knowledge grown from experience - amt-sybex · management view between sap is-u and dts. amt-sybex...

AMT-SYBEX (NI) LtdEdgewater Office ParkEdgewater RoadBelfastBT3 9JONorthern Ireland

Tel: +44 28 9078 1616Fax: +44 28 9078 1717

AMT-SYBEX (Software) LtdLeopardstown Office ParkFoxrockDublin 18Ireland

Tel: +353 1 295 8988Fax: +353 1 295 8990

AMT-SYBEX LtdThe Spirella BuildingBridge RoadLetchworth Garden CityHertfordshireSG6 4ETUnited Kingdom

Tel: +44 (0)1462 476400Fax: +44 (0)1462 476401

www.amt-sybex.com

Knowledge Grown From ExperienceAMT-SYBEX Customer Update Issue 5 October 2009

www.amt-sybex.com

Knowledge Grown From ExperienceOur people... our industry... our knowlege... our ability to deliver.These are the fundamental aspects of AMT-SYBEX and have evolved through yearsof experience within the Essential Indusries.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

Client Satisfaction Survey

Our Products & Services

Liquefied Natural Gas – A Key Investment for National Grid and the UK

From The Editor

WELCOME TOtheKnowHow

CONTENTSPage

1 Client Satisfaction Survey

2 AMT-SYBEX and SAP

3 Mobile Working

4/5 Consultancy ServicesEngineering ServicesManaged Services

6/7 AMT-SYBEX EnablingEssential Industries -An Evolutionary Journey

8/9 Ellipse Corner

10 Information ManagementData Transfer SolutionCustom Software Development

11 Aircraft Leasing Marrakech

12 Client Corner - LiquefiedNatural Gas – A KeyInvestment for National Grid and the UK

13 Events and Centre forEssential Industries

EEddiittoorriiaall

Lester [email protected] [email protected]

Our most recent ClientSatisfaction Survey highlighted

that there is a lack of awarenessamongst our client base, as to thevariety of Products and Servicesprovided by AMT-SYBEX.

Whilst our experienceand knowledge inproviding EnterpriseAsset Managementsolutions is wellrecognised, many of theother services we haveestablished over the

years are not as well known.

This edition of ‘theKnowHow’ serves todemonstrate the wealth of knowledge andexperience we have across a widespectrum of business platforms which couldbenefit you.

We are now one of the leading suppliersin mobile solutions and our expertise inthis field has has been recognised by anumber of major organisations such asAntenna Software, Vodafone, SAP andMincom who have all partnered with us toprovide a variety of mobile solutions.

We are an accredited SAP relatedsolutions and services partner.

We provide e-procurement services. OurMarrakech product is a specialist solution inProcure-to-Pay, cataloguing and documentrouting.

We are an established ManagedServices provider delivering enhancedsupport service portfolios to over 20organisations ranging from devicemanagement to hosted services.

We have a Software development team inexcess of 50 analysts and programmerswho will develop software customised toyour specific needs.

So if you have requirements in any of theseareas remember we are here to help you.Let our Know How work for you.

Finally I would like to thank all of you whoparticipated in our Client SatisfactionSurvey. Your feedback is a key influencer inhelping us to continue to improve thequality of the Services and Support weprovide to you.

Thank you

Lester BayfordCustomer Services Manager

Printed on 75%Recycled paper

I was delighted withthe results of our

latest Client SatisfactionSurvey. I am particularlypleased to see thatdespite our continuedgrowth over the yearswe score very highly inrelation to our values,where we are seen as a committedpartner who are responsive and friendly,and are seen to offer value for money.This is something we have paid particular attentionto over the years and will retain this focus in thefuture. A symptom of a company’s growth is oftenreduced service levels and less attention to theclient. We pride ourselves on our relationship withour clients and I believe this is one of the biggestfactors in setting us apart from our competitors. Weare big enough to manage but small enough to care.

However, please be assured we will not becomplacent and I have already instigated a series ofactions targeted at those areas where yourfeedback suggests we could improve.

Thank you for your continued support.

Andy MillerGroup Managing Director

Client Satisfaction Survey

Earlier this year we carried out our latestClient Satisfaction survey.

It is vital that we understand the areas in which we are doingwell and where you think we need to improve; to that end thequestionnaire covered all aspects of our Business.

• Consultancy Support • Service Support• Managed Services • Software Development• Account Management • Implementation • Training • Post Go Live Support • AMT-SYBEX - Awareness and Values

Responses were received from a good cross-section of ourclients and we were very pleased with the feedback which wasextremely constructive and objective.

Our long-term clients acknowledged an overall improvement inour support and services compared with the last survey in 2007.This is particularly rewarding, demonstrating the success of anumber of initiatives we undertook to address issues that werehighlighted in 2007, particularly aligned to improving ourcommunications with our client base.

Among the highlights were:-

> It is clear that our clients see us as a committed partner who isknowledgeable and responsive, offering value for money

> We compare very favourably in relation to other suppliers

> Our Managed Services Operation is building a strongreputation for quality of service and operational readiness

> We are acknowledged as customer focused - client support isseen as one of our biggest strengths

> We are seen to have high technical capability.

The areas where your feedback suggests we could improve are:-

• Documentation

• Training

• Software Releases

We are examining the feedback in these areas to fullyunderstand and appreciate the issues with a view toestablishing what we can do to improve them.

Do we offer Value for Money?2007 2009

Do we deliver what we promise?

95% of respondents feel that we work with youas a valued partner, not just as a supplier

50%

Yes No or unsure This year more than 85%

50%

10%

90%

5%

95%

10% 20%

70%

5%

50%45%

15%

85%

2007 2009

2007 2009

Yes Indifferent

Strongly agreed Agreed Disagreed

With regards to Support, in 2009 90% agreed that they receivetimely responses, are kept up-to-date and that the problems aregenerally fixed in a timely manner. In 2007 – this was 75%

‘We score very highly in relation to our values where the majority of clients see us as committed to ourclient base working with them as a committed partner, responsive and friendly.’

theKnowHow 01theKnowHow www.amt-sybex.com www.amt-sybex.com

AMT-SYBEX and SAP

theKnowHow 03

This summer AMT-SYBEX and SAP UK co-hosted theirfirst mobile working event. It provided a view of how we

are working together to provide innovative mobile solutionsto the Utilities and Infrastructure sectors.The attendees, from a diverse mix of organisations, listened to SAP’s MobileStrategy and to how AMT-SYBEX’s mobile software works as part of the ‘ecosystem’

The day’s theme of ‘Preparing for Success’ saw AMT-SYBEX and SAPposition the use of the SAP NetWeaver platform to deploy our market-leadingmobile software to give organisations a proven low-risk approach to achievesignificant business benefits.

The event also looked atthe AMT-SYBEX unique“Intelligent Scripting”mobile software and how itoperates as part of the SAPNetWeaver infrastructure.

EDF Energy and National Grid sharedsome of the business benefits, thathave been derived from using the

AMT-SYBEX solution, with theaudience.

EDF Energy also provided aninteresting insight into how theyapproached mobile working anddescribed how they commissionedAMT-SYBEX to produce a strategicstudy that defined their mobile roadmap.

Making Mobile Working Work

“AMT-SYBEX is a keypartner for SAP in theUtilities market, developingcomplementary solutionsusing SAP NetWeaver. Mostrecently AMT-SYBEX’s DTSproduct has been certified aspowered by SAP NetWeaver.This is helping AMT-SYBEXto bring additional productsand services to market usingtheir understanding of SAP’stechnology platform;specifically in the areas ofdata management andmobility”

Mike Lewis, Utilities Industry Principal, SAP UK

Our Specialist Know How in Mobility Programme and Project management

Market leading software (FDCS) Device and Security management

Mobile solution delivery Communications and platform

Requirements gathering and analysis Prototypes and Proof of Concepts

Benefits Case justification Training and Business Change

Solution options Mobile working ‘health checks’

Solution design architecture Strategic and Tactical studies

Device advice and guidance Supplier Management

SAPWe are an accredited SAP relatedsolutions and services partner.

Through this relationship, SAP andourselves are working together toprovide innovative, market leadingsolutions and services; particularlyin the fields of mobile working,data exchange, integration andconsultancy services.

Our Data Transfer Solution (DTS)is ‘Powered by NetWeaver’accredited. DTS is used by manyof the leading UK and IrishEnergy Retailers to managecomplex data flows in thecompetitive Energy Retail market.

We have also entered into a

'Development Collaboration Agreement' with SAPAG in Germany, to develop the IDEX productwhich provides an end-to-end processmanagement view between SAP IS-U and DTS.

AMT-SYBEX is now workingclosely with SAP to enhance theexisting mobile solutions byproviding our Intelligent Scriptingfunctionality together with ourproven expertise in the design,development, delivery and supportof mobile working solutions.

Our SAP services practiceprovides strategic and tacticalconsultancy to clients to helpthem manage SAP relatedinitiatives, migration or expansionprojects, post projectimprovements and healthchecks.

theKnowHow02

Mobile Working

Today's working environment is dramaticallydifferent from just 10 years ago. It is now a

fast paced environment, whereby connectingpeople to each other and to businessapplications, data and key assets, is core toachieving business objectives.

By enabling mobility, theworkforce is empoweredwith insight, collaboration,and awareness, which, inturn, provides increasedproductivity and improveddecision making.

Against this back drop,creating a mobility strategyis becoming a high priorityfor our clients.

We have extensiveexperience ofproviding software-based solutions formobility in a variety

of business areas including remote inspection,condition monitoring and general data collection.These solutions offer a flexible, consistent and cost-effective means of electronically collecting and

managing high qualitydata, using various mobiletechnology platforms. Fullend-to-end integration isprovided from thecorporate back-endsystems through to theremote field systems. Thisis coupled with acomplete debrief ofactivity/data back throughthe same chain to ensurework progress/data isadequately monitored,and the records properlykept up to date.

We have been engaged by the NationalPolice Improvement Agency in partnership

with IPL to provide a data service (CRASH –Collision Recording And SHaring) that replacesthe existing police road accident reporting andmapping system of its paper forms and replacesthem with e-forms accessed on data–capablehandsets or vehicle terminals.The National Policing Improvement Agency are working ondelivery of the CRASH project, funded by the Department forTransport (DfT), to the Police Forces of England and Wales.

The CRASH project will provide a computer system that willassist in reducing the numbers of road users killed or seriously

injured bystreamlining thecollection, validationand dissemination ofroad traffic collisiondetails, data andevidence.

The key objective isto develop a national

system to collectand share collisioninformation quickly,accurately andsecurely to meet theneeds of the PoliceService, DfT,highways authoritiesand other partieswho have a need forcollision information.

The project aims todeliver this at the actual collision scene using mobile devices by:-

• Making it easier for officers to collect the data they needelectronically

• Interactive screens showing only the data they need for thatspecific collision

• Immediate confirmation of personal identity, vehicle and locationinformation from national databases e.g. Police NationalComputer

• Making it simpler and easier to collect, share, verify and shareaccurate road traffic collision information amongst the PoliceService and with other authorities.

Mobility

CRASH: Collision Recording And SHaring

www.amt-sybex.com www.amt-sybex.com

“As part of our continued focus toenhance the SAP solution portfolio in ourareas of expertise, namely mobileworking and information management,we are delighted to achieve partnerstatus to help cement our workingrelationship, and enable us to offer thebenefits that our joint solutions deliver toorganisations using SAP”.

Andy Hamlyn, Group Director, AMT-SYBEX

Nigel Trapp,Premier CustomerNetwork, SAP UK

Roger Black, World Champion andOlympic Medallist

theKnowHow 05theKnowHow04

Professional Services

Consultancy Services

We provide Consultancy Services toour clients across our market place.

Our Consultancy Services department comprises over100 consultants with a wealth of experience andexpertise in their specific fields. Our strengths comefrom our industry and market knowledge andexperience coupled with our project lifecycle capability.

We specialise in Enterprise Asset Management,Mobility, SAP integration, Procurement, andAircraft Leasing offering the following services:-

Business Transformation

• Business Process Reviews

- Technical, Functional and Process & Control

• Training – Classroom & Customised

• Change Management

• Communications

• Knowledge Engineering

• Employee Performance Support

• Authoring & Publishing

Technical Services

• Database Management

• Operating System Management

• Technical Application Management

• System Performance

• Automated Processing

• Housekeeping Routines

• Systems Integration

• Technical Infrastructure & Communications

Application Support

• Functional Optimisation

• Application System Management

• Software Upgrades & Version Control

• Report Management

Information Management

• Business & Systems Analysis

• Data Quality Audits, Strategy & Architecture

• Data Extraction, Cleansing and Transformation

• Data Management

• Data Profiling, Scorecarding (KPI’s) & ‘Dashboarding’

Our Engineering Services team provides supportto our asset infrastructure clients, enabling

significant improvements in safety management,resource efficiency and delivery quality during ourclient’s work delivery process.A Project Information Pack(PIP) is produced whichdetails the work required andprovides a wealth ofinformation such as assetinformation, hazardassessments, diagrams,network plans, sitephotographs, site layout diagrams, etc.

This is underpinned by a site survey undertaken by one of ourexperienced ‘ex-industry’ authorised surveyors. The survey includesremote client data gathering, processing and presentation, andundertaking on-site health, safety, environmental hazardassessments, general condition surveys, site layout surveys andtaking asset and site photographs.

We are currently working with EDF Energy Networkswhere in the last year we have delivered:-

• Over 1000 Project Information Packs (PIP) for 11 kilo-voltswitchgear replacement

• An electronic PIP review process for Southern Power Networks

• Undertaken Low Voltage Feeding and Load Audits in areas ofLondon

• Developed new work streams and PIP specifications for lowvoltage Pillar and Link Box replacement.

Engineering Services

The CertificationBoard of the American

Society for Quality ispleased to announce thatThiagarajan Karthikeyanhas completed therequirements to be namedan ASQ-CertifiedReliability Engineer (ASQ CRE). Thiagarajan Karthikeyan hasreached a significant level ofprofessional recognition, indicatinga proficiency in and a comprehension of quality engineering principlesand practices. Roberto Saco, President, American Society for Qualitycommented “This is a great accomplishment and represents ahigh level of peer recognition.”

Thiagarajan Karthikeyan

Receives ASQ-Certified Reliability

We supply Ellipse and FDCS for all theWork and Asset Management at theNominee Companies under a hostedManaged Service which is beingintegrated into LUL and there is aTransition Programme underway.

We have recently completed a project(EHMS) at the Nominee Companies thatnow means all Ellipse servers which weredisparate have been relocated in a stateof the art tier three data centre in theDocklands, London.

There are 4 servers that support theEllipse solution:-

- PRODUCTION

- REPORTING

- TOMAS (Train Management System)

- CorVu (additional reporting)

This now gives us direct control of theEllipse infrastructure, taking away previouscircular support issues, whereby we usedto have to go through the NomineeCompanies, to go through their incumbentsolution providers to allow us to make anychanges to the Ellipse environments.

Prior to moving the servers a new ‘TEST’

server was employed to enable concept

and location testing and to assure there

were no networking issues.

Traditionally, the physical support of the

‘REPORTING’ server and associated

firewalls had been in an air conditioned

room at the Nominee Companies’

Derbyshire House offices, at Kings Cross.

This gave rise to a number of

inefficiencies and risks such as, Nominee

Companies resources had to travel daily

to Derbyshire House to manually change

the tapes in the backup drive; there were

increased operational risks, such as room

conditions; possible risk of flooding from

overhead air conditioning units; no

Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) within

the building; the resources within the room

were shared and there were only limited

disaster contingencies. The state of the art

computer centre guarantees 100% ‘up’

time together with full data recovery

services and the centre boasts power

generator facilities that can run for 10

days in the event of a power outage.

In addition to the improved disasterrecovery protection, the new set-upprovides better refresh options; moreefficient communication channels andbetter networking as the servers share thesame network hub; the historical 100Mblink between the servers has beenreplaced by a 1Gb connection.

These environments are managed by theAMT-SYBEX Managed Service team via aVPN link into the Nominee Companies’network. Nominee Companies’ incumbentIT provider continue to provide first linesupport with all other aspects of the Ellipseservice now provided by AMT-SYBEX,including backups, Unix and Oraclesupport and hardware maintenance.

Managed ServicesToday, Managed Services are being viewedas a logical solution for driving costs out of

a business. We’ve proven it as an effective wayof maximising operational effectiveness andultimately, improving the quality of service toend-users.Organisations are now adopting a selective, multi source,value based approach to servicing their needs. This is givingrise to a more collaborative culture where specialist serviceproviders are commissioned to manage various aspects of thebusiness, who can work effectively with, and complementaryto, both in-house expertise and other suppliers via a centralservice delivery relationship.

By embracing a Managed Services approach to IT functions,business process provision and application support, you canhook into ‘best of breed’ skills and solutions when you need

to, meeting specific business requirements and realising majorbusiness benefits.

Through our Managed Services, clients are offerred individualservice packs carefully designed to provide them with thespecialist businesss / technical expertise they need.

What we do...

BASE SERVICE

Support of applications software and associatedconfiguration.

SELECTED MANAGED SERVICE

Provision of solutions from a hosted data centre – clientmanages user infrastructures and 1st Line Support.

FULLY MANAGED & HOSTED SERVICE

Full end-to-end service; including provision of hardware,software, technical and application services within a securehosted environment.

Enhanced Managed Service for Metronet In May 2008 the two Metronet infracos transferred to Transport for London (TfL) following a periodin Administration. Subsequently all Metronet staff transferred to London Underground (LU) in

December 2008, and the work to maintain and upgrade the Tube continues under a new LU structure.The two infrastructure companies, or infracos, within TfL, are known as LUL Nominee BCV Ltd andLUL Nominee SSL Ltd.


AMT-SYBEX Enabling Essential Industries - An Evolutionary Journey

Over the last two decades the essential industries have been through an evolutionary journey thathas seen:-

The experience we have gained in working with the essential industries throughthis journey has meant we have built up a vast knowledge in relation to thevarious utility and transport market places, applications and technologiesenabling us to use our Know How to provide solutions that help you meettoday’s challenges.


2005 - 2009

SAPWe are an accredited SAP related solutions and services partner.

Through this relationship, SAP and ourselves are working together to provideinnovative, market leading solutions and services; particularly in the fields of mobileworking, data exchange, integration and consultancy services.

Engineering ServicesOur Engineering Services team provides support to our asset infrastructure clients which

enables significant improvementsin safety management, resourceefficiency and delivery quality duringour client’s work delivery process.

This is underpinned by a site surveyundertaken by one of our experienced ‘ex-industry’ authorised surveyors.

EAM Integration TechnologyWe have deployed a number of technology advancements which integratewith and are complementary to the Ellipse EAM product.

Enterprise Services allow Ellipse data to be maintained through asimplified web services interface.

Generic Adapter enables ‘real time’ extraction of data to and from Ellipseto any 3rd party application.

Work Planner is a web toolset for enhancing the existing planning andscheduling functions found in Ellipse.

Mincom Ellipse Reporting (MER) is a single, fully-integrated andembedded Reporting and Business Intelligence solution powered byBusiness Objects.

Data Transfer Solution (DTS)In highly competitive energy markets, efficient communicationbetween market participants is essential. With customerscontinuing to exercise their freedom to switch supplierscombined with increasing competition, the data transfers withinthe market are becoming increasingly complex. DTS underpinsthe management of data flows between market participants,significantly lowering costs and improving the integrity of

customer investment programmes.

Mobile WorkingWe have extensive experience of

providing software-based solutions formobility in a variety of business

areas including remote inspection,condition monitoring and general

data collection. These solutionsoffer a flexible, consistent andcost-effective means ofelectronically collecting and

managing high qualitydata, using variousmobile technologyplatforms. Full end-to-end integration isprovided from thecorporate back-endsystems through tothe remote fieldsystems.

ManagedServicesThrough our ManagedServices we provideand support hardware and/or software either as individualservice packs or within a secure hosted environment. During thelifetime of that contract, the portfolio of services can beaugmented with individual service packs to accommodate pointin time requirements depending on the business needs.

Enterprise Asset Management (EAM) Our Enterprise Asset Management system, Ellipse enables asset–intensive organisations to

maintain and manage their assets.

We have implemented Ellipse in over 30 major asset intensive organisations in nearly two decades.

Custom Software DevelopmentOur Software Development team develop customised

solutions specific to an individual client’s needs, embracingboth the software and the associated procedures and processes.

Information ManagementIn today’s competitive market place, effective management of an organisation'score data has become crucial. With this in mind, our Data Management teamworks closely with our clients to develop a clear vision for their overall informationrequirements. This approach, along with tools, techniques and the AMT-SYBEXKnow How enables our clients to achieve a better understanding and superiorquality of information across the enterprise.

Consultancy ServicesWe provide consultancy services to our clients across our market place. Ourstrengths come from our industry and market knowledge and experience, coupledwith our project life cycle capabilities.

We specialise in Business Transformation, Technical Services, Application Supportand Information Management.

• The recognised achievement of improved performance,efficiency and service levels as the expected benefits ofprivatisation

• The development of regulatory influence and the increasingchallenges of the impacts of climate change andenvironmental performance

• A demand to deliver value from increasing levels of CAPEX andOPEX asset related investment to meet the sustainableperformance and reliability of the asset infrastructure

• The evolution of business solutions and the move to integratedsupport systems driving associated technological andfunctional advancements

• The move to a customer led market and as a consequencecontinuous improvement in the vital areas of customerexpectations and delivered service

• The wider involvement and empowerment of staff to ensuremaximum utilisation of the valuable skill base.

1990 - 2009

2000 - 2009

2000

- 20

09

2005

- 20

09


1990

- 20

09

Our Products & Services

Grown From Experience


Ellipse Corner

Our Enterprise AssetManagement (EAM) system,

Ellipse enables asset intensiveorganisations to maintain andmanage their assets.

Our clients face theharsh realities ofoperating in highlycompetitive marketsand dealing with highvalue assets andequipment where each

failure is disruptive and costly. At the sametime, they must also adhere to stringentoccupational and environmental safetyregulations. Therefore it is critical fororganisations to maximise the return oninvestment from their asset base and to beable to establish whether it is more costeffective to continue to maintain, overhaul orreplace a failing asset.

We have implemented Ellipse in over 30major asset intensive organisations in nearlytwo decades.

In July, companies working across the railindustry were honoured for producing

projects of excellence at Network Rail’s firstannual Partnership Awards ceremony. The awards which were held at the Hilton Birmingham Metropoleand hosted by comedian Jimmy Carr, provided Network Rail with theopportunity to recognise and reward excellence and best practice.

AMT-SYBEX won the Information Technology Award, forNetwork Rail’s Phase 2a Re-organisation – Changing theInfrastructure Maintenance systems to reflect the neworganisation structure.

We supply the Ellipse and FDCS mobile system which arecore systems supporting Work and Asset Managementactivity for Infrastructure Maintenance.

Under Phase 2A Reorganisation, Ellipse and other connectedsystems had to be changed to reflect 9 “route” baseddistricts and delivery units.

This huge data migration project, requiring collaboration betweenall parties, was heralded a success by Network Rail Directors asit enabled the new organisation to operate from day one withoutany disruption to running the business.

This award recognises an organisation that has used informationtechnology to mitigate or solve a problem that Network Rail facesor those that have used information technology to streamlineprocesses. Judges looked for measurable results that show the

benefits that thistechnology has created.

“Selecting the winnerswas tough and all ourshort-listed entrantsshould feel proud to havemade it through such animpressive pool of entries.Our finalists have made areal difference to NetworkRail and the millions ofpeople who travel by railevery day.”

Iain Coucher, Chief Executive,Network Rail

Ellipse Road Map

Ellipse

Ellipse Integrated Technology

Ellipse 6 continues to be the flagshipversion of the Ellipse EAM solution.

The next release, Ellipse 6.3.3, is due out in November 2009.

This release will include:-

• Updates for the current supported server platforms (AIX, HP-UX,Solaris, Windows Server) and will also include support for RedHat Linux as a server platform for the first time

• Amalgamation of any fixes made since the 6.3.2 release.

Beyond 6.3.3 we expect the next release (6.3.4) to be availableat the end of Q2 in 2010.

The latest version ofMincom WorkPlanner, 3.30, is duefor release inNovember 2009. Thisrelease includessome architecturalchanges whichreduce the application footprint and lead to improvements inperformance. New optional applications are also available in thisrelease for Asset Inspection and Defect Management.

Work Planner

A single, easy to use toolset delivered to users within a webserver environment enhancing the existing planning and

scheduling functions foundin Ellipse to optimiseequipment utilisation andmaintenance costsassociated with WorkOrders (jobs), Outages,Task Assignment, EstimateScheduling, Inspectionsand Work Assignment.

Scottish Water haverecently implemented two

browser based applicationsusing the Ellipse Web Portal.

Insurance Contractor Work Portal

Historically, insurance exams such aslifting equipment inspections andelectrical testing were managed insolutions hosted by the insurancecompanies themselves.

Bringing this in house, but still using theinsurance companies to deliver the workcreated a problem - how do thecontractors get easy access to the workissued and how do they record theexams as complete?

The solution was the deployment of anInsurance Contractor Work Portal.

This allows contractors to receive andclose Work Orders and allows them to

upload the insurance certificates to acentral document storage area.

A simple download mechanism isprovided which enables the contractor toaccess the assigned work in anelectronic format for onward upload intotheir own systems.

The Ellipse Web Portal provides ScottishWater with a simple and effective way ofcomplying with specifications such asPAS 55 without the need to imposetechnical solutions on the contractor.

Metering Application

The use of Ellipse was extended tosupport the opening of the water supplymarket to competition in Scotland in 2008.

Scottish Water needed a solution tomanage the requests for meterinstallations, removals and replacementsfor business customers in Scotland.

Many different transactions needed to becreated using several Ellipse applications.

However, the users were not necessarilyskilled in Ellipse and Scottish Waterneeded an application which simplifiedthe user interface, enforced businesslogic and data rules and ultimatelyreduced the clerical overhead inmanaging metering requests.

Scottish Water were looking for a solutionthat was built on the latest webtechnologies and was ultimatelysupportable.

We developed and deployed a Meteringapplication for them to meet theserequirements via the Ellipse Web Portal.

This provides Scottish Water with amodern and supportable application thatenforces all the required businessprocess and data rules and provides asimple and effective end user.

Generic Adapter

Enables ‘real time’ extraction of data to and fromEllipse to any 3rd party application. This can be inthe form of events (transactions automaticallytriggered); packeted message flows (.xml) andinter-system message transfers (.jms).

Enterprise Services

Provides an integration layer between the Ellipsedatabase, enabling ‘open standards’ as an alternativeto Ellipse data entry routines that can then beintegrated into Ellipse.

We have deployed a number of technology advancements which integrate with and arecomplementary to the Ellipse EAM product.

We provide Consultancy and Development services to support clients in driving the maximum benefit from investment in theseevolving technologies. This can range from bespoke ‘client’/portal applications for intranet/extranet use, XML-message basedintegration solutions and report/universe design and development.

Ellipse Web Portal in Scottish Water


MER

Mincom Ellipse Reporting (MER) is asingle, fully-integrated and embeddedreporting and business intelligencesolution powered by Business Objects.Key features include:-

• Comprehensive reporting

• Intuitive end-user query and analysis

• Performance management tools,

including dashboards, scorecards,analytics, and alerting

• Full integrated with Mincom Ellipse

• Suite of standard out-of-the-box MERreports

• Ability to extend MER to acorporatewide Reporting and BusinessIntelligence solution.

MER delivers an unprecedentedlevel of integrated businessintelligence capability, enablingany organisation to track, analyse,understand and manage theirbusiness in order to improveenterprise performance.


Information ManagementAccurate information on assets is essentialfor improving operational efficiency and

client service.The UK’s Essential Industries are ‘data rich’ and all too often‘information poor’. In today’s competitive market place,effective management of an organisation's core data hasbecome crucial. With this in mind, our Data Management teamworks closely with our clients to develop a clear vision for theiroverall information requirements. This approach, along withtools, techniques and the AMT-SYBEX Know How enables ourclients to achieve a better understanding and superior qualityof information across the enterprise.

We have supportedmany of our clients in

helping them introducenew reporting regimes intotheir organisations. At Powergen we completed a dataquality audit which provided value evaluations for ‘quick wins’and a framework to support their data governance strategy.We assisted Metronet in the data analysis phase of theirbusiness-wide Balanced Scorecard and at EDF EnergyNetworks and United Utilities Gas we helped them to developan enhanced reporting suite which allows high levelaggregation of data to provide reporting on demand with drilldown facilities to interrogate the detail.

Data Transfer Solution (DTS)Across Europe, change is a continuing force in the highly competitive energy markets andefficient communication between market participants is essential.

With customers continuing to exercise their freedom to switch suppliers combined with increasing competition, the datatransfers within the market are becoming increasingly complex.

In an environment where customer retention and controlling costs is alreadychallenging, these transfers can put data integrity at risk, leading to poorservice, customer frustration and, inevitably customer churn.

Our Data Transfer Solution (DTS) is the industry’s most powerful integratedsolution available to Utility clients across Europe, providing for the end to endmanagement of industry processes. It underpins the management of dataflows between market participants, significantly lowering costs and improvingthe integrity of customer investment programmes. This significantly lowerscosts, improves the integrity of your customer data, and ensures enterprisesystems remain compliant.

Information Management

Custom Software DevelopmentOur software development team is over 50strong and has a wealth of technical,

application and business experience withinour market place.Our knowledge and skills mean we can develop customisedsolutions specific to an individual client’s needs embracing

both the software and theassociated procedures andprocesses.

We have beencommissioned by manyorganisations to developsoftware to meet theirbusiness needs.

For the Department of Agriculture and RuralDevelopment in Northern Ireland (DARD) we designed,

developed and implemented an Animal Health and PublicInformation system, a tracking system for all livestock inNorthern Ireland.

This system is amongst the most sophisticated in Europe and iscertified by the EU as being an ‘operational database’ forregistration of animals. It can also monitor and control allaspects of veterinary drugs, meat inspections and meat hygiene.

Our progress within this sector also includes working withThe British Cattle Movement Service to provide amovement recording solution. This is achieved through theuse of bar-coded postcards which livestock holders arerequired to submit to the Cattle Movement Service. Theservice receives 6 million passport applications, 20 millionmovement cards and over 2 million items ofcorrespondence every year.

Software Solutions

ORIX Aviation Limited is a commercial aircraftleasing and asset management company

providing specialist asset management and advisoryservices to clients, including some of the world'sleading financial institutions, operators andinvestors. From its early days, ORIX has used the ICMS system to help itmanage its fleet. ORIX's initial use of the system focused on itsContracts Management and Technical Expenditure functionality.More recently, ORIX wanted its ever-increasing volumes oftechnical data to be centrally managed. They decided to go for abest of breed approach and investigated both in-house andexternal options. Commenting on their decision to use theTechnical module of ICMS to satisfy their requirements, DaveFahy, IT Manager at ORIX in Ireland remarked,

“The rich functionality of ICMS offered the best solution to ourrequirements. In addition, by extending the footprint of what wealready had, we now have a central repository for all our commercialaircraft leasing data. This gives us better access, more accuracy andfull control of a vital commercial asset that is often overlooked – ourdata. This is a major factor internally and also to those whose aircraftwe manage. ICMS continues to help us provide a world-class serviceto our clients”

The new technical module allows ORIX to store detailed technicalspecifications in the system. Combining this with utilisation data,the ICMS system will help ORIX to predict with great accuracywhen major maintenance events should take place. In addition,the ability to readily produce accurate marketing documentationfrom ICMS makes placing an aircraft when it comes to the end ofits lease a much easier process.

Marrakech specialises in hosted SAAS (Software As AService) model e-procurement solutions providing

Procure-to-Pay, cataloguing and document routing solutions. These solutions drive real performance improvements through the delivery offaster, more flexible access to critical business information. More than 20,000procurement and supply chain professionals work with Marrakech to transactmillions of documents each year, making us a proven solutions provider forenterprises of all sizes. Marrakech’s customer base includes many well-knownretail brands and government agencies, such as Tesco, Premier Foods, BBC,NHS and Identity & Passport Service.

Our Integrated ContractManagement System

(ICMS) is extensivelyemployed by more than halfof the world’s top 15 aircraftleasing organisations totrack who they are leasing toand which aircraft is beingleased.

ICMS automates key businessprocesses and provides up-to-date information. It is consideredthe market leading aircraft leasemanagement tool. It eliminatesthe need for manual systems,complex spreadsheets andmultiple legacy systems.

Effective IT Systems are ofcritical importance in providingsupport and accurate decisionmaking information for Aircraft

lessors, where transactions arecomplex, frequent and involveassets worth billions of dollars.For this reason we havedeveloped a scalable andcomprehensive suite, whichaddresses the key activities ofaircraft lessors world-wide.

Our industry focused team ismade up of professionals whoall share an in-depthknowledge of the AircraftLeasing industry.

With a successful track recordof large-scale implementations,many involving complexintegration with clients’ existingback-end systems, we are veryconfident in our ability to makeour solutions deliver benefits toyour organisation.

ORIX uses the AMT-SYBEX Aircraft Leasing System

Marrakech

Aircraft Leasing


theKnowHow 13

Events & CEI

SAP EventsAMT-SYBEX took the significant step in June ofco-hosting our first mobile working event with our

partners, SAP (featured on page 2).

This event was followed up by around-table session. ‘MobileSolutions: Transforming LocalGovernment’, at the GreaterManchester Passenger TransportExecutive (GMPTE). In

attendance were representatives from public sectororganisations from the North of England.

In July we sponsored and show cased our mobile DataTransfer solutions at SAP’s annual flagship event for Utilitiesin the UK, the ‘Utilities Information Exchange ’09, SmartUtilities of the Future’. The event focused on how newtechnologies, particularly Smart Metering, will impact uponenvironment, the Utility market and its customers.

theKnowHow12

Change and Transformation inChallenging Times

The first CEI Executive Brief of the year washeld at the Novotel St Pancras, London.

The theme of the event was about how today’s social andeconomic climate is challenging the ability of all societiesacross the world to hold together.

Topics covered included:-

• How Network Rail are striving to demonstrate confidence,clarity and consistency in its operations to make therailways safe, affordable and punctual

• The competition for wholesale and retail water supply inScotland

• Liquefied Natural Gas – Why it is key to National Grid andthe UK (see feature on page 12)

• The challenges facing London Underground to transformand upgrade the network

• How the media sees its role in the current climate.

Our Latest Event ‘INNOVATION’September 24th was the latest instalment ofour CEI Executive Briefings, ‘INNOVATION’,

held at the Novotel St Pancras, London.The day was focused on ‘Innovation’, tackling current issuesand looking at innovative approaches in industry.


• How Increased Asset Maintenance Performance is Driventhrough Continuous Improvement, Phil Hufton, ChiefMaintenance Officer for London Underground Limited

• The Changing Face of the UK Energy and the Road to 2020,Chris Murray, Director of UK Transmission for National Grid

• The Use of Automatic Number Plate Recognition, ShabirHussain, Deputy Assistant Commissioner, Metropolitan Police

• The Journey Towards a Digital Society, Philip Ross, CEO ofthe Cordless Group

• Innovation in the World of Cricket, Manjoe Badale Chairmanof the Rajasthan Royals.

The Countdown to the Election and How Innovation InfluencesPolitics, Jon Craig, Chief Political Correspondent, Sky News.

Effective and Efficient ITInvestment

This year’s Stratford-upon-Avon CEI Event,brought together around 50 delegates from

across the Utility sector.The aim of the day was to share knowledge and learn fromeach others experience in relation to how organisations could‘work smarter’ to ensure optimum value from the key investmentsthey make in business systems.


• Extending, Enhancing and Embedding Ellipse

• How the integration of core systems can support a stepchange in business performance

• National Grid - Planning For Success (P4S), One Year On

• The history of Ellipse in United Utilities.

Information ManagementClient Corner

What is LNG?Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) is natural gas that has beentransformed into a liquid state by cooling it to approximately -161º C. At such a temperature it occupies just 1/600th of thevolume of natural gas which makes it an extremely cost efficientway to store and transport huge amounts of energy.

The Market for LNGThe UK is Western Europe's largest gas market with annualconsumption equivalent to 67million mtpa (metric tonnes per annum).

Today well over 50% of all power used in the UK is generatedfrom natural gas with no sign of a weakening in that demand.

It is now clearly recognised that with the tail-off of productionfrom the North Sea fields, the UK is destined to become a majornet importer of gas – with estimates suggesting that by 2015 asmuch as 80% may need to come from overseas sources and it isunderstood a significant volume of this gas will be provided in theform of LNG.

Grain LNG - The current picture

Based on these changes in the UK gas market NationalGrid decided at the end of 2002 to embark on a majorprogramme of investment at the Grain site to developand convert the facility from peak shave operation to aworld leading LNG importation storage and re-gasification facility.

Today, the current Grain LNG terminal consists of 5huge storage tanks providing a throughput capacity of9.8 million tonnes of LNG each year.

The latest and third phase of construction commencedearlier this year and will increase capacity by anadditional 50% to give a total throughput capacity at thesite of 14.8 million tonnes of LNG per annum. It willalso provide a second discharge jetty which will enable

24/7 unloading of LNG vessels into the storage areas.

This will give Grain LNG the capability to import over 20% offorecast UK gas demand by the time the project goes live in2010/11. When complete this will take National Grid’s investmentin Grain to well over £750million and will position Grain LNGamongst the world’s most modern LNG terminals, providing the

UK with much needed increased diversity ofsupply.

AMT-SYBEX Role in National Grid Grain LNG

In line with their investment in the physicalassets at Grain, National Grid clearlyrecognised the need to ensure thatmanagement systems be put in place toprovide the detailed asset health understandingwhich will deliver maximum benefit from thatinvestment.

AMT-SYBEX, as National Grid’s provider oftheir key work and asset management solutionselsewhere across the business were engagedat the beginning of 2008 to begin to identify theprocesses, data, work planning and otherrequirements of the new operation. We havesince then been working with National Grid’sGrain management team to develop a roadmap

to ensure the requisite systems are in place and ready for thearrival of the new asset base.

Earlier this year AMT-SYBEX completed a Feasibility andAnalysis study for implementation of its Ellipse Enterprise AssetManagement system. Current activity is focused on finalrequirements definition and early design of the new Ellipse basedsystem. It is anticipated that full implementation will commence inthe Autumn for a go live to meet the first handover of Phase 3assets in summer 2010.

Following a restructure of the remaining National Grid LNGStorage sites it is likely that the system will now also be deployedacross those businesses.

National Grid’s newly expanded Grain LNG (Liquefied Natural Gas) Terminal: Why is it a keyelement in the UK’s security of gas supply picture and how is AMT-SYBEX involved?


LNG tank in membranetype ship

Grain LNG Phase 2 expansion -World’s largest above ground LNG tanks

Steve Norris, AMT-SYBEX and Shami Chakrabarti, Liberty

Glyn Hughes, United Utilities, Steve Wood and Mike Duggan,AMT-SYBEX

For more details on these and other events, please visit www.amt-sybex.com/CEI/Events.aspx

knowledge grown from experience - amt-sybex · management view between sap is-u and dts. amt-sybex...

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