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CONTENT

1 PREMISE 04 1.1. ABOUT APA-IT 04

1.2. APA-IT – A PARTNER FOR MEDIA COMPANIES 04

1.3. VISION 05

1.4. PRINCIPLES 06

2 IT SERVICES 07 2.1. SCHEDULING 07

2.2. CENTRAL CONTENT DATABASE 08

2.2.1. ANNOTATION SERVICE 10

2.3. WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT 11

2.3.1. CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS) 11

2.3.2. MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING 11

2.4. VIDEO MANAGEMENT 12

2.4.1. VIDEO SERVICES 12

2.4.2. LOOP 13

2.5. DIGITAL PUBLISHING ON MOBILE END DEVICES 14

2.6. CONTENT DISTRIBUTION AND DISPATCH 15

2.7. OUTSOURCING 15

2.7.1. IT OUTSOURCING 15

2.7.2. HOSTING AND VIRTUAL HOSTING 16

2.7.3. HOUSING 17

2.7.4. CLOUD COMPUTING (IAAS) 17

3 PROJECT PLAN 18

4 CONTACTS 19

APA-IT Informations Technologie GmbHLaimgrubengasse 101060 Vienna

Prämise

1 PREMISE

Thus it is high time to examine this subject in detail, think about how the trend will affect our own company, and develop relevant strategies and business models.

The main questions are:

• What are the trends and developments everyone is currently talking about?

• What might their IT infrastructure look like?• How can media companies prepare for the digital

transformation?

Although there are a variety of answers to these questions, there is one underlying message: new models require flexible and rapidly deployable IT services that adjust to dynamic market developments. The current transformation requires a high level of flexibility to ensure that new ideas are easily tested, developed further if they are a success and abandoned again if not.

To take optimal advantage of the possibilities of the digital age, new digital output channels must be deeply integrated into the production processes and products of a media company.

APA-IT has a wide range of products that can be tailored to individual needs for this exact purpose. The modular system enables media companies and publishing houses to select the precise functions they require.

1.1. ABOUT APA-ITA wholly-owned subsidiary of APA, APA-IT is a leading Austrian information service provider and competent partner in the fields of application development, data centre operation as well as server, network, database and desktop systems, and also provides services 24 hours a day, seven days a week (incl. helpdesk and operations).

The proximity to news agencies that produce a highly diverse mix of content ensures a rapid response to current technical and content-based trends. APA produces content in the form of texts, graphics, images, videos and audio files. APA-IT supplies the technical solutions for processing APA and media-specific content (incl. user-generated content). Event-based semantic production is the core vision of the news agency, while APA-IT provide the tools necessary for this.

1.2. APA-IT – A PARTNER FOR MEDIA COMPANIESDue to the longstanding cooperation with media companies in Austria, Germany and Switzerland, APA-IT has become familiar with the variety of tasks involved. The resulting expertise has made APA-IT the top service provider for media and media-related companies.

APA-IT is able to support its national and international media and publishing clients in virtually every area of relevance due to the broad range of its solution and product portfolio.

Collaboration focuses on two aims:

• Best-possible process improvements with minimal interventions in learned and accepted production processes

• Provision of support in the context of the digital transformation

APA-IT also acquires expertise by regularly collaborating with Gartner Group. To ensure the practical application of new digital trends and their use in daily life, the two companies have been working together since 2013 developing IT strategies and innovations such as the APA-ContentHub system.

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CURRENT STUDIES SUCH AS GOLDMEDIA’S “TRENDMONITOR 2015”, THE “GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA OUTLOOK 2014–2018” FROM PRICEWATERHOUSE COOPERS AND THE “HYPE CYCLE OF EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES” ISSUED ANNUALLY BY GARTNER GROUP ILLUSTRATE THAT THE MOVE TOWARDS DIGITISATION IS NOT A VISION OF THE FUTURE BUT HAS BECOME AN EVERYDAY REALITY.

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APA-IT pursues its vision of supporting new technologies and trends with beta versions so that media clients are able to test the market at an early stage. Thus trends that prove to be relevant for the market can be quickly implemented with production versions so that clients can access new markets with new tools early on.

A key factor here are “digital formats”, which means that the content provided can be accessed on all systems or devices that consumers are using both now and in the future.

• Tablets• Smartphones• Phablets• Wearables (glasses, watches, etc.)• Screens• Reader• Game consoles• Things (car entertainment, etc.)

For clients, the innovation and development of state-of-the-art solutions facilitates the transition to and additional services available by way of digital end devices. As a software provider and system integrator, APA-IT develops its own solutions for this.

Rights management, workflow display and archiving and logging usage are integral components of the solutions.

TRANSFER OF EXPERTISEAPA-IT is continuously striving to develop the technical skills of its media partners, especially in the field of new digital media. This is achieved by holding relevant training sessions, events (e.g. APA-IT-BusinessBreakfast) and maintaining user forums (e.g. MPS-User-Forum, MARS-User-Forum, etc).

Clients can take advantage of these not only to learn about the latest developments and planned expansions but to exchange knowledge with one another. Due to the steady internationalisation of APA-IT products, clients from Germany, Austria and Switzerland are represented at these events. Thus it is easy to get a glimpse beyond the borders of Austria.

1.3. VISIONAPA-IT relies on open source models like the one used in the full text database (e.g. APA-OnlineManager, DeFacto search engine, etc.) to be able to quickly respond to the constantly changing needs of the media environment and clients.

In addition to various semantic functions (similarity search, topic clustering, related keywords, person and place name recognition, etc.) and the automatic assignment of metadata, the full text database also provides the option of semantic annotation. This means that companies, organisations and other concepts can be detected in texts, image and video descriptions.

Content can therefore be placed in completely new relationships with one another.

• Automatic image searchA text is assigned images that match the content. In MARS, the APA editorial system, this is done even as you write.

• Semantic annotationThis enables the (semi-) automatic selection of content (text, image, video, audio) based on the user’s profile of interests.

APA-IT-PowerSearch:

• Automatic creation of abstractsCan already be completed for one text, in the future with several articles.

• Automatic sentiment analysisSearch for texts that have a positive or negative stance on a subject. Example: “content against nuclear energy”, “critical messages about the government”.

• Content selectionBased on a user’s profile of interests, combining semantic annotations and the sentiment analysis. Example: the client is interested in general news about where he lives in Graz and would like to read positive messages about his football club.

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1.4. PRINCIPLESAs a subsidiary of APA, APA-IT is committed to the principles and values of the parent company and therefore meets the basic requirements customary in the industry concerned.

• AvailabilityAll APA-IT systems have a redundant design and are operated in two independent data centres that are connected by two redundant fibre optic cables. Each data centre is redundant itself and equipped with UPS, diesel generators and n+1 climate control. Additionally, each data centre has enough capacity (CPU, memory, network) to ensure that one data centre can operate on its own to process the necessary load. During normal operation this ensures that there is always enough capacity to double the load. The design principle of doubling the peak loads previously measured has been practiced for many years.

• UsabilityThe usability of APA-IT solutions is always adjusted to relevant requirements. Solutions such as the APA-OnlineManager (search client for the APA-Content hub) or Mobile Publishing Suite set the industrial standard.

• SecurityThe systems are always protected using state-of-the-art technology. APA-IT regularly commissions external audits for this. The Calpana system is used to test whether the systems and processes are still state-of-the-art. Security tests for potential weaknesses are also carried out by external specialists. Depending on the required availability, the data is either mirrored in RAID groups or via both of the data centres, thus ensuring it is secured against any system errors. All of the data is secured and stored in independent archival systems (tape Library or hard disc storage unit) to protect against logical or human errors. A copy of the data can be stored in an external data safe. APA-IT is currently working on ISO 20000 certification to be able to provide proof of system and process security. ISO 27001 certification is planned for 2016.

• ScalabilityThe solutions are scalable in a wide range of areas and are adjusted to the continuous growth of IT requirements. 130 million documents are currently stored in the PowerSearch database used by the APA-ContentHub and APA-OnlineManager. Doubling or tripling this figure will not pose a problem. The internet connections of the APA-IT data centres are currently set to 2 x 42 Gbit/s and can be expanded to 2 x 100 Gbit/s at short notice. The data is stored redundantly in central storage systems (Hitachi HUS-VM) that currently have a capacity of approx. 130 TB, although an expansion up to approx. 500 TB is possible at short notice. The CPU output is either generated specifically for individual client projects or drawn from the APA-IT virtualisation farm. The latter is a Cisco blade farm that is currently equipped with 28 blades but can be expanded to around 256 blades.

• FlexibilityThe solutions and products rely predominantly on open source systems (Linux, Apache, JBoss, JQuery, Eclipse RCP, Tomcat, etc.) and recognised standards (ITIL, XML, NewsML, NewsML-G2, IIM, XMP, etc.). All of APA Group also works on open source projects such as the Aloha-Editor and NewsML-G2 implementation. When it comes to system architecture, APA-IT relies on market-tested systems that meet generally applicable standards (open system architecture, Intel industry standards, Cisco network architecture, etc.).

• Support structuresSupport provided by APA-IT includes an operator who is always available (24x7). Additionally, there are five specialists on standby round the clock who can support the operator within a maximum of 1.5 hours (average of ten minutes).

Specialists are on standby for the following areas:

• Linux server• Windows server and client systems• Network• Storage systems• APA-IT applications (APA-ContentHub/AOM, PS, video)

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2.1. SCHEDULINGThe MARS agenda is a scheduling and planning system that is integrated into the editorial workflow and was developed as a multilingual tool in conjunction with Agence France-Presse (AFP). The tool includes planning options for freely configurable “disciplines” (at APA this includes texts, images, videos, infographics and commissioned photographs) as well as functions for assignments and responsibilities on a team or individual user basis including relevant authorisations, automatic e-mail alerts and reporting functions (schedule lists, etc.). Schedules can be created with different levels of “visibility” and can therefore be made available to clients for research purposes as well.

APA uses this tool for editorial planning and coordination and as an anchor point for creating reports. Newly generated news is linked to the date so that associated elements can be easily

displayed together in a variety of interfaces and enable the user to navigate through it. Linking dates also makes it easier to uniformly distribute metadata.

To ensure that anchor points can also be created for sudden events, the system supports events that require the record to have different granularity levels, for example a major car accident, which is usually no longer topical after two days vs. a plane crash that can remain a topic for several weeks or months.

• Cost reduction and increased efficiency due to centrally coordinated scheduling control

• Stringent metadata management of all content taking content elements and geo codes into consideration

2 IT SERVICESTHE PRODUCTS AND SERVICES PRESENTED IN THIS CHAPTER OFFER NUMEROUS FEATURES REQUIRED BY MODERN MEDIA COMPANIES IN THE DIGITAL AND ONLINE ENVIRONMENT. MANY OF THESE ARE ALSO USED TO COMPLETE EDITORIAL WORK FOR APA, WHICH MEANS THERE ARE CONTINUOUS BENEFITS FROM THE EXPERIENCES GAINED.

INPUT PRODUCTION OUTPUT

IT SERVICES FOR THE MEDIA

Central content database

IT outsourcing

Scheduling Digital publishing

Web content management

Video management

Annotation service Content distribution

VALUE ADDED CHAIN OF A PUBLISHING HOUSE

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2.2. CENTRAL CONTENT DATABASEAPA-IT developed APA-ContentHub, a database and central search platform for all of the client’s media content (print and online), to link various editorial and production systems with each other and thus simplify content management.

APA-ContentHub enables simple, shared production for various output channels using a variety of editorial systems. Once content has been created, it can easily be used in different and future production systems and output channels (print, online, apps, newsletter, social media, wearable devices). Special production systems for new output channels can be integrated at short notice and can access content generated in other production systems.

Existing editorial systems need not be discontinued for this purpose, in fact they are linked to APA-ContentHub via an API interface. This ensures that the special features and optimum processes for this type of system are retained. Due to the central storage of all content, APA-ContentHub with its search functions is the perfect interface for providing new digital products with content.

The APA-ContentHub already includes the technical connection for a wide range of data from national and international news agencies, stock photo agencies (APA-PictureDesk, Keystone plus partner agencies), graphics as well as national and international newspapers and magazines. This data can be activated depending on the contractual agreements. Further content from other sources can also be integrated quickly.

The APA-ContentHub is based on the APA-OnlineManager (AOM) and is designed very similarly on the client side. Numerous editorial departments already use AOM, which means that working with APA-ContentHub is possible with or without a short training session. Additionally, much of the published content is already available in the database and can be used from the outset.

Various editorial and production systems such as digital and print media can be connected on a gradual basis. The output channels are supplied directly via simple REST interfaces.

IT-services

DATA EXCHANGE

Print editorial system

Web CMS

External sources: Agencies, reader reporter, etc.

Output channels: Blogs, websites, social media, end clients, etc.

Authorisations

Documents

Graphics, photos Audio

Video

SHARED DATABASE DATA PREPARATION

APA-CONTENTHUB

WORKFLOW OF THE CENTRAL APA-CONTENTHUB DATABASE

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• Cost reduction and efficiency increase due to central repository

• System can be flexibly adapted to existing infrastructures and upcoming structural changes

• Future-oriented design: APA-ContentHub is easy to expand – new business ideas and models can be realised and implemented quickly

• Immediate response to new trends possible

IT-services

APA-IT

APA-CONTENTHUB BASED ON AOM

Automatic content preparation/APA-IT CRS

CUSTOMERRedSys

Third-party agency Reader reporter Published content from print, web, social media

Conversion & authorisation Research & content management

MARS DTI News 2000 InDesign

MARS-Agenda Gentics CMS Alpha Octopus uvm.

AOM infrastructure

Client/APA data archive

APA-CONTENTHUB INTERFACES

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IT-services

2.2.1. ANNOTATION SERVICE

APA-ContentHub also includes an annotation service that identifies concepts such as individuals, companies, organisations and locations within any text. This tool suggests concepts directly from an editor that can be adopted and then used in other products. Possible applications for SEO, for example, include the annotation of concepts on websites using micro data (HTML5, schema.org) and the (semi-) automatic creation of landing pages on portals based on individual concepts.

Other applications (without manually checking the concepts) include the automatic suggestion of suitable images for a text and suggestion of similar texts.

The annotation service provides relevant suggestions, making it easier for the editor to assign metadata, which automatically ensures that the assignment of metadata is standardised. Third-party content can also be enhanced with additional metadata, whereby it can be optimally integrated into one’s own production process and output platforms. Consistent metadata open up new opportunities in the SEO sector.

This solution is also available as a web service (Java Script Library).

• Integration in existing editorial or content management systems

• Time-saving when finding keywords for uniform and thus useable metadata

• Help with search engine optimisation

EXAMPLE OF THE PRESENTATION OF RESULTS IN APA-CONTENTHUB

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2.3. WEB CONTENT MANAGEMENT

2.3.1. CONTENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (CMS)

The APA subsidiary Gentics Software GmbH provides highly versatile content management tools with which content can be kept up-to-date, arranged clearly and provided with an interesting design.

Updates to websites and the intranet can be completed at short notice within a reasonable timeframe without any specialised technical knowledge. Gentics CMS is the perfect platform for managing websites, portals, the intranet as well as app content, mobile publications, newsletters and much from any location.

The principle of modular design enables the client to decide which functions are available and how they are used. Gentics provides a complete solution from a single source. A further advantage is that the content can be edited by any number of employees at the same time, thus saving on time and resources. The user can gain access using his tablet, smartphone or desktop. Due to the responsive design, the content is available on all end devices with the same level of user-friendliness once it has been uploaded.

Gentics CMS is flexible, versatile and high-performance. It stands out primarily because of the Aloha Editor, which enables content to be quickly and easily imported into websites, intranet portals, blogs, Wikipedia pages and online shops using the drag & drop function.

• Flexible, high-performance and versatile CMS• Supports responsive design• User-friendly design saves on time and resources

2.3.2. MULTIMEDIA STORYTELLING

Content-Snowball, the cloud editorial system from Gentics, is a tool for journalists and communication departments, with which multimedia storytelling can be implemented easily and quickly.

The inspiration for this tool was the “Snow Fall” report in the New York Times in 2012 that was not only awarded the Pulitzer Prize but also “shook up the whole industry sector” according to an often cited statement by the chief editor of Zeit Online. Recently, interactive storytelling has become the answer to the question: “How do you get printed items on the web?”

If implemented correctly, large images, fascinating videos, detailed infographics and the right overall appearance take the reader to the heart of the story from the very outset, triggering emotions and curiosity.

The cloud editorial system, Content-Snowball, can be accessed online so that an additional installation on top of existing editorial systems is not required. The solution is based on the proven Enterprise CMS technology from Gentics and can be connected to existing IT services (e.g. APA-IT-VideoServices, hosting).

• Simple integration into existing editorial systems• Simple integration of large images, videos and animated

infographics• Appealing communication of complex issues on one page

IT-services

12 IT-services

2.4. VIDEO MANAGEMENT

2.4.1. VIDEO SERVICES

APA-IT operates one of the largest streaming platforms in Austria – perfectly suitable for making large events or entire programming schedules available online. APA-IT-VideoServices handles the entire process of integrating and providing videos for web portals.

The client can thus concentrate on his key skills and content production.

Once the client has uploaded the video, it is automatically transcoded, i.e. converted into different video formats and saved on the APA-IT streaming platform. Information about the current status of the video can simultaneously be transferred to

the client’s CMS. The editor can edit the feeds and place them on a web portal, regardless of whether it is an elaborately designed sports special, a blog or a news item with special features.

Depending on the individual requirements, APA-IT uses its own streaming server farm and external content delivery network (CDN) to provide suppliers with enough resources to also be able to supply large events to a lot of users. APA-IT-VideoServices can also be expanded to include additional services such as streaming storage, geo protection, encryption, load balancing and API interfaces.

APA-IT

Camera/live encoder Web portal/app/playerEntry server Content database

Video/workstation

Streaming farm

Transcoding

CUSTOMERCLIENT

Universal video player

APA-IT VIDEO SERVICES WORKFLOW

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Videos can be played on a variety of different platforms ranging from smartphones and tablet apps, web browsers with Flash and HTML5 to set-top boxes and smart TVs.

Advertising can also be integrated in addition to third-party content (APA video, ORFTVthek, etc.). Depending on the player, the ad connection either provides linear video ads (pre-, mid-, post-roll videos) or non-linear video ads (overlay ads) as the advertising method. The media company bears full responsibility for ad marketing, enabling them to connect ad marketing companies as well as their own advertising content.

• Controlled ad marketing• Transcoding in all possible sizes and formats, ensuring

videos can be accessed on all end devices (from smartphone to PC) at anytime and from any location

• Comprehensive standard service that can be adjusted individually

2.4.2. LOOP

The APA-IT-LoopRecorder, the main product in the Loop family, is a software application used to digitally record and save audio and video signals. Recordings can be made any time of day in several different resolutions ranging from low- to high-resolution broadcasting quality. Sources include TV and radio signals, satellite transmissions and data feeds as well as manual uploads from camera storage devices.

Recorded sequences can be accessed and edited after just a few seconds. New material and archived content can be imported and viewed in the same system. The rough-cut function can then be used to create an editing list (LoopEdit, LoopPlayer) from the video material which can then be processed automatically or manually. An integrated rights management system ensures that only material for which rights are available is displayed in the workflow preparation process.

• Video editing directly at the editor’s site saves time and resources

• Automatic export function for distribution on different channels

• Recording of several sources simultaneously

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2.5. DIGITAL PUBLISHING ON MOBILE END DEVICESThe Mobile Publishing Suite enables print products such as daily newspaper or client magazines that are issued on a regular basis to be published on smartphones and tablets. A large number of customisation options help convert the printed edition into a tailor-made app for readers.

To ensure the workflow is as efficient as possible, the solution accesses data that is already available such as the PDF of the printed product. Direct interfaces to the editorial system simplify the creation of mobile output, thus ensuring a minimum amount of work.

The corresponding app for the publication consists of a touch-optimised, multimedia-enriched facsimile that can be scrolled through as well as an optimised article view to ensure maximum reading convenience. Current web content, advertising sites and other multimedia content can also be integrated, if desired.

Digital publications can be accessed by readers in all common formats and on all tablet/smartphone channels and devices, whether iOS, Android, Windows 8 or web-based. This technical

flexibility means that, in addition to existing print products, digital products offer new solutions and opportunities for digital portfolio strategies.

With the Mobile Publishing Suite the media company also benefits from reduced innovation-related costs due to to standardised white-label modules, security of investment as a result of future-oriented technologies, and the capacity for rapid implementation.

The Mobile Publishing Suite can be integrated into any existing system environment. Documented interfaces are available on all levels. The open data import enables connection to any editorial system. The connection to subscriber management systems is also designed as an open interface. The Mobile Publishing Suite also provides user data to evaluate user behaviour.

The media company bears full responsibility for ad integration – linking to ad marketers as well as one’s own advertising content is possible.

• Reduced innovation costs due to standardised solutions• Additional ad marketing in the promotional sphere and via

additional advertising pages that also enable advertising videos to be played

• Connection to subscriber management systems• Product development based on extensive market analysis

using existing user data from the German, Austrian and Swiss markets

• Minimal risk thanks to high level of adaptability

You supply a data feed, everything else is managed by APA-IT.

WORKFLOW MOBILE PUBLISHING SUITE

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2.7. OUTSOURCING

2.7.1. IT OUTSOURCING

As an IT specialist for media companies, APA-IT is familiar with the requirements and needs of publishing houses and recognises the importance of availability, response times and flexibility.

APA-IT also handles partner management services for media clients and together with the media company can select the best service providers to carry out the tasks necessary for overseeing the project. This ensures the international supervision of networks, servers and client infrastructure.

The joint operation of the systems required for the office infrastructure results in numerous synergies that directly influence the efficiency and effectiveness of the media company. The use of a uniform infrastructure consisting of an e-mail farm, domain server, storage, collaborative services and harmonised printer management reduces IT costs and frees up the necessary resources to be able to focus on the key issues of media production. The operation of notebooks, PCs, servers and networks is managed by APA-IT. If necessary, APA-IT will also cooperate with other partners in the process and take responsibility for the overall coordination.

APA-IT provides the services in accordance with current best practice models of the ITIL process management system. Certification of the interfaces in accordance with ISO 20000 is currently underway.

Depending on the scope and size of the project, support is either provided by APA-IT staff on-site or remotely, or guaranteed and professionally implemented by a partner. APA-IT is always interested in ensuring the individuality of the client, as the media environment, in particular, shows it is impossible to describe every eventuality in SLAs but that it is extremely important to provide successful support to the company with all its distinctive characteristics.

APA-IT can assume responsibility for the entire IT infrastructure or just a part thereof. As one the largest media clients, APA-IT oversees the entire IT infrastructure for Moser Holding AG. The IT structure has been completely revised and redesigned as part of an extensive transformation project. APA-IT currently manages more than 400 clients and around 200 servers at more than ten locations across Austria for Moser Holding AG.

• Reduction of costs• Increase of effectiveness and efficiency• Defined service levels

2.6. CONTENT DISTRIBUTION AND DISPATCHThe content routing system (CRS) is the main APA-IT infrastructure used for all incoming and outgoing data as well as any associated conversions. Metadata is also supplemented and converted in this system. The system has a highly available and scalable design.

Current performance data:

• 500 suppliers via different protocols• 15,000 (usually s / ftp-) receivers• 500,000 documents sent per day• More than 100 formats input and output, respectively

CRS can therefore be used as a highly available, fault-tolerant and high-performance service for receiving, converting and distributing data and thus often significantly reduces the amount of integrative effort required due to the broad support of standard formats and openness toward client-specific formats.

As a central and fully customisable conversion and content processing service CRS enables different systems to be connected. As part of the content processing service CRS can enhance the content with further metadata or standardise it. This means that any third-party content can be directly incorporated into all of the systems via APA-Content-Hub or that data feeds can be exchanged between production systems. The frequently complex configurations and creation of new import and export filters are no longer necessary. CRS can submit new content packages directly to any system or receiver using a rule-based format.

• Data conversion and distribution (input and output)• Highly available, fault-tolerant and high-performance

service• Content is enriched with other metadata• Time and resource savings, as extensive configuration

or creation of complex import and export filters are no longer necessary

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IT-services

The following describes other outtasking options (IT outsourcing of individual areas):

2.7.2. HOSTING AND VIRTUAL HOSTING

A managed solution is offered with hosting or virtual hosting. This solution ensures management of the systems beyond the operating system. APA-IT thus provides the link between any outsourced web application development and local technology. Peak loads can also be covered as a result of virtual servers that can be activated by APA-IT in the managed environment. All infrastructural preferences of the two data centres apply. APA-IT-Hosting is already used for publishing platforms.

As the leading hosting provider for media platforms with more than 1.7 billion page impressions per month, APA-IT has the expertise to supply content to end clients on redundant and high-speed connections, quickly and free of interruption.

• Shared and thus cost-effective use of highly available infrastructure

• Years of experience in the design and operation of high-performance and highly available systems (APA-IT supplies more than 1.7 billion page impressions per month)

• Supervision of design and installation right through to production operations

• Continuous monitoring of services and measures

50 Gbit/s 42 Gbit/s

Data centre 1 Data centre 2

National NationalGOV-IX

International

International

MPL

S ne

twor

ks/c

usto

mer

con

nect

ions

MPLS netw

orks/customer connections

40 Gbit Layer 2/-3, 4 Gbit FC

40 Gbit Layer 2/-3, 4 Gbit FC

OVERVIEW OF DATA CENTRE CONNECTIONS

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2.7.3. HOUSING

APA-IT-Housing provides the option of creating systems in both of the data centres in Vienna and operating them using their own IT systems. The underlying infrastructure (internet, [emergency] power supply, UPS, etc.) is highly available, monitored continuously by an operating team and can be released immediately, if necessary. Each data centre is connected to the Vienna Internet Exchange (VIX) at 2 x 20 Gbit/s. Redundant international uplinks at 2 x 10 Gbit/s guarantee a fast and global supply of the data.

The housing solution can quickly be switched to 24 x 7 hosting that includes the advantages associated with a supplier who is not merely aware of the media requirements but has them ingrained due to the origins of APA-IT.

• Separate servers in the optimum environment of a modern data centre

• No need for extensive investments establishing a separate data centre, which is expensive to operate

2.7.4. CLOUD COMPUTING (IAAS)

Cooperation with ProfitBricks provides an opportunity to operate complete or partial systems in the cloud and to be billed according to time or resource usage. With its data centres in Germany, ProfitBricks guarantees fast access to the data and security in accordance with German laws.

By connecting the cloud with existing systems, peak loads in existing systems can be covered without resources having to be made available by our clients. Billing is based on usage. The system is either managed directly by the client’s IT department or by APA-IT.

Peak loads can be absorbed and capacities can be made available automatically to protect against any unexpected events in time. Additional capacities in Germany ensure that extended geo redundancy is guaranteed.

• Extensive initial investment costs are no longer necessary – you only pay what you actually use.

• No delivery or waiting times• Changes without interruptions to continuous operation –

liquidity increases business flexibility• No shortages or unnecessary defects

IT-services

18 Project plan

APA-IT takes time for the consulting process to develop an individual concept. During a consultation, APA-IT analyses the current situation with the client and suggests possible solutions. The best solution that combines benefits and services is developed based on these results and a tailored concept is developed for the client. The desired implementation method (agile, waterfall, etc.) is one of the things taken into consideration for software projects.

Once the concept has been developed successfully, an offer is submitted and the order is then confirmed. During this phase, the client is supported by a member of the sales team, a system manager or project manager from APA-IT.

Depending on the size of the project, a steering committee may be established to continuously monitor the progress of the project.

3 PROJECT PLANTHE SERVICES PROVIDED BY APA-IT ARE INDIVIDUALLY TAILORED TO THE CLIENT’S NEEDS AND REQUIREMENTS. THIS ENSURES THE CLIENT IS ONLY OFFERED WHAT HE ACTUALLY NEEDS.

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CONSULTATION BY APA-IT

19Contacts

4 CONTACTSThe following APA-IT partners are availableto answer any queries:

ALEXANDER FALCHETTOManaging Director of APA-ITalexander.falchetto@apa.at+43 1 36060-6000

MARTIN SCHEVARACZDirector of Marketing and Sales at APA-ITManaging Director of dpa-digital servicesmartin.schevaracz@apa.at+43 1 36060-6060

GÜNTER KAMINGERDirector of Multimedia Solutions at APA-ITManaging Director of Genticsguenter.kaminger@apa.at+43 1 36060-6200

GERALD INNERWINKLERDirector of APA Solutions at APA-ITgerald.innerwinkler@apa.at+43 1 36060-6300

THOMAS FRUHSTUCKDirector of Planning & Operationsthomas.fruhstuck@apa.at+43 1 36060-6700