Modernizing a decades-old engineering environment without disrupting the work

The challenge

A 20-person geotechnical engineering firm operates across multiple locations with employees working in the office, in the field, and from home. The firm had no practical remote-access capability. Email worked only from inside the office, important software dated as far back as 1996, and its aging infrastructure had never been given a structured modernization plan. Replacing everything at once would have created unnecessary cost and disruption. The firm needed a partner who could understand its specialized applications and improve the environment in manageable stages.

The approach

Over a decade-long relationship, Dunlap modernized the environment piece by piece, prioritizing the systems creating the most immediate friction. The work progressed through: - Modern business email - Updated office networking and Wi-Fi - VPN and remote-access capabilities - File-server modernization - Commercial surveillance - Ongoing support for office, field, and hybrid employees Useful systems were retained until there was a clear operational reason to replace or improve them.

The outcome

Employees can now reach the applications and information they need across offices, field locations, and home workspaces. Instead of being confined to aging, office-only systems, the firm has an accessible environment that continues to evolve with its work.