CASE STUDY: HD VIDEO CONFERENCING
See MarkLogic’s video conferencing setup in action in our video: cdw.com/MarkLogic
COMPANY: MarkLogic
HEADQUARTERS: San Carlos, Calif.
EMPLOYEES: 275
I.T. STAFF: 4
BUSINESS: A leader in the big data applications market, the company’s flagship product, MarkLogic, is the enterprise NoSQL database that manages all types of data, at scale, in real time. It combines the schema-less, scalable flexibility of a NoSQL database with built-in search and analytics capabilities.
At a Glance
BIG DATA, BIG TEAMWORK
To link its far-flung employees and customers, a global technology company creates a robust high-definition video conferencing ecosystem.
Video conferencing offers a way “to knock down both real costs and resource expenses
related to employee time,” says MarkLogic’s Jeff Thomas.
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2 CASE STUDY: HD VIDEO CONFERENCING
When your company powers one of the hottest
technologies being used by the world’s largest enterprises,
it can drive some major travel and collaboration needs.
That’s the case for big data market leader MarkLogic.
The Silicon Valley company provides massive operational
NoSQL databases that manage all types of data, at scale
and in real time. As such, MarkLogic is used by a veritable
who’s who of global companies.
From its inception in 2001, MarkLogic has grown to
include field offices in Austin, Texas; New York; Washington,
D.C.; Frankfurt, Germany; London; and Tokyo — plus
another dozen satellite locations scattered worldwide. With
so many physical offices and numerous telecommuters,
the 275-employee company needed a more effective and
efficient way to collaborate than e-mail, telephone and, of
course, in person via long-distance airplane travel.
“Despite our company’s ongoing efficiency efforts,
travel continued to be an enormous expense,” says Senior
Director of IT Jeff Thomas. “We wanted to knock down both
real costs and resource expenses related to employee time.
Each was a drain on business-critical functions.”
For a technology company like MarkLogic, the answer
seemed somewhat obvious: Tap into leading-edge
technology. It turned to high-definition (HD) video
conferencing to bridge the geographic divide separating
employees from more regular face-to-face encounters.
Thinking TechBased on a long-term association with CDW, MarkLogic
sought out its technology partner’s expertise to help
select and build the right system, says Justin Hester, a
unified communications solutions architect for CDW (see
“Charting a Course Together”).
“We discussed the business needs as expressed by
MarkLogic,” Hester says. “We also uncovered a few needs
that were previously unidentified.”
In short, MarkLogic not only intended to bring employees
together; it also wanted to improve customer access to
subject-matter experts within the company.
“For example, if a prospective customer had a question,
our sales team could bring a customer into a field office, like
New York,” Thomas says. “Then, we could link them up with
an engineer at our headquarters here in San Carlos to get
an answer that might make the sale.”
MarkLogic also wanted the capability to download
conferencing software to notebook and desktop systems,
so that employees could join a conferencing session from
wherever they were. This instant access would permit ad
hoc collaboration anywhere, anytime. Plus, the company’s
executives wanted to provide similar guest access to
customers and partners.
After evaluating several options, MarkLogic decided to
install an HD Polycom video conferencing environment. It
included fixed-room systems at MarkLogic headquarters, as
well as at its Austin; London; New York; and McLean, Virginia,
locations. Additionally, MarkLogic invested in a desktop/
notebook client application and a guest-access module.
For the conferencing rooms at its headquarters, New
York and McLean locations, MarkLogic selected Polycom’s
HDX 8000 Executive Collection conferencing system,
outfitted with dual 50-inch monitors. The headquarters
deployment also included a setup in a 110-person capacity
training room. For that setup, the HDX 8000 utilizes the
room’s existing ceiling-mount projectors for display.
In the Austin and London offices, MarkLogic chose a
Polycom HDX 4500 system, paired with a 24-inch display.
Regardless of location, the company outfitted the fixed-
room systems with a Polycom Touch Control touchpad for
easy, user-friendly access by conferencing participants.
For the desktop and notebook client, MarkLogic
deployed the Polycom CMA Desktop application, which
can be used with both Microsoft Windows and Apple OS X
operating systems. And, for tablets, it adopted the Polycom
RealPresence Mobile module.
Behind the ScenesOn the back end, MarkLogic implemented several Polycom
technologies to maximize the new video conferencing
capabilities. These include an RMX 2000 video/audio
multipoint bridge, a VBP 5300 Video Border Proxy, an RSS
4000 recording and streaming server and a CMA 4000
Converged Management Application.
“The bridge permits multiple endpoint conferences
$25,000MarkLogic’s savings on travel-related costs from holding a single cross-country marketing and field operations meeting via its video conferencing system
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3
Charting a Course TogetherLong and prosperous is how Jeff Thomas describes his relationship with CDW.
Thomas, senior director for IT for MarkLogic, first began buying technology wares from CDW in the mid-1990s. “Back then, I ran a consulting
business, and I introduced many of my customers to CDW,” he says.
Flash forward to 2001: MarkLogic was founded in San Carlos, Calif., and Thomas became one of the inaugural employees. “I brought CDW into
MarkLogic on its first day of operations,” he says. “CDW’s been virtually the sole provider of all our hardware and software since then.”
Not surprisingly, Thomas has formed relationships with several CDW representatives over the years. “I work closely with Jeff on a daily basis,”
says CDW Senior Account Manager Brad Dickow. “We assist him with everything from accessory orders to infrastructure needs.”
Function Drives Form
For MarkLogic’s video conferencing project, Thomas contacted CDW with a basic outline of the functions that his executive team wanted from a
video conferencing system.
“I engaged one of our best solution architects, Justin Hester, to put his expertise to work for MarkLogic,” Dickow says.
Together, Thomas, Dickow and Hester, a unified communications solutions architect for CDW, fleshed out MarkLogic’s business needs. “It became
clear they needed an end-to-end solution to accommodate multiple locations and mobile employees,” Dickow says. “They quickly saw the value
of expanding the solution to include a complete environment.”
With the roadmap established, CDW researched options and suggested evaluating two manufacturers. The evaluations included allowing
MarkLogic representatives to visit local demonstration sites to test the options.
“Our company founder, several key executives and I went to both manufacturers for a hands-on demonstration of their systems,” Thomas says.
“In addition to test-driving the equipment, we spoke to the Polycom engineers. Their solution, which is standards-based and nonproprietary, was
the right fit.”
With a technology provider selected, CDW researched the required components and designed a potential solution.
From the design, Thomas leveraged his own years of expertise installing network and technology components. “I architected the network
platform to install the solution on,” he says.
During implementation, CDW was there every step of the way. “We helped MarkLogic manage the project,” Hester says.
By choosing a complete solution, MarkLogic not only received a stable, versatile system but also can anticipate a lower total cost of ownership
over time, Dickow points out. “This gives them a quality solution that is rock solid.”
800.800.4239 | CDW.com
for up to a couple dozen participants,” Thomas says.
Similarly, the VBP 5300 border proxy handles guest
access. “This allows for external video endpoints, such
as a customer or partner, to call into our video systems
across the Internet,” he says. “And the RSS 4000 allows us
to record a conference and later publish it as an electronic
media file.” The RSS 4000 also allows MarkLogic to live
stream a conference or meeting to many dozens of viewers.
Controlling the entire system from an intuitive interface
is the CMA 4000 management application. “It provides
management functionality for all of the other Polycom
components,” Thomas says, “and it integrates the desktop
and notebook clients to allow individuals to use their
notebook or workstation as a video endpoint.”
The comprehensive solution demonstrates a
commitment to providing world-class capabilities that
will ultimately drive down total cost of ownership while
simultaneously boosting value to the company, Hester says.
“Many customers understand the foundational
importance of simple point-to-point video conferencing,”
he says. “But MarkLogic took that to the next step by
deploying both endpoint and infrastructure technologies
from Polycom, which provides them with a far deeper and
more enhanced multipoint video conferencing experience.”
Savings from the StartThe Polycom tools will allow MarkLogic employees to
reduce travel and increase collaboration for years to come.
Indeed, benefits are already evident. In IT, it starts with
minimizing complexity for a lean team. “Efficiency is huge
for us,” Thomas says. “From the beginning of our company,
we’ve always built systems to be efficient.”
Operationally, the video conferencing system is meeting
the intended goals, say users, such as MarkLogic’s Keith
Carlson, executive vice president of professional services
and alliances. “Every moment we spend travelling, we’re
away from our customers,” he says. “Keeping people doing
their jobs is highly valuable to us and to our customers,
from a customer service and satisfaction standpoint.”
Carlson sites the quarterly internal meetings he holds.
4800.800.4239 | CDW.com
Top 5 Tips When Deploying HD Video ConferencingDesign the environment from the ground up to ensure your
company’s network appropriately supports the chosen video
conferencing system’s needs and capabilities.
Select an intuitive solution and components to improve the speed of
adoption, such as a system that includes a touchpad with a “click to
call” feature, permitting one-touch access to installed locations.
Dedicate an IT resource to the project, and task that individual
with being your company’s expert. If your company lacks an
appropriate internal resource, consider hiring a third party.
Develop stakeholder champions to ensure adoption and to
achieve the return on investment you planned on paper.
Encourage users to install client modules on their client systems
and devices in advance of initial conferencing sessions to address
any installation or training issues early.
This content is provided for informational purposes. It is believed to be accurate but could contain errors. CDW does not intend to make any warranties, express or implied, about the products, services, or information that is discussed. CDW®, CDW•G® and The Right Technology. Right Away® are registered trademarks of CDW LLC. PEOPLE WHO GET IT™ is a trademark of CDW LLC. All other trademarks and registered trademarks are the sole property of their respective owners.Together we strive for perfection. ISO 9001:2000 certified116985 —121026 ©2012 CDW LLC
CASE STUDY: HD VIDEO CONFERENCING
“My team is geographically dispersed all over the world,” he
says. “Normally, we come together for a day and a half of
meetings. Rather than spend $10,000 on hotels and airlines,
we’ve met via video conference, which saved on cost and
the time it takes to fly halfway around the world.”
Tony Agresta, MarkLogic’s vice president of worldwide
field operations, agrees. He used the system for two and
a half days of marketing meetings that involved several
globally dispersed employees. “In travel time, alone, we
saved 12 person-days,” Agresta says. “This time savings
was applied to planning before the meeting and execution
afterward. We found that we were able to achieve more
while saving tens of thousands in travel costs.”
Carlson also values the human benefits of the system.
“We’ve used the system for meeting with customers,” he
says. “Where we’d have used audio conferencing in the
past, with video conferencing we can see our customers’
expressions, read them and interact with them in ways you
just can’t do with an audio conference.”
Both Agresta and Carlson note the quality and ease of
use of the Polycom tools.
“Corporate Marketing, Field Marketing and Field
Operations leaders all presented planning decks, after
which all action items were compiled and discussed as a
team. The interactivity and collaboration was really good,”
Agresta says. “It was very easy, efficient and effective.
Plus, it was more fun.”
Untapped PotentialNaturally, these uses mark only the beginning for MarkLogic
in exploring the system. “I intend to continue using video
conferencing for the quarterly meetings and leveraging it
for weekly meetings,” Carlson says. “And, as our customers
become even more geographically dispersed, my team
will use the system even more because it makes sales and
servicing experiences more interactive and successful.”
Moving forward, Thomas anticipates continued growth in
video conferencing use as employees continue to download
the end-user client to their systems and tablets.
“Because we expect mobility, everyone uses a notebook
as a workstation,” Thomas says. “The Polycom notebook
and tablet clients are really slick for point-to-point and
multipoint conferences.”
Additionally, MarkLogic users appreciate the breadth of
guest access the system offers. “One reason for selecting
Polycom was its nonproprietary, standards-based
architecture,” Thomas says. “We’ve already used it with
other systems a few times.”
No matter how employees use the system, Thomas
anticipates video conferencing will become the norm rather
than the exception for a simple reason: “You always feel
better about an interaction when you can look the other
person in the eye.”Pho
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Thomas values the ease of HD video conferencing and efficiency it provides MarkLogic’s business.
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