Tel: 01423 290029

Mikrotik Support, Design & Consultancy

Network design, Configuration support and On Site training

Calling all business owners, IT service providers and smart home owners….

  • Worried about a network problem that won’t go away?
  • Are you planning to upgrade your routers and switches but struggle to know where to start?
  • Do you know if it’s safe to upgrade to the latest firmware but don’t have the resources to test before upgrading?
  • Is your system so critical that you need to have somebody to call quickly if it goes wrong?
  • Would you recover quickly if your router failed?

We see tech problems as business pain. All of the issues above will affect your business significantly if not addressed. Andisa can help verify and if necessary reconfigure your Mikrotik devices to overcome such issues.

We provide support directly to end users however we are equally happy to work along side a IT support provider to help you look after your own clients as a “whiteboxed” service working under your own banner.

Why do people trust Andisa?

Established in 2003, Andisa have been working to help businesses grow by configuring reliable networks and reduce network management costs. We discovered teh world of Mikrotik in 2011 and have been  deploying them ever since.

Our consultants are all experienced tech guys but equally they understand just how much of an impact a faulty network can have on the bottom line. Don’t be surprised if they ask three times what the problem is. The first time is to understand your frustration. The second time is to understand where the problem is, the third time is to actually find out what  the real pain and impact is!

Andisa specialise in providing real world support and design of networks, making benefit from the impressive features that MikroTik devices offer.

Here are some examples of work we have already completed:

  • Implement & manage a 400sqKm wireless network in Nepal, linking schools to the internet. This operates similar to a UK community internet scheme.
  • Run our own hosted server and web hosting system utilising VLANS connected via MikroTik Routers and switches.
  • Support a number of other IT providers across the UK who want experienced and specialist engineers to backup their own field engineers.
  • Support and manage a shared internet scheme at an Olympic horse riding centre. Internet can be accessed reliably across a site 1 mile wide.
  • Provide internet sharing and QoS for student accommodation in Sheffield.
  • Linked two factories across a public car park so that the new factory could use a central server and run barcoding. This company expanded and needed extra space but wanted their network to connect both sites seamlessly. Our solution has multipath to keep speed at a maximum and also provide resilience.
  • Designed and manage a multi client film studio network in Leeds. Versa Studio’s need to keep each client secure whilst providing massive upload speeds to that videos can be transmitted.
  • Installed and now manage a 60Ghz wireless network across a Cathedral city, linking all of the buildings within the estate.
  • Assist with design, upgrade and management of a WiSP network across central Scotland. DS Electrical provide high quality wireless internet to businesses across Scotland. Their background is mechanical and electrical engineering. They partner with us to gain teh technical skills they need to maintain their important network.

We can help with VLAN, VPNs (IPSec, OpenVPN, L2TP, PPP / PPtP),  Queue trees and bandwidth sharing, QoS, Policy routing, DHCP configuration and Wireless links.

Our consultants are all current MikroTik certified including MTCNA, MTCRE, MTCWE paths. The consultants will work on site anywhere in the UK and abroad and can also can work remotely over TeamViewer.

Our library of spare devices means that we can build off line test systems to replicate your network and ensure that upgrades are safe and can be applied quickly to avoid lengthy downtime.

What difference do we make?

We see network problems as things that affect business! If a network cant be reliable so the only time you touch it is to add a new PC, to expand to cope with business growth or to upgrade to gain capacity then it isn’t set up properly. Our track record

Andisa manages many networks and the key to the success is through careful design,

Although the issue All networks are different but for most, when Andisa configures a network and adds Mikrotik routers users get a better experience, systems work better and users are happier. More importantly when future problems occur we can easily detect and diagnose the problem, fixing bottlenecks quickly and without having to visit.

With over 100 years shared consultancy knowledge in our business Andisa provides creative and innovative solutions to problems. Where other providers focus on the technical benefits, we are benefits lead.

If you have read this far then I am sure you will relate to the following case study.

Case Study – Looper

Andisa recently helped Looper set up a new hosting centre infrastructure that will be used to monitor and police streaming services such as Netflix on behalf of the production companies who create the media. Looper needed to:

  1. Make VPN links to each continent reliable and self maintaining.
    Previous VPN solutions relied on low performance devices and the VPN would stop half way through a session, wasting valuable time.
  2. Reduce set up time for new devices & allow junior tech staff to set up equipment
    The configuration of VLAN, DHCP, Trans continental VPN’s and switches took several hours each time they added a new monitoring device. It was also so technical that only a limited number of people could perform the task.

So as you see , the pains that needed fixing were regular business issues although the cause and fix were technical.

Our solution was to select a VPN provider who would support policy based VPN’s with end points in all the continents that they needed.  We then set up the Mikrotik to connect automatically with each continent and to reboot each VPN if it went stale. At that point the infrastructure was reliable.

With careful VLAN network design we were able to deliver every continents internet access to every rack, so that the customer could connect devices easily. The thing that made teh real difference was when we moved them away from using VLAN numbers. We set up a central management portal to control the VLANs and gave them country names. Suddenly they could add devices with access to any continent simply and without the need for the senior tech staff. Loopers feedback was brilliant. They volunteered teh fact that we had saved them time and money, speeding up implementation and simplifying the network.

What makes us different?

Andisa cut it’s “Mikrotik” teeth while designing and implementing a wireless internet service in Nepal. This was part of a IT and Literacy project and it ultimately lead to a local ISP being formed who now provides internet to schools in the region.

It was a CSR project (see our  Corporate Social Responsibility page). We needed to ensure it was reliable in such a challenging terrain because if not we would constantly be travelling across the globe to repair the system.

What it proved was that if we can run a reliable network in a 3rd world country, then we can definitely help configure and manage an European based network with all the benefits of 24*7 power, no lightening bolts and easy access.

See Andy presenting about the project at MikroTik User Meeting 2017 – Kathmandu

click to see our MikroTik MUM Kathmandu Presentation by Andy Morrison

MikroTik User Meeting 2018 – Birmingham

Following the Kathmandu MuM, Andisa were asked to present at the UK MuM in Birmingham 2018

Andy explained how to create secure and manageable networks using MikroTik routers. IT departments and suppliers need to optimise their engineers, keeping them out on the road to earn money. Yet when a customer calls in with a problem they need to be able to react quickly.
With good planning and MikroTik routers its possible to set up centrally managed access that is secure yet flexible enough that IT departments can fix and manage routers remotely.

 

See the PDF of the presentation here

Speak to one of our Network specialists

 

If you need immediate help when you have a problem, rather than joining the queue of projects that we are working on currently then you need a support contract. In return for a monthly fee you jump up the get help in the fastest way possible. That means your downtime is minimised and business is kept running.

Our support contracts provide break fix, backup and monitoring of the Mikrotik systems and include:

  • Priority Business hours Remote support for when your router breaks or a function stops working.
  • Escalation to a senior engineer out of hours for absolute emergency help.
  • Buddy contact for when you want to discuss a new configuration you are planning to apply.
  • Managed Daily backup of the router config (back to Andisa) so that your router can be recovered quickly if it ever fails.
  • Updates scheduled & applied remotely by one of our team.
  • Loan equipment programmed and delivered ready for connection in the case of catastrophic failure.
  • Discounted consultancy rates while a contract is in place.
  • Log all issues, requests and changes on our CRM system.
  • Provide a summary of call requests regularly via email.

When working on a complex configuration we may download it onto our own test bed of routers so we can test a configuration without risk to your own network.

If you are wanting to make significant changes to the routers then we also offer consultancy on an hourly basis. Normally this is where your system isn’t broken and you are planning a change. See the Consultancy tab for more information.

Mikrotik support starts @ £150 a month. If you have several routers then contact us for a custom quote.

Many of our customers want a network design service and perhaps help on site with implementation. We’re happy to provide this service and already have customers across the length of the UK.

We can help with a complete design including site survey, remote consultancy to oversee your own design or collaborate directly with clients on your behalf.

Consultancy can help you if you:

  • Already have your own engineers who can do basic Mikrotik support  but feel you need a backup for them when things get more detailed.
  • Have low priority systems that don’t cause significant impact when they go off line but still need fixing.
  • Are planning an upgrade and don’t feel confident to plan or implement it yourself.
  • Want a configuration testing or developing off line using a library of different.

Our work is based on an hourly or daily rate depending on duration. We are happy to discuss requirements and quote for the work.   Contact Us

We have our own library of training courses designed to help engineers just starting with Mikrotiks or the more advanced techs who want to learn about VLAN and advanced routing etc. The courses typically take 1/2 a day to a day to complete and can also be customised if you have specific needs. They are designed to get you working as a network engineer rather than to pass certification.

Our courses start at £750 for up to 8 people.

There are also great certification courses available through the MikroTik official site and we would recommend you follow the certification process if you want to advance a career or increase sales.

 

What Our Customers Say

  • We spent the last few days desperately installing generators for our clients in Scotland - trying to get ready for the XMAS period amongst strikes and power cuts.
    If only you provided generators, then power would be as reliable as the network you set up for us. That never goes wrong - if a line fails the system automatically connects to the spare line and our customers keep running! Well done.
    You made a real difference to our business, because you stopped us getting a massive surge of calls each time there was a line fault.

    Dave Short

  • Hi,

    Hope your week is going well so far.

    We are just about caught up from Friday 😊 I wanted to drop a message to say thank you for jumping on this so quickly last week.

    Your care and attention was greatly appreciated and you certainly made me feel calmer.

    Kind regards, HAYLEY

    Hayley -

  • "My company just couldn't cope without you guys, everything is so simple with you around. In fact it seems beyond other suppliers to set up a network so its reliable".

    When we asked why the client simply said "because I just want it to work and you guys are the only people who have been able to get us to that state".

    Robin -

  • Andisa have just completed a design and build project to give us a new network capable of expanding to man racks so that we can expand our streaming monitoring business.

    All I can say about the router they sent us is: it was the smoothest transition I've ever had!

    I have been involved in many upgrades over the years but this build and swap out was faultless. Andisa visited for twice. Once to audit / research and once to install the new kit. They agreed the outcomes at the start of the project, reviewed each day and ultimately delivered exactly what they promised. And as I said, it was the smoothest transition I have ever had!

    Ryan Fife -

  • Hi, I just wanted to say a big thankyou to the Andisa team.
    From the moment we told you we were moving office Andisa just helped. Every question got right to the issue and it all meant that the move itself was smooth.

    Once we were moved, Paolo and Tim went round every desk and checked with our team to make sure they were fully operational. Phones, PC's Wifi, Laptops and printers were all 100%. Even the photocopier and franking machine was back on line.

    We cant thank you guys enough.

    Pippa Fisher -