The Sumi Motherson Group (SMG) has core competencies in manufacturing of Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS) and polymer processing. However, its messaging system built on Linux software could not keep pace with the changing communications needs. As the company grew it found that it needed a more advanced and integrated communications and collaboration environment. With the help of MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd. (MIND), SMG replaced its messaging infrastructure with Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 and implemented Exchange Server Unified Messaging technology. Today, the company has a reliable messaging infrastructure with advanced functionality, including full support for its mobile executives. Staff productivity and collaboration also saw a boost with the rich set of productivity tools offered by Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.

1. Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
Customer Solution Case Study
SMG Improves E-mail System with Microsoft
Exchange Server 2007
Overview “By moving to Microsoft Exchange Server 2007, we
Country or region: India
Industry: Manufacturing
have improved employee productivity with unified
messaging and easier remote access to messages,
Customer Profile
The Sumi Motherson Group is a focused,
while strengthening messaging security.”
dynamic and progressive group providing Gaurav Gulati, General Manager – Information Technology T Infrastructure, Sumi Motherson Group
customers with value added products,
services and innovative solutions. The Sumi Motherson Group (SMG) has core competencies in
Business Situation manufacturing of Electrical Distribution Systems (EDS) and polymer
SMG had used the Linux based messaging processing. These competencies are supported by specialization in
solution for quiet some time but as the
company grew it could not keep pace with engineering design, information technology, tool manufacturing and
the changing communications needs. SMG metal machining. The Group has collaborated with global
required a robust, feature-rich e-mail
system, which will improve collaboration technology leaders and adopted backward integration in key areas.
and enhance mobility. However, its messaging system built on Linux software could not
Solution keep pace with the changing communications needs. As the
Through technology partner MIND, SMG company grew it found that it needed a more advanced and
implemented Microsoft® Exchange Server
2007 with Unified Messaging to take integrated communications and collaboration environment. With
advantage of improved security, and easier the help of MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd. (MIND), SMG
management.
replaced its messaging infrastructure with Microsoft® Exchange
Benefits Server 2007 and implemented Exchange Server Unified Messaging
 Increased productivity
 Secure messaging technology. Today, the company has a reliable messaging
 Unified communications infrastructure with advanced functionality, including full support for
 Integrated and manageable solution
its mobile executives. Staff productivity and collaboration also saw
a boost with the rich set of productivity tools offered by Microsoft
Exchange Server 2007.

2. Situation becoming a non-feasible task. As SMG was
The Sumi Motherson Group (SMG) is India’s adding more business locations setting up an
leading full system solution provider for the e-mail infrastructure at each location was
automotive industry. It is also India’s largest adding to the complexity of the problem.
wiring harness manufacturer. SMG was Staff could not access their emails from
established in the year 1975 and its flagship outside the office due to a combination of
company MSSL is actively traded on Bombay security policy and system limitations. Users
Stock Exchange and the National Stock had an intermittent problem with the delivery
Exchange. MSSL has been ranked amongst time of e-mails as there were multiple hops
India’s top 150 companies. SMG has and failure points. In addition, mobility was
established joint ventures with world’s restricted to the use of Web mail only and no
leading automotive suppliers. It has a global integration with mobile devices was possible.
footprint spanning India, Middle East, Europe,
Australia and the USA. However, as competition became increasingly
“Microsoft Exchange intense, employees required a more robust,
In order to serve varied customer feature-rich e-mail system, which will
Server 2007 seemed to requirements, the Group synergizes the enhance the flow of information to improve
have been designed unique competencies of its constituent collaboration and enhance mobility.
companies to provide totally integrated
specifically to meet our solutions for a wide range of applications for
company’s challenges customers across different industries. The Solution
Group offers total solutions - starting with Through technology partner MIND (a
and address the designing from first principles to delivering Microsoft Gold Certified Partner), SMG
messaging needs. The fully engineered modules. implemented Microsoft® Exchange Server
2007 with Unified Messaging to take
new capabilities of SMG’s accomplishments include being the advantage of improved security, and easier
Microsoft Exchange first in India to manufacture integrated Wiring management.
Harnesses and Woodstock Door Trims. The
Server 2007 deliver the company continues to set higher targets for “Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 seemed to
advanced protection the themselves in their pursuit to become a have been designed specifically to meet our
globally preferred solutions provider. company’s challenges and address the
company demands, the messaging needs,” says Gaurav Gulati,
anywhere access people SMG relied on a Linux based messaging General Manager – Information Technology T
solution to support its e-mail based Infrastructure. “The new capabilities of
want, and the communications and collaboration. Though Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 deliver the
operational efficiency.” this infrastructure was reliable and provided advanced protection the company demands,
value for money, the company faced the the anywhere access people want, and the
Gaurav Gulati, General Manager – Information challenge of managing its ever growing operational efficiency.”
Technology T Infrastructure, Sumi Motherson communications needs.
Group While implementing this new solution, as an
With the setup of new businesses across the underlying architecture, the Windows® Active
globe including India the end-to-end Directory®, directory services was migrated
manageability of the messaging system was from its current multi forest-multi domain to

3. “The improved single forest-multi domain architecture. This single location and it is replicated to all
was a fairly complex Active Directory concerned servers in an automated manner.”
collaboration features migration which involved around 50 physical
help people to focus on locations in India and overseas. Mobility features for field staff and senior
management has reduced the dependence
creativity, giving us the Once the Active Directory was in place then on third party solutions such as Blackberry
competitive edge we Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 was rolled and has added to the productivity. New tools
out and as per the recommended and features simplify day-to-day
need to thrive in a fast- architecture from Microsoft the company was maintenance, monitoring, and
moving industry.” able to reduce the number of servers from 40 troubleshooting efforts.
to 12 servers hosted out of 4 locations. This
Vandana Avantha, Chief Information Officer, number would further reduce once there is From the administration point of view the
Sumi Motherson Group more reliable connectivity availability at some manageability part has been addressed and
of the factory locations. now the e-mail administrators are well aware
about the service levels the users experience
Users were already using Microsoft Office with the solution in an end-to-end manner.
Outlook as the mailing client hence there “Due to the structure of our company, there
were no major training efforts required on the was a unique requirement of intra-group user
client tool. But the users were migrated to migrations and situations wherein a user
new mailing system location wise from the would hold multiple e-mail addresses with
configuration perspective. Post the rollout different domain names. Earlier this
regular tips are being sent to users to requirement used to create problems for e-
leverage the capabilities of the system more mail administrators while forwarding rules
effectively and increase the productivity. The were implemented,” says Vikas Agarwal,
vision is to use this solution as a Project Lead - Messaging, “With the new
comprehensive collaboration tool for all system this requirement is no longer
employees for their modes of communication. a challenge.”
Vandana Avantha, Chief Information Full Traceability of e-mail was a major issue and
Officer , SMG says, “The improved in a non-integrated solution it was a very time
collaboration features help people to focus consuming task. But with Microsoft Exchange
on creativity, giving us the competitive edge Server 2007 the traceability of incoming and
we need to thrive in a fast-moving industry.” outgoing e-mails has become seamless.
Security and policy compliance were major SMG saw the immense potential of Exchange
concerns that have been largely addressed Server 2007 with focus on unified
with the new solution. “In the previous communications and collaboration in
solution if a content filter was to be deployed promoting greater productivity among its
then the configuration was required in 40 workforce. The company was particularly
different servers in a manual manner,” says pleased to implement the software’s Unified
Gaurav. “This approach was not only time Messaging component. Users access their
consuming but also prone to errors. In the messages through a Web browser using
new system the policies are created once at Microsoft Office Outlook Web Access or by

4. “Due to the structure of using Microsoft Outlook by connecting Hosted Filtering Integration, and anti-spam
securely over the Internet using “Outlook filtering and extensibility for antivirus
our company, there was Anywhere” feature. protection. The Edge Transport anti-spam
a unique requirement of capability helps reduce the risk of users’
opening messages that contain malicious
intra-group user Benefits software attachments or links to malicious
migrations and By moving to Microsoft Exchange Server Web sites. The recipient filtering feature
2007, SMG has improved employee provides additional security by filtering out
situations wherein a productivity with unified messaging and unknown recipient’s right at the edge of the
user would hold multiple easier remote access to messages, while messaging network. The secure environment
strengthening messaging security. enables the interactive collaborations and
e-mail addresses with maximizes efficiency in providing security.
different domain names. Increased Productivity
Ensuring open communications between Unified Communications
Earlier this requirement company employees and its customers is Exchange Server 2007 and its Unified
used to create problems critical to maintaining rapid business Messaging capability deliver an end-to-end
response. SMG’s employees are able to be unified communications platform for the
for e-mail administrators more productive by taking advantage of enterprise by combining voice mail, fax, and
while forwarding rules Exchange Server 2007 features such as the e-mail in one inbox. Users have the same
Unified Messaging server role, the full- messaging experience regardless of whether
were implemented.” featured search engine, and the meeting- they are accessing e-mail using their
Vikas Agarwal, Project Lead – Messaging, planning assistant. workstations, portable computers, or mobile
devices.
Sumi Motherson Group Exchange Server Unified Messaging has
made email access much simpler especially Integrated and Manageable Solution
for mid-level managers, and the highly mobile According to SMG, the Exchange Server 2007
senior management and sales force. The new system is more manageable and more
messaging environment has also made reliable than the previous system. New
employees more productive by allowing them graphical and command-line interfaces offer
to quickly sort through the messages that improved manageability and increased
daily flood the inboxes and voice-mail automation while integrated tools simplify
systems. By moving to Microsoft Exchange maintenance. In addition, Exchange Server
Server 2007, we have improved employee supports a complete Outlook experience,
productivity with unified messaging and from Outlook on the desktop to Outlook Web
easier remote access to messages, while Access, Outlook Mobile, and the new Outlook
strengthening messaging security,” explains Voice Access, a feature of Exchange Unified
Gaurav Gulati, General Manager – Messaging. Exchange Server also integrates
Information Technology T Infrastructure, Sumi with Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services
Motherson Group and other Office applications as well as third-
party systems and devices.
Secure Messaging
Exchange Server 2007 includes built-in
protection with features like Edge Transport,

5. MIND is technology partner with Microsoft
(Gold Partner for E-Commerce Solutions),
Oracle and IBM.
About MothersonSumi INfotech and
Designs Ltd. (MIND)
MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd.
(MIND) is a joint venture of the Sumitomo
Wiring Systems Ltd., Japan (founded in 1917,
www.sws.co.jp) and Motherson Group, India
(founded in 1975, www.motherson.com).
MIND delivers solutions using a distributed
model in which key project activities can be
distributed at multiple locations and yet
synchronized seamlessly. MIND serves clients
in more than 20 countries around the world
and has presence in all of the key markets
that include: India, Europe, USA and Japan.

6. For More Information Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
For more information about Microsoft For more information about the Microsoft
products and services, call the Microsoft server product portfolio, go to:
Sales Information Center at (800) www.microsoft.com/servers/default.mspx
426-9400. In Canada, call the Microsoft
Canada Information Centre at (877)
568-2495. Customers who are deaf or
hard-of-hearing can reach Microsoft text
telephone (TTY/TDD) services at (800)
892-5234 in the United States or (905)
568-9641 in Canada. Outside the 50
United States and Canada, please contact
your local Microsoft subsidiary. To access
information using the World Wide Web, go
to: www.microsoft.com
For more information about Sumi
Motherson Group products and services,
call (91) (120) 2476100. or visit the Web
site at: www.motherson.com
For more information about
MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd.
products and services, call (91) (120)
4365555 or visit the Web site at:
www.mind-infotech.com
Software Hardware
 Microsoft Exchange Server 2007  HP Proliant DL360/380 G5 Servers
 Unified Messaging
Partners
 MothersonSumi INfotech and Designs Ltd.
(MIND)
© 2008 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. This case
study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO
WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Document published April 2008.