The specialization provides role-based training in three essential areas: Unified Fabric for optimizing data and storage needs; Unified Computing for streamlining data center resources and uniting network, computational, storage and virtualization platforms; and Unified Network Services for advancing the way application delivery and security services are provided in the data center network or computing environment.

Citrix XenApp is an application delivery solution that enables any Windows application to be virtualized, centralized and managed in the data center, and instantly delivered as a service to users anywhere on any device. Virtual application delivery with XenApp enables organizations to improve application management by:

• Centralizing applications in the datacenter to reduce complexity and lower the cost of desktop management by up to 50 percent
• Controlling and encrypting access to data and applications to improve security
• Delivering applications instantly to users anywhere on any device
• Simplifying and automating the process of delivering or updating applications, enabling IT to focus on strategic initiatives

As an example of how this technology can be leveraged, consider this use case we are exploring with a local school system:

Currently the school system administers the National SOL (Standards of Learning) test each year and each year this is a logistical nightmare for system administrators and facilitators of the test. This is because the test is administered online via Internet Explorer across approximately 4000 unique end-points (workstations) simultaneously. Due to the varying configurations of each end-point, the different levels of software installed such as Java, and the network bandwidth required to support each end-point, this process places quite the burden on the school system each year and occupies a significant operational expenditure and time commitment for employees to prepare.

Instead of accessing the test at each workstation locally, Hersey can virtualize the Internet Explorer application with a common and tested configuration specific for the SOL test and then deliver this application from a centralized location to each end-point thereby removing the configuration discrepancies, standardizing on a common level of software required to support the test, and significantly reducing the burden on the network thereby ensuring the consistency and usability of the application for the students. By consolidating the application across all end-points to a central application, the school system only needs to prepare and test the single configuration instead of certifying 4000 end-points. This represents a significant cost savings for the school system in the form of work hours that allows them to concentrate on other strategic initiatives to move the school system forward instead of spending a large amount of time managing the day-to-day.

The ATV is a mobile demonstration van operated by ABS Technology Architects that has been outfitted with the most innovative technology options. It showcases solutions in collaboration, video and virtual desktop integration. Hands-on demonstrations are feature rich in all areas of technology.

Spotsylvania hosted the ATV on Thursday, February 14 from 8:15 a.m. till 2 p.m. at the Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center next to Courtland High School. “The ABS ATV is a unique opportunity for students involved with STEM related classes to explore potential career paths in their areas of interest,” said Meghan O’Connor, Assistant Principal at Spotsylvania Career and Technical Center. “It is always positive for students to see industry interested in their futures and for industry to see their future work force.”

Fredericksburg hosted the ATV on Friday, February 15 from 8 a.m. till 12 p.m. at James Monroe High School. “Students visiting the ABS ATV will have an opportunity to see real world application to the skills they are learning in the classroom, said Warren Kelchner, CISCO Instructor at James Monroe High School. “They will also be able to discuss the advantages of obtaining industry certifications with professionals who are at the forefront in the ICT industry.”

The customer was Reckitt Pharmaceutical in Richmond, Virginia. Reckitt is an ABS Blueprint customer, which means that they subscribe to our managed services where our engineers act as an offshoot to their IT department to manage portions of the network.

On Friday last week, ABS treated the IT help desk staff in Parsippany, New Jersey and the office in Richmond, Virginia to a pizza lunch. It’s a party! Pizza party!

Reckitt Benckiser Pharmaceuticals is a specialty pharmaceutical company that is committed to expanding access to medical therapies for patients suffering from the chronic, relapsing brain disease of opioid dependence.

David Wright is a Chesapeake, Virginia native and graduate of Hickory High School. This was Wright’s third year hosting the event and feels that “The Children’s Hospital of The King’s Daughters is a special place of hope and healing for thousands of children each year.”

ABS has supported the event from the beginning. CEO, Walker Dorroh helped in planning and participation.

ABS Technology Architects is a Master Unified Communications specialist with Cisco. ABS has a fulfilled the training requirements and program prerequisites to sell, deploy and support highly sophisticated applications-based Cisco Unified Communications solutions. With this distinction ABS becomes the only Cisco partner with offices in Hampton Roads, Richmond and Roanoke to achieve this certification.

To achieve the Master Unified Communications Specialization, resale channel partners must first attain the Advanced Unified Communications Specialization. Partners must then meet stringent requirements that demonstrate their master-level sales, technical, and services capabilities. Furthermore, master specialized partners must possess a number of Cisco and industry-standard technical certification requirements, provide customer references that document Cisco-prescribed design and deployment capabilities; and show evidence that they have the infrastructure to support a full menu of Lifecycle Services offerings and capabilities.

Customer Satisfaction Excellence is the highest distinction a partner can achieve within the Cisco Channel Partner Program. It is one of the highest priorities of Cisco and is an integral part of establishing customer loyalty, giving partners a method to assess customer-to-partner relationships and actively address customer concerns. Customer satisfaction is a quantitative measure of both pre- and post-sales support that an end customer experiences while purchasing Cisco products or services from a partner. Each measurement period, Cisco acknowledges partners that have the highest customer satisfaction distinction within each geographic region.

Enjoy reading the article by Bill Cresenzo as appeared in the December 21, 2012 issue of Inside Business highlighting this major milestone.

Shown at the 2004 Christmas party, left to right, are Walker Dorroh, Chris Zettervall, longest-serving employee Zoraida Samaniego, Duane Brennon and Hunter Dorroh.

Growing up, Walker Dorroh and his brother, Hunter, the owners of ABS Technology Architects, spent a lot of time with their father, who founded the business in 1972 as American Business Systems

“It’s been in our blood our whole lives,” Dorroh said. “We pretty much worked there every summer and on the weekends. I was officially on the payroll when I was 12.”

Back then, the brothers made copies, pulled weeds, helped with bookkeeping, put together training manuals and just helped around the office. Now, after having taken the business over from their father, they oversee a staff of 97 people.

And things have certainly changed, but they’ve stayed the same. The company’s goal is to equip small and large businesses with the latest in office technology. Back then, that consisted of electronic calculators, typewriters and word processors.

By the 1990s, the business was dealing in scanners and digital imaging, and by the end of that decade it turned its focus to Cisco wireless systems.

Today, that consists of a new name – ABS Technology Architects – and equipping business with the latest in Cisco IP-based video and computer communications. The company was the first Virginia firm to get Cisco IP Telephony certification and is the longest continuously certified Cisco voice dealer in the commonwealth.

The company has received several accolades, including being named to Inc.’s 5000 fastest-growing companies list and Inside Business’ Roaring 20.

“We stay ahead of the curve to identify technology solutions for our customers,” Dorroh said.

For a company to be eligible it must be headquartered in Hampton Roads and established prior to 2009, realized gross revenues of at least $2 million in 2011 and experienced three years of growth. Nominees were interviewed and finally selected by an advisory panel.

ABS’ Hunter Dorroh accepted the award on November 1 at the Westin Virginia Beach Town Center.

The write-up for ABS from Inside Business appears below. To view the entire section on all companies click here.

ABS Technology Architects

Founded 1972

Business type Information technology

Based Virginia Beach

Website www.absnt.com

Revenue $21.6 million in 2009; $28.9 million in 2010; $35.4 million in 2011

Employees 65 in 2009; 80 in 2010; 93 in 2011

When brothers Walker and Hunter Dorroh were children, they probably didn’t comprehend their father was starting a business that would soon be essential to the way the business world operates.

Now Walker serves as chief executive officer and Hunter chief technology officer at ABS Technology Architects in Virginia Beach, which was started in 1972 when computers were considered state-of-the-art technology. Their long-term success is due to providing innovative technology solutions that meet business and organizational needs, they say. The brothers took over the business in 1999.

They provide network security, wireless networking, IP unified communications, virtualization, structured cabling, information technology outsources and data center solutions, said Chief Operating Officer Chris Zettervall.

The reason for their long-term success, according to Zettervall, is the “great job they do of taking care of the customer and customer loyalty.”

“Technology is always evolving for business and the public, and to be able to offer solutions is important,” he said.

Commitment to change is a reason they have weathered the long-term technology evolution, Zettervall said.

“And we have good, smart people who can relate to our customers,” he added.

“Our people are able to relate and understand what the customer is trying to accomplish,” Zettervall said.

“We consider ourselves a partner in the equation as opposed to just a part of it. It is more an art than a science in the way we relate to the customer,” he said.

While they consider their customer important, Zettervall said they understand their limits.

“We have not tried to be all things to all people,” he said. “We are very focused with a couple of major product lines.”

One of those was Cisco. ABS Technology was the first Virginia-based firm to receive Cisco’s IP Telephony certification.

Even though it’s had long-term success, the firm is challenged with being a private company. No outside equity makes it tough to grow with little capital – it makes them run a tight ship, Zettervall said.

And as with any company involved in IT, keeping up with the rapid changes is an everyday challenge, he said.

Another challenge is finding good people.

“That is our single biggest factor,” Zettervall said.

Many people leave the company for management positions with other companies. Zettervall said they are only able to offer so many management positions.

“We can only have so managers. We do not discourage those who are talented and have management skills to leave if we do not have a position for them.”

The goal for the next few years is to have 20 percent growth each year in a manageable way with respect to cloud technology.

There is also growth with WiFi in the United States and Latin America, he said.

- Susan Smigielski Acker

As a Citrix Solution Advisor, ABS helps customers architect, plan and deliver innovative business solutions leveraging the Citrix portfolio of products, including XenDesktop®, XenApp™, XenClient™ and XenServer®. Collectively, these solutions empower users to access their virtual desktops on any device – smartphones, tablets and personal laptops – from anywhere, at any time.

“Competitive advantage in today’s economy depends on the ability to efficiently and seamlessly connect to desktop applications,” said Hunter Dorroh, Chief Technology Officer for ABS. “Incorporating technologies by Citrix Solutions with our expertise in data center design enables ABS customers to realize the benefits of virtualization, bringing flexibility and mobility to the workforce and increasing productivity.”