CGI and the SAAQ achieve Quebec’s first large-scale implementation of Windows 2000

“We were delighted with the skill with which the project was managed. The transition had a minimum impact on users, which represents no small feat given the size of the project.”

Denis Gagnon, Interim Manager, Technological Infrastructure, SAAQ

As the body responsible for administering the Quebec Automobile Insurance Act’s compensation plan and managing the provincial Highway Safety Code, the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ) partnered with CGI to complete a crucial step in the critical path leading to the SAAQ’s deployment of its first information highway applications.

The Challenge
The SAAQ delivers its services through four regional departments, 45 service outlets, 115 agents, and 2,200 financial establishment branches and in collaboration with a wide range of partners. In 2001, it managed a budget of $1 billion, handled 80,000 insurance claims, conducted 12 million transactions associated with vehicle registration and driving permits, and responded to 2.5 million telephone requests for information.

Committed to increasing its efficiency, the SAAQ has adopted a strategy that focuses on the direct delivery of services through the Internet. This strategy is mainly based on new Web applications that will be made available to the SAAQ’s agents, partners, and the general public via the Internet. To assure the security of its IT assets in this new, open environment, the SAAQ decided to adopt the Windows 2000 Server for its internal technological infrastructure, including its corporate directory known as the Active Directory Services.

However, this decision was not without risk, given the complexity of the SAAQ’s needs and the fact that the technology was still relatively new. The SAAQ was very conscious of these risks when, in January 2001, it asked CGI’s Quebec City team to handle the migration of the network operating system and mid-range servers from Windows NT4 to Windows 2000.

In order to meet the Société’s expectations, CGI had just 14 months to draw up the detailed architecture and design, implement the Active Directory Services, migrate 200 software programs and 150 applications, and carry out the system deployment and implementation, which would affect all of the SAAQ’s users on 160 servers. Once this was completed, CGI was responsible for guaranteeing system availability.

“CGI was able to help us make a smooth transition to Windows 2000, most notably because of the sophisticated Windows 2000 implementation methodologies, which were developed as part of the company’s Strategic Investment Program,” stated Denis Gagnon, the SAAQ’s Interim Manager, Technological Infrastructure. “Moreover, the CGI team was committed to fully satisfying the SAAQ. This combination of know-how and flexibility made all the difference.”

The Strategy
To meet the challenge, CGI focused on Windows 2000 technology expertise. CGI put together a team of specialists in both Windows 2000 and its implementation methodologies, which were developed during 2000. CGI also received support from its multidisciplinary team, which was made up of technological experts, systems and security development specialists, and consultants in change management, work organization, and training.

CGI also drew on the rigor of its ISO 9001 project management framework and its standardization processes, which are based on thoroughly certifying each component of the servers delivered. Finally, CGI worked very closely with the SAAQ team. “The search for solutions and the implementation were carried out in a spirit of complete collaboration,” added Denis. “The chemistry that resulted played a major role in the success of the project.”

The Technology

• Security: implementation of the Active Directory Services and Group Policies; network intrusion detection products: ISS RealSecure Console, ISS RealSecure Network Sensor, ISS RealSecure Server Sensor, ISS System Scanner
  
• Network: implementation of DNS, WINS, DHCP architecture
  
• Server: implementation of Microsoft Windows 2000 Server, close to 125 technological tools and approximately 100 applications
  
• Workstations: implementation, at developers’ stations, of Microsoft Windows 2000 Professional and 200 software applications

The Results
CGI achieved all of the SAAQ’s objectives and assured continuous availability of the systems without exceeding the allotted budget. It even delivered the solution ahead of schedule!

With CGI’s support, the SAAQ successfully took a decisive step along its critical path to realizing and deploying its initial applications on the information highway. The SAAQ also received an unexpected benefit from the partnership: the transfer of CGI’s project management knowledge to its internal teams. In fact, it appreciated CGI’s management frameworks so much, that at the end of the project it retained the services of CGI change management and work organization consultants in order to import this rigorous approach into the SAAQ.

“We were delighted with the skill with which the project was managed,” concluded Denis. “The transition had a minimum impact on users, which represents no small feat given the size of the project.”