Re-platforming for Business Transformation: A Natural Upgrade
Customer Company Size
Large Corporate
Country
- Worldwide
Product
- Adabas
- Natural
- EntireX
Tech Stack
- Linux
- IBM Mainframe
Implementation Scale
- Enterprise-wide Deployment
Impact Metrics
- Cost Savings
- Productivity Improvements
Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Cloud Computing
Applicable Industries
- Electronics
- Automotive
- Renewable Energy
Applicable Functions
- Discrete Manufacturing
- Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases
- Manufacturing System Automation
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
The customer is a leading global producer of passive electronic components and interconnects. The company plays a critical role in various industries, including renewable energy, automotive, telecommunications infrastructure, and more. With over 10,000 employees, the company generates revenue of more than $1.3 billion. It operates research, manufacturing, and customer support centers in 12 countries, producing parts that silently improve the lives of billions of people around the globe. The company was facing challenges with its legacy mainframe infrastructure, which was becoming outdated and costly to maintain. The company was ready to embrace the changes brought about by automation, green energy, and advanced robotics, but its infrastructure was not.
The Challenge
The company, a leading global producer of passive electronic components and interconnects, was facing a challenge with its legacy mainframe infrastructure. The IBM mainframe environment, which had been in use for over 30 years, was still functional but was not equipped to handle the demands of the modern manufacturing world. The company was ready to embrace the changes brought about by automation, green energy, and advanced robotics, but its infrastructure was not. The mainframe was handling accounts payable, burst reports, job scheduling, and source control, but the costs were escalating, and the system was becoming outdated. By 2013, backup hardware had become impossible to find, older users supporting the system were retiring, software updates were non-existent, and adding new functionality was off the table. The company was left with no support in the event of a disaster.
The Solution
The company decided to migrate to a modern Linux environment with the help of Software AG. The re-platforming of Natural and Adabas to Linux was projected to be cost-effective and quick, with an implementation time of just 18 weeks. The implementation process was collaborative, with Software AG consultants working alongside the company's employees during the go-live process. This allowed the company's staff to learn from the experts and take over the reins with minimal training. The new system maintained a high level of continuity with the old environment, and the look and feel remained consistent, which further eased the transition for the staff. The new system replaced the massive and costly mainframe and the unreliable tape backups with an agile, high-efficiency system that offered new functionality.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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