It Architecture and Infrastructure

It Architecture and Infrastructure

IT architecture and an infrastructure for Sierra Brews, LLC

Strategic Goals:

Develop a supply chain management (SCM) system capable of scaling to support global suppliers agile enough to be easily managed at the local level.

Develop and continually improve demand management functionality in the core Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system including forecasting from direct and future indirect sales channels

Create links to key customers so that Collaborative Planning Forecasting & Replenishment (CPFR) process workflows can be crated and maintained

Using predictive analytics define route optimization and delivery schedules for fulfillment including optimizing the load factors on each delivery vehicle used; design a scalable fulfillment system based on advanced analytics

Define a new product introduction process that takes into account the latest advancements from suppliers

Define the goals, objectives and site search criterion for the new bar and restaurant in Reno

Business Requirements

Cross-functional communication enabled by shared measures of performance including metrics and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across the company

Real-time supply chain integration and order management with suppliers globally; this needs to be enabled through Cloud-based applications

Customer relationship management (CRM) strategies that define responsibilities for all direct accounts (bars, casinos & restaurants); defining also an organizational structure that can support indirect accounts as well.

Accounting and financial reporting processes and procedures that are capable of tracking Accounts Payable, Accounts Receivable, can manage process-based accounting and workflow costing for process goods including beer and other beverages.

Warehouse management systems and processes that can easily scale from the single location today to a network of warehouses regionally. Included in this is inventory management workflow design and support for vendor managed inventory (VMI) workflows to minimize inventory carrying costs.

Retail reporting processes and systems in place to support Point of Sale (POS) data from planned bar & restaurant, in addition to POS data analysis from indirect and direct accounts

Architecture

Cloud-based ERP system that has accounting, finance and advanced analytics and business intelligence modules.

Supply Chain Management (SCM) module that includes support for vendor-managed inventory, real-time forecasting and demand management with suppliers globally; supporting onboarding of suppliers is also a critical requirement.

Fleet Maintenance, Warehouse Management and Point of Sale (POS) applications integrated as part of the ERP suite (all cloud resident)

Cloud-based CRM system capable of tracking direct and indirect customer relationships including the status of marketing promotions and campaigns

Secured server back-up of all accounting, customer and financial data, either from a hosting provider or onsite

E-mail and office automation applications delivered through public cloud services

T1 access across all facilities with hardware-based firewalls based on Cisco network bridges, routers, and hubs (they have firmware support for firewalls)

Infrastructure

Laptops running Windows 7 with Windows Explorer and Google Chrome installed; Microsoft Office installed; Tablet PCs running Apple iOS

Client/server LAN, 100 MHz

T1 line as the majority of applications are cloud-based

Cloud based (application service provider (Amazon)), ERP (NetSuite) with CRM module (Salesforce.com) and Point of Sale module (NetSuite has a POS Module on their cloud-based ERP system available today).

Discussion/Justification