Safe data for a global business
The business critical systems at Odfjell have to be available 24 hours per day 365 days per year. To meet this requirement they have a very clear line regarding standardization & best practises on technical infrastructure. HP servers together with Microsoft technology are important elements of these standards.
To minimize the total number of physical server’s in Odfjell Datacentres, virtualization and Blade technologies are extensively used. We were told there were clear procedures when upgrading the infrastructure. They were extremely restrictive before they let a new server into the landscape. The vision is firstly to confirm there is a valid business case for a new server deployment, secondly to ensure the new service cannot be co-homed on existing servers and finally if required the server will be hosted on either ESX Vmware, HP Blade or for Database class applications, on clustered HP servers.
Their IT environment was very stable and the new SAP system had been extremely reliable from the start. As I understood it from our hosts, SAP was initially hesitant to supportthe choices they made in respect of the Microsoft and VMware infrastructure platform environment. Together they made some design adjustments and now SAP is very interested in their technical solutions and the experiences they had so far.
The decision, to go for a Microsoft platform, was based on many years of experience with Microsoft Server and Microsoft SQL technology at Odfjell & the wish to maintain the core skills and knowledge built up around providing high availability on that platform.
Secure data
Odfjell’s data-centre is located at the head office in Bergen. A secondary data-centre is established in a mountain hall as a load balancing & fallback solution. All data is continuously mirrored to the secondary data-centre. All possible actions are taken to keep the data safe. All Odfjell offices are connected to the data-centres via the corporate network, based on MPLS technology from AT&T. Redundancy is provided both with multiple backup lines in the MPLS cloud and with a third fallback option based on internet lines & Virtual Private Networks (VPNs).
The Odfjell SAP system is business critical and required 24 hours
7 days a week. Tor Jürgensen, stressed the SAP system has been very stable, which was a relief in an IT demanding business like The Odfjell business..
About our hosts:
Tor Jürgensen, Master of Engineering from Bergen University College. Industry experiences from many companies, including Norsk Data and the last 17 years managing the IT department at Odfjell . Married with grown up children, Jürgensen has a keen interest in enjoying the outdoors whilst also staying up to date with the latest technological advances.
Matt Duke, Bachelor of Science with Honours from Sunderland University, was born in Cambridge, England & recruited to Bergen by Odfjell. Duke has 12 years industry IT experience, the past 7 years with Odfjell. Settled with a Norwegian wife and children, outside of Information Technology he likes to teach Scuba Diving and take part in diving expeditions to new dive sites in the Norwegian fjords.
|
An important business project
In order to improve the IT support of Odfjell Terminals business processes management of Odfjell Terminals decided to initiate a project (the TMS project) with the vision to replace all old terminal management systems with one common system based on best in class technology. The objectives for implementing the new system were:
* Increased customer service level
* Cost reduction
* Improved quality of work
* Operational Safety
* Enhanced asset utilization
*Facilitate e-commerce capabilities
The following main business processes are to be supported by the new system:
*Contracting,
*Order intake,
*Planning & scheduling,
*Operation & inventory,
*Customs,
*Invoicing,
After defining a system requirement specification, a number of potential vendors for a new terminal management System were assessed. A solution based on the standard package “SAP ERP 2005 Enterprise edition” from SAP was chosen.
The project which was initiated autumn 2004 has gone through the following phases:
* Envisioning, specification of functional requirements.
* Business Blue Print, how to set up the system.
* Construction, system construction and implementation.
* Testing and training, preparing for “go live”.
The first terminal (Odfjell Terminals Houston) went live with the system 1st of September 2008. The next terminal to “go live” with the system is Odfjell Terminals Rotterdam. According to the plans this will take place during spring 2009. The “go live” of Odfjell Terminals Rotterdam will be a real challenge to the project due to the fact that this terminal is Odfjell’s biggest terminal.
A smart approach
The Odfjell solution is as mentioned based on the SAP ERP and with extensions from SAP’s vertical solution for Oil and Gas industry. SAP Consulting was chosen as implementation partner. A consultant from Umoe Consulting in Bergen has been Odfjell’s project manager since the project was initiated in 2004. To ensure the SAP training was of a high standard the SAP training products from RWD technology have been used.
Future plans
After a successful implementation of the Terminal Management System at Odfjell Terminals Rotterdam, planning for implementation of the system at Odfjell’s Asian terminals will be initiated.
From notes made at an interview in December.By EM Fahrer, Adfahrer AB
About Odfjell
The Odfjell Group is a leading participant in the global market for seaborne transportation and storage of chemicals and other specialty bulk liquids, set up in 1916.
The Odfjell fleet exceeds 90 ships, trading both globally and regionally.Odfjell’s tank terminals are located in Rotterdam, Houston, Singapore, Onsan in Korea, and Dalian, Ningbo and Jiangyin in China. The Odfjell Group is headquartered in Bergen, Norway and has about 20 offices worldwide. The group has approximately 3,500 employees globally and an annual gross revenue of about USD 1,5 billion.
Klicka här för att läsa hela artikeln i SBN Nytt 2009 |