As businesses grow beyond a single site, technology that once worked perfectly can quickly start holding them back. Systems designed for one physical location don’t always adapt easily to warehouses, remote staff, or multiple offices particularly when critical business software relies on everything being on the same internal network.

One of the most common challenges arises when business software isn’t cloud‑based and instead relies on an on‑site server, with all users needing to be on the same network. As soon as a business grows beyond a single location, this type of setup can become a real headache.

This is where the challenge came in for our long term client Dave's Mowers - their critical line of business software runs on an onsite server that was limited to access from one location. We’ve worked with Tyson and the team at Dave's Mowers supporting their IT as the business has steadily grown and evolved. More recently, that growth has included the addition of a new warehouse location and a rapidly expanding online parts business Dave's Mower Parts, alongside their established retail store.

Finding a solution to the one site limitation was a priority, which is where FortiTech came in.

The Challenge: One System, Multiple Locations

ProfiitPlus is an all‑in‑one business management platform that brings point of sale, stock control, purchasing, customer management and accounting together in a single, live database. It plays a critical role in day‑to‑day operations at Dave's Mowers, and over time the team had invested thousands of dollars - and countless hours - into configuring and embedding it into the way the business operates.

Ensuring ProfiitPlus could be accessed reliably from multiple locations was essential, not only to support ongoing growth, but to protect that investment. Without a solution to the single‑site, on‑premises limitation, the software would have become a major constraint rather than an asset.

As owner Tyson explained:

“We are a multi‑location business sharing the same server. Data integrity and reliable remote access was paramount to the way we intended the business to operate. We needed a tailored solution that was robust enough to reduce impact to trading and simple to use for all levels of staff.”

“We had very limited possibilities to scale. We simply outgrew the old system.”

Without a new approach, warehouse staff would have had no practical way to access ProfiitPlus remotely. In real terms, that would have meant physically travelling to the retail store whenever access was required - clearly not a workable or scalable solution.

The Solution

To support Dave's Mowers continued growth while keeping systems secure, reliable and easy to use, we designed and implemented a tailored solution built around virtualisation, secure remote access, and upgraded infrastructure.

Upgrading the Server Hardware

As a first step, we upgraded the hardware in the existing physical server. This provided the additional processing power, memory and storage required to support a fully virtualised environment, ensuring there was sufficient capacity to run multiple systems reliably without performance issues.

Virtualised ProfiitPlus Server

With the upgraded hardware in place, we virtualised the ProfiitPlus server to create a stable and flexible foundation that supports growth while maintaining performance and data integrity.

Domain Setup and Centralised User Management

A Windows domain was implemented to centrally manage users, permissions and access, keeping systems consistent across all locations and simplifying ongoing administration.

Secure Remote Access via WatchGuard VPN

A WatchGuard firewall was installed and configured with secure VPN access. This allows offsite computers to connect over an encrypted connection and appear as if they are on the same internal network as the server - exactly what ProfiitPlus requires.

Virtual PCs for Warehouse and Remote Users

Warehouse and remote users now log into virtual PCs hosted on the server itself. This approach ensures:

• ProfiitPlus runs exactly as designed
• No business data is stored on personal devices
• Performance and reliability are consistent for all users
• There is no need to purchase or run additional computers for users in 2 locations, they can use a single device to connect to virtual machines.

An important requirement was ensuring staff could connect regardless of device. The solution works seamlessly across both Windows and macOS, providing the same user experience across platforms.

New Warehouse Network Setup

We also designed and deployed the entire network at the new warehouse, ensuring reliable connectivity and room for future expansion.

The Result

The impact was immediate, Tyson sum's it up nicely:

“Remote access is seamless. We can share inventory and sales data across multiple locations in real time with near‑perfect accuracy.”

Performance, reliability, security and ease of access all improved  without adding complexity for staff.

Most importantly, the system now supports how the business operates today and is well positioned to support future growth.

Why Daves Mowers Chose FortiTech

When asked why they chose FortiTech to deliver this project, their response reflected a long‑standing partnership, their response: “How could we not?! 😉” they went on to say: 

“FortiTech have been a long‑term partner with Dave's Mowers. They have continually scaled and grown our IT systems to fit our ever‑changing needs. 

We have full setups at four locations, virtual servers, multi‑location security cameras with remote viewing, worldwide remote access to our business, and the unrivalled support to ensure we are always operating.

David and Tessa have provided expert advice and completed the installs every step of the way.”

Built to Support Ongoing Growth

With that glowing review this project is a strong example of how the right IT foundations can remove operational barriers rather than create them - enabling teams to work efficiently across locations while keeping systems secure and reliable.

If your business is growing, adding locations, or using software that wasn’t designed for multi‑site access, FortiTech can help design a solution that fits the way you operate - now and into the future. Give us a call on 1300 778 078 or shoot us an email to discuss your situation