Re-platforming for Business Transformation A Natural Upgrade
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Country
- Worldwide
Product
- Adabas
- Natural
- EntireX
- Adabas SQL Gateway
- Entire Access
Tech Stack
- Linux
- IBM Mainframe
- MVS 210 mainframe
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
- Automotive
- Renewable Energy
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Business Operation
Use Cases
- Manufacturing System Automation
- Predictive Maintenance
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
The customer is a leading global producer of passive electronic components and interconnects. These components are critical to manufacturers in a wide range of industries, including renewable energy, automotive, and telecommunications infrastructure. The company has more than 10,000 employees and generates revenue of over $1.3 billion. It operates research, manufacturing, and customer support centers in 12 countries. The company's products play a crucial role in improving the lives of billions of people around the globe. Despite its success, the company was facing challenges related to its legacy mainframe infrastructure, which was hindering its ability to stay competitive in the rapidly evolving manufacturing industry.
The Challenge
The company, a leading global producer of passive electronic components and interconnects, was facing several challenges. It was operating on a legacy mainframe infrastructure that was over 30 years old. The mainframe IBM environment, which included Software AG’s Adabas, Natural and EntireX, was still functional but was not equipped to handle the demands of the modern manufacturing world. The company was facing rising operational costs and was struggling to prepare for the green energy revolution and faster production cycles. By 2013, the company was in a critical situation. Backup hardware had become impossible to find, older users supporting the legacy system were retiring, software updates were non-existent, and adding new functionality was off the table. This meant that in the event of a disaster, there was nobody the company could call.
The Solution
The company decided to migrate from its legacy mainframe infrastructure to a modern Linux environment. This decision was made in collaboration with Software AG, which had been providing the company with its mainframe software for over 30 years. The migration process was completed in just 18 weeks, significantly faster than the company had anticipated. The new Linux environment allowed the company to cut costs dramatically and implement new software functionality. The company was able to maintain a high level of continuity between the old and new environments, and the consistent “look and feel” meant that the company’s staff barely had to train to start using new tools like Adabas SQL Gateway and Entire Access. These tools provided easy, two-way PC access to Adabas and Natural. The migration to Linux prepared the company for the world of smart manufacturing and cloud-based process implementation, enabling it to stay competitive in the industry.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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