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Actian Ingres Database Powers Global Circulation for Askews Library Services
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
Applicable Industries
- Education
Applicable Functions
- Procurement
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Data Science Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
Askews Library Systems provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The libraries market within which Askews provides these services has become increasingly sensitive in recent years as economic pressures cap and in some cases depress spending. Four other companies compete with Askews in the £90m-a-year UK market, where contracts are awarded by competitive tender. Over the past decade, these pressures led the 130-yearold Askews to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide. In addition, the company undertook the development of a bespoke e-procurement system.
About The Customer
Askews Library Services is a company that provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The company operates in a highly competitive, low-margin market, handling more than three million books for thousands of customers worldwide each year. To succeed, Askews has to give each library exactly what they want, the way they want it. Over the past decade, economic pressures have led the company to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide.
The Solution
In building a system to provide individualized service to its global customer base, the Askews database team faced a task of significant complexity. Different libraries have different requirements that Askews needs to remember and apply to each of the books they prepare for delivery. There is no standard approach. As Askews works to meet the diverse requirements of each individual customer while supporting a growing volume of business worldwide, Ingres has scaled seamlessly through several versions without the need for major intervention. The latest upgrade came just before Christmas in 2006, when the hardware was upgraded to Sun x86 platforms, the operating system to Solaris 10, and the database moved to Ingres Database – all without drama.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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