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SerCom
Solutions
5 . Implementation
Technical Dimensions
The ASAP methodology (Accelerated SAP) was to be the overriding
driver in the project implementation. ASAP depends on the right
resources dedicated to a project and uses a set series of steps
to speed up the deployment time of SAP. The stages being:
- Business
blueprint
- Realisation
- Final
preparation
- Go-live
and support
Initially
a detailed blue print document was developed covering all aspects
of the implementation. Each department was responsible for documenting
all of their required functionality. The combined team then
agreed upon the derived deliverables and the blue print was
set in stone. SerCom felt any changes to the document would
result in slippage of the deployment time and loss of momentum
to make the project succeed.
The
next phase, the realisation phase, saw consultants configuring
the system using defined business rules from the blue print
document. For example, the team could see how stock would be
displayed on the screen and make any required modifications.
This phase was to be a major part of the team's learning experience
sowing familiarity with the system's operations.The
system architecture was as follows:
- A
SAP server
- An
Oracle database server
- Two
application servers (one for reliance in the event of the
other failing)
- A
Websphere server providing access into the application servers
- A
Webmethods server
- SAP
Wgate and Agate Internet servers (Agate and Wgate are SAP
products)
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Internal connections from within the Dublin office
-
Network connections from the Scottish and Limerick offices
via a frame relay network
The
system required new hardware. SerCom sent a requirements document
out to tender with several hardware vendors. The documentation
detailed the size and power of the equipment they required to
run the different software products and the number of users
that would be accessing it. Unitech an IBM reseller in Dublin
were selected to supply the kit. The decision was based on price
and the close relationship SerCom had with IBM, one of its largest
customers.
The
internal network needed upgrading to accommodate higher bandwidth.
The existing cabling was reused but new network switches were
needed to increase data speed.
Timelines
| January
2000 |
Request
for Information document sent out to ERP suppliers |
| April
2000 |
Selected
SAP and Dublin based consulting group |
| May
2000 |
Started
selection process for web server |
| September
2000 |
Selected
IBM Websphere for web server |
| February
2001 |
SAP
implementation live |
| June
2001 |
Web
server live (date slipped by 4 months) |
Budget
| SAP
project |
€2-3
million |
| Websphere |
€1-2
million |
| Enterprise
Ireland Acceleration Fund grant |
€317,000 |
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