A Global Recruitment Leader

SThree, a recruitment giant founded in 1986 with a turnover of around £750 million, operates through renowned brands like Computer Futures, Progressive, Huxley, and Real Staffing Group. They employ over 2,300 recruitment consultants across the globe, supported by an additional 400 staff members. Initially focused on Information and Communication Technology (ICT) recruitment, SThree has expanded its expertise to encompass diverse sectors such as banking and finance, engineering, energy, oil and gas, and life sciences. Central to their global recruitment and reporting operations is a robust IT infrastructure, particularly the Oracle databases running on Exadata hardware.

Elevating Database Management

With over 20 active databases of varying sizes, SThree's Database Services team faced the challenge of ensuring optimal performance, security, and backup. The risk of losing crucial database knowledge due to staff turnover and the lack of round-the-clock database support became increasingly apparent, especially with SThree's expanding global presence.

Cintra's Strategic Solution

Looking to extend its database management, SThree partnered with Cintra for their full-stack support capabilities across Oracle databases, licensing and Exadata and 24-hour support. Cintra's initial assessment of the full database estate, including the Exadata hardware and all Oracle databases running on it, identified areas for improvement and devised a roadmap for enhancing database performance and reliability. The collaboration with Cintra resulted in improved stability and performance of critical Oracle databases.

SThree's Leap Forward

With Cintra's support, SThree elevated its IT services with what proved to be a cost-effective solution, offering the expertise of a whole company and mitigating the risk of knowledge loss.

Starting Context: SThree operated a complex Oracle database environment on Exadata hardware, compromising over 20 active databases essential for their global recruitment operations.

Objectives of the Migration:

• Optimize the performance and security of the Oracle databases.

• Establish efficient and reliable 24/7 database support infrastructure.

• Minimize the risk associated with in-house database management and staff turnover.

Cintra's Methodological Approach:

• Database Services Enhancement and Risk Assessment (DSE-RA):

  • Conducted analysis of SThree’s database environment, including Exadata hardware and Oracle databases.

  • Identified key areas for immediate improvement within the existing infrastructure.

• Continuous Improvement and Support Program (CISP):

  • Implemented a series of strategic enhancements to SThree’s database environment based on the initial assessment findings.

  • Established a framework for ongoing support and maintenance, ensuring 24/7 coverage.

• Knowledge Management and Transition Strategy (KMTS):

  • Developed a knowledge transfer process to mitigate the risk of information loss due to staff changes.

  • Ensured continuous knowledge sharing and documentation within the expanded database services team.

Benefits & Advantages:

• Operational Stability and Performance: Achieved significant improvements in the stability and performance of SThree’s Oracle databases, crucial for their recruitment activities.

• Cost-Effective Support Model: Provided a more economical solution for round-the-clock database support, reducing the dependency on in-house Oracle expertise.

• SLA Alignment and Business Continuity: Enhanced SThree’s ability to meet service level agreements, contributing to uninterrupted and efficient business operations.