News

ABB, a global leader in power and automation technologies and IBM Egypt announced the implementation of a unique Storage Virtualization Solution, and IBM Blade Center developed to leverage SAP information system performance.

ABB's substantial growth in Egypt has resulted in a gradual transformation of its business model. The company decided to revamp the current infrastructure system to add advanced high-end functionality to the current mid-range storage disk systems in order to eliminate down time while reducing costs.

ABB has been using SAP information system since along. The infrastructure required a complete change of currently available storage infrastructure in order to improve its performance and stability.

Why IBM?

ABB have chosen IBM and collaborated with one it's Business Partners "Advanced Business Systems" (ABS). ABB selection criteria for IBM was based on IBM’s unique virtualization solution, high performance, stability and support. The companies’ cooperation focuses on IT services, particularly storage infrastructure operation and maintenance. IBM’s Storage Solutions and Blade Servers were uniquely able to fulfill ABB’s objectives. The contribution of ABS was a factor of the project success. ABS positioned IBM against the competition by keeping the customer updated with IBM new innovative technologies. Also ABS contributed in the project planning, site preparations studies and delivery.

"ABB’s decision to ally with a highly qualified partner such as IBM helped improve system servicing. An example would be the companies’ joint ability to make the system more available and fault-tolerant, while also reducing costs," stated Marcus Fawzy, IS Infrastructure Manager, ABB Egypt.

IBM Solution:

IBM provided the hardware infrastructure and software required to keep the San Volume Controller (SVC) system up and running. IBM managed to do performance storage infrastructure tuning for the SAP system landscape, control backup activities, and ensure day-to-day system operation. It includes operation system support, database installation and data migration, monitoring and administration, hardware. It provides as well IBM maintenance and support to ensure the fastest possible system recovery time.

The Infrastructure functionality is based on high-performance IBM SVC, DS4800 storage system, 8Gbps SAN Infrastructure, IBM TS3200 tape library and IBM BladeCenter-H (high-performance).

Client Value

With the unique IBM SVC solution, ABB has succeeded in raising storage infrastructure performance and stability. The solution incorporates new virtual storage systems with added advanced high-end functionality to the current mid-range storage disk systems. ABB was able to greatly raise the availability of Blade Servers using the unique “Open Fabric” technology and “Boot from SAN” functionality, thereby eliminating downtime while exponentially reducing costs. IBM BladeCenter® Open Fabric Technology provides I/O virtualization (Ethernet & Fiber Channel) to help in reducing complexity and server-deployment time. Using "Boot from SAN" enables replacing failed servers in very short time as well as having Hot-Spare Blade Server ready to replace any blade server. It saves costs by reducing the number of servers required to have highly available infrastructure. Also it can help protecting customers' BladeCenter investments and give the flexibility to deploy precisely the solution needed to help business & simplifying I/O.

The IBM Solution enabled ABB to optimize IT costs. It ensures the required service quality, redistribute resources for strategic task performance, and further scale and develop the SAP system in line with business requirements efficiently, effectively and without substantial initial investments resulting in customer satisfaction.

“We are extremely satisfied with our Solution’s design, high performance and system stability. They’ve further highly praised IBM Engineers’ outstanding professionalism and support during the installation and implementation phases,” confirms Marcus Fawzy, IS Infrastructure Manager, ABB Egypt.

Side Bar:

About ABB:

ABB is a leader in power and automation technologies that enable utility and industry customers to improve performance while lowering environmental impact. The ABB Group of companies operates in around 100 countries and employs about 120,000 people. ABB portfolio includes: Power Products, Power Systems, Automation Products, Process Automation, and Robotics. For more information please visit: www.abb.com

About Advanced Business Systems (ABS):

ABS founded in California - USA 1988, and then started its operation in Cairo in 1991. ABS has been in the business for more than Nineteen years with significant success and was able to provide the highest quality ICT services.

ABS has over fourteen years of relation with IBM as a 1st Tier Business Partner working for the entire Hardware Portfolio of IBM covering IBM eServers "System x & System p" and System Storage, special software services applying the ON-Demand Business technology of IBM utilizing professional methodologies through a professional technical team in three main business activities, IBM eServer & Total Storage technology supply, Technical Support services and Technology Deployment through System Integration activities and Project Management.

Most of ABS services started centered on IBM, Lenovo & Microsoft Technologies and extended along the years to cover more pioneer technology providers such as HP, CISCO and other major ICT suppliers.

Experts of the topic:

Ahmed Bourham, SSG Manager

• bourham@eg.ibm.com

Mohamed El-Mofty, Storage Networking Solutions Specialist

• MOFTY@eg.ibm.com

Mohamed Balbaa, Territory Sales Representative

• BALBAA@eg.ibm.com

Related Links:

• www.abb.com
• www.ibm.com/systems/storage/software/virtualization/svc (US)
• www.ibm.com/systems/bladecenter/news/openfabricmanager (US)