment. At the same time, CTC sought to improve security and comply with regulations such as the Personal Data Protection Act. CTC wanted its office to serve as a showcase that it could use to show its clients modern office technology in practice.

" With Sun Ray thin clients and the Sun Secure Global Desktop Software, our employees have the freedom to choose their working location within the office, aiding collaboration and knowledge sharing. "

— Masahiro Kobayashi, Executive Manager, Data Systems Department, ITOCHU Techno-Science Corporation Ltd.

Using Sun identity management software, CTC consolidated different security policies and access methods from eight separate offices into a single, unified authentication system. Now over 6,000 CTC employees can access all their accounts, applications and data with a single sign-on, improving their level of satisfaction and productivity and enhancing corporate security. Because of Sun's open standards, CTC can also extend its authentication system to business partners. CTC also transitioned employees who had been working on notebook PCs to Sun Ray thin clients. This approach minimizes the risks of a security breach caused by a lost notebook and centralizes all data for added security.

Now all CTC employees carry a Java card that they can plug into any of CTC's 400 Sun Ray thin clients and immediately bring up their own personalized work environment. CTC has a number of shared offices used by workers who travel and are not always on site, saving capital and maintenance costs and floor space. In addition, collaboration and knowledge transfer have been enhanced, because employees can sit closer to colleagues with whom they are working closely.

Sun powers the infrastructure for the thin client architecture with four Sun Fire V490 servers hosting the Sun Ray thin clients and Sun Ray Server Software 3.0, and four Sun V240 servers hosting the Tarantella Secure Global Desktop Software (Now Sun Secure Global Desktop Software). Secure Global Desktop software provides secure access to CTC's server-based applications running on Microsoft Windows from a wide variety of client platforms and devices. Using Secure Global Desktop has allowed CTC to consolidate its critical applications and data onto centrally maintained servers and off individual desktop and laptop computers, improving manageability while increasing flexibility.