microsoft central and eastern europe - microsoft download center

Content Customer evidenCe - July 2008
Infrastructure and Platform Optimization 6
Association of Serbian Banks (ASB) BTI Hellas Raiffeisenbank Austria Caspian Pipeline Consortium Krka Latvian University of Agriculture PKO Bank Polski Post of Slovenia C. Rokas SA Zapp
Adverticum American Chamber of Commerce in Russia ASSA ABLOY Athens University of Economics and Business BRE Bank SA Group EFG Factors Galeb Group HDS Polska Na Homolce Hospital Tartu Municipal Government
Core Infrastructure Optimization Business Applications
Become a Success Story
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SECAR BOHEMIA Baltika Breweries Seventh Continent INA Latvian Procurement Monitoring Bureau Power Systems Research Audi Hungaria Motor Ministry of Informatics T-Com Yuzhkuzbasugol The Guide to Microsoft
in the Enterprise 2008
Application Platform Optimization Index
32 70
Cason Genesis Pharma Ministry of Economy and Finance, Greece Ministry of Education, Research, and Youth National Bank of Greece Piraeus Bank VostokGazprom Allianz-Tiriac Asigurari Food Express Lietuvos Spauda Tarkett DOO Village Cinemas
Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization Other Initiatives20 56 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69
Customer Evidence - Solution View Technology Index - Part 1 Technology Index - Part 2 Customer Evidence - Industry View
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Podravka SOK Group Mellon Mostecká uhelná a.s. MVideo Akrapovic Exhaust System Polkomtel Košice Self-Governing Region UTECO VTB 24
Become a Success Story Customer evidenCe - July 2008
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People like to read stories about business success. First of all, they are inspiring, but they can also provide real guidance for making good business decisions.
microsoft has been active in Central and eastern europe since the early 1990s. the region is growing fast —Central and eastern europe’s GdP equals that of China, it attracts more direct foreign investment and it is estimated that it will be the fastest-growing region in the world for the period between 1999 and 2011. this is microsoft’s fastest-growing market and one we value and continue to invest in.
our customers in the Cee region have some great success stories and we want to share some of them with you. these stories describe broad and innovative use of our software, as well as software and services provided by our partners. together, they really begin to reveal what an exciting time this is to be in the it marketplace.
this booklet also highlights the breadth of microsoft® solutions, our commit- ment to innovation and the continued evolution of our core technologies. An important thing to remember is that while these stories are, on one level, technology stories, they are also people stories. this is important because we at microsoft believe that people drive business success. Human imagination creates the ideas that move business forward. Human conversations and human effort shape those ideas into products and services for the market. the unique ability of people to listen, respond, persuade, and think for themselves helps companies to sell effectively, serve their customers, and work together with their business partners in rich, satisfying ways that create lasting, high-value relationships. microsoft helps customers create their People-ready Business. We believe that
software’s impact goes well beyond process automation and personal productivity. We believe that people drive the most important business outcomes, including growing customer relationships, accelerating innovation, driving corporate performance, managing governance, risk and compliance, and improving operations.
research shows that companies that invest in software as a strategic asset for their people perform better.
today, the ideas behind a People-ready Business are an important part of our conversations with microsoft customers and they will increasingly be a central part of our customer stories. What this means is that when you read about a microsoft implementation of any kind, the emphasis will be on the end-user.
Customer testimonials are one crucial way to make this real and tangible by showing the impact people can have with new software tools.
so read on and be inspired. Become a success story.
Florian Zink
Director - Enterprise and Partner Group (EPG) Microsoft Central and Eastern Europe
Infrastructure and Platform Optimization
today more and more pressure is being placed on it to lower costs while fueling innovation and growth to drive greater business value. one underlying factor causing this spotlight on it is the constantly changing and competitive nature of the global marketplace.
According to the Gartner 2008 study, “Making the Difference: The 2008 CIO Agen- da,” staying ahead of these ever increasing business demands requires a methodical approach to assessing how to best align business imperatives with the it investments that enable the greatest business impact.
the microsoft optimization models offer Cios a robust and systematic process for assessing their it infrastructure and the platform capabilities needed to build a dynamic it roadmap. this transformative and iterative process shifts it from a cost center focus into an innovative business growth enabler.
microsoft has developed three models—focusing on core infrastructure, business productivity infrastructure, and the application platform—that outline a progres- sion through four stages of optimization. each of the models illustrates the strategic value and business benefits of moving from a “basic” stage of optimization, where the infrastructure and platform are generally considered a “cost center,” toward a “dynamic” infrastructure, where the business value of the infrastructure is clearly understood. Within each microsoft optimization model are key capabilities and sub-capabilities that enable it to map business drivers and priorities to technology solutions that are integrated across platform capabilities. the output is a phased capability and solutions adoption approach that minimizes risks and delivers incre- mental benefits throughout the implementation process.
Gaining dramatic cost savings and enabling business growth are primary benefits of executing an optimization roadmap to progress towards a dynamic it. By align- ing business priorities and strategies to the technologies that will help deliver the desired business outcomes, it can deploy solutions that empower people to reach customers more effectively, harness critical business insight, and collaborate across boundaries.
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Business Enabler
Strategic Asset
Dynamic
the microsoft optimization models have been developed using industry best practices and microsoft’s own experiences with its enterprise customers. A key goal for microsoft in creating the models was to develop a simple way to use an optimization framework that is flexible and can be easily used as a benchmark and a roadmap for technical capability and business value.
Uncoordinated, manual
automation and knowledge
captured and reused
Fully automated management
Core Infrastructure Optimization
the Core infrastructure optimization (Core io) model can help an organization understand the current state of their it infrastructure and what that means in terms of cost, security, risk, and operational agility. organizations can realize large cost savings by moving from an un-managed and nonstandard environment to an environment that has automated management, standardization, and dynamic resource usage. security improves from highly vulnerable in a basic infrastructure to dynamically proactive in a fully optimized infrastructure. it infrastructure management changes from highly manual and reactive to highly automated and proactive.
Core infrastructure optimization helps an organization better understand and move toward a more secure, well-managed, and dynamic core it infrastructure that will help reduce overall it costs, make better use of it resources, and make it a strategic asset for the business. this model supports it professionals in the management of servers, desktops, mobile devices, and applications, and in achieving efficient resource usage to help you eliminate unnecessary cost and complexity, ensure that your business is always up and running, and establish a responsive infrastructure.
For more information visit http://www.microsoft.com/infrastructure/default.mspx
it and security Process
security & networking
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sub-Capabilities
Serbian Credit System Reduces National Loan Debt from 3.5 PerCent to 1.18 PerCent
The Association of Serbian Banks (ASB) wanted to improve the control and monitoring of credit ratings in Serbian financial markets. Investigations into credit ratings took days, and results were often inaccurate. The association needed a system that could compile and send precise reports in real time. ASB decided to set up a Credit Bureau that could provide credit rating details on individuals and businesses. The association chose a solution based on Microsoft® technology and developed by Microsoft Gold Certified Partner E-Smart Systems. The solution operates on Windows Server® 2003, and application support was developed using Microsoft Visual Studio® .NET 2003. Serbian financial institutions can now access comprehensive credit rating reports that are compiled in seconds, while the system has reduced the number of un-repaid loans nationally from 3.5 percent to 1.18 percent.
Organization Profile The Association of Serbian Banks, founded in Belgrade in 1921, helps its members develop a uniform approach to Serbia’s financial and interbank IT systems.
Business Situation Serbian financial markets had no reliable method for controlling and monitoring credit ratings. A system was required that could provide data on client debt and distribute real-time reports.
Solution The Credit Bureau solution operates on Windows Server® 2003, and application support was developed using Microsoft® Visual Studio® .NET 2003.
Benefits • Reduction in individual loan debt. • Faster loan processes. • Reports compiled and sent in seconds. • Platform for future expansion.
Organization Association of Serbian Banks (ASB)
Country Serbia
Company Size 500 employees
Software and Services Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Visual Studio .NET Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
Partner(s) E-Smart
“Individuals and businesses are less likely to accumulate excessive debt. With the Credit Bureau system in place, the number of un-repaid loans has decreased from 3.5 percent to 1.18 percent.“
Veroljub Dugalic General Secretary, Association of Serbian Banks
To view this case study in full, please visit: http://www.microsoft.com/casestudies/casestudy.aspx?casestudyid=4000000719
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Equipment Supplier Uses Integrated IT Environment to Boost Employee Productivity
BTI Hellas, based in Athens, Greece, is a leading graphic arts equipment supplier for the Greek market. The company’s mixed IT environment was expensive to manage, and its messaging solution did not support business communications for the sales force, which relied on faxes and phone calls, resulting in hour- or day-long delays in customer service. BTI Hellas standardized on an integrated Microsoft® communication and collaboration solution, saving €107,000 [U.S.$139,000] on software acquisition costs by signing a Microsoft Open Value Volume Licensing Agreement. Now, sales staffers respond to calls instantly, and technical support engineers serve customers within minutes. Microsoft Software Assurance provides extra IT support for the two-person IT department plus additional training and software home-use options for staff, which generated productivity gains of ap- proximately 43 percent.
Organization Profile With a turnover of €17 million [U.S.$21 million] in 2006, BTI Hellas is one of Greece’s largest suppliers of graphic arts equipment and supplies. It employs 54 people.
Business Situation BTI Hellas wasted resources managing three operating systems in an IT infrastructure that did not support interdepartmental collaboration or mobile access to corporate data.
Solution BTI Hellas signed a Microsoft® Open Value Volume Licensing Agreement to cover a unified communication and collaboration solution based on the Microsoft server product portfolio.
Benefits • Reduce customer response time 75% • Saved €16,000 Euros [U.S.$20,800] in paper, printing costs • Reduced training costs 40% • Cut desktop management time 30% • Reduced software licensing management 50% • Saved €30,000 [U.S.$39,000] in licensing fees
Organization BTI Hellas
Software and Services Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Microsoft Office Professional 2007 Microsoft Office Professional Edition 2003 Microsoft Outlook Web Access Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Partners Lex Computers
“Choosing a Microsoft IT infrastructure enabled the IT department to provide solutions that allow us to do more at less cost. We’ve expanded our customer base by 23 percent and not hired a single new employee.“
Dr. Tsafaridis Iordanis IT Manager, BTI Hellas
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The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) manages a 1,510-kilometre, U.S.$2.6-billion pipeline that connects oil fields in Kazakhstan with a new sea terminal in Russia. To operate effectively, the company relies on IT systems that monitor 24-hour production processes and support communications between employees at 10 regional offices in Russia and Kazakhstan. To ensure constant availability of these critical systems, CPC has upgraded its IT infrastructure based on the latest Microsoft® technologies, including the Windows Server® 2003 enterprise operating system. As a result, critical systems are now fully fault tolerant, ensuring the continuity of business processes 24 hours a day. In addition, the company has increased overall network security, improved communications for mobile users and contractors, and streamlined project management.
Organization Profile The Caspian Pipeline Consortium (CPC) manages a 1,510-kilometre pipeline that connects oil fields in Kazakhstan with a new sea terminal in Russia and achieves annual profits of U.S.$1.5 billion.
Business Situation To ensure constant availability of critical production monitoring and business productivity tools, CPC decided to upgrade its IT infrastructure based on the latest Microsoft® technologies.
Solution CPC deployed a new IT environment based on Windows Server® 2003, Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, and Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000.
Benefits • Excellent availability for IT services. • Enhanced network security. • Streamlined IT administration. • Effective project management. • Support for future growth.
Organization Caspian Pipeline Consortium
Software and Services Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2000 Microsoft Office 2003 Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
“Accurate planning, training of internal IT professionals, and expert advice from Microsoft specialists ensured that employees did not experience downtime during the rollout.“
Alexander Snurnitsyn IT Manager, CPC
Oil Company Upgrades IT Infrastructure to Ensure Constant Availability of Systems Infrastructure Upgrade
Financial Institution Chooses Virtualization to Cut Costs, Improve Business Continuity
Based in Zagreb, Raiffeisenbank Austria (RBA) strives to offer the widest range of financial products and services in Croatia. Challenged by recent expansion, the Bank’s IT department wanted to reduce costs and better support the business with responsive, reliable IT services. It began by solving inefficiencies in its overcrowded data center. Many RBA servers hosted single applications that could not be deployed in a clustered environment. Using a Microsoft® virtualization solution, IT staffers deployed these applications as virtual machines in a host clustering environment, increasing reliability through automated failover. RBA’s virtualization solution also reduced hardware, licensing, and data center costs. IT labor costs are also down because IT staffers use integrated Microsoft virtualization management tools to simplify the administration of their virtualized environment.
Organization Profile Raiffeisenbank Austria (RBA) differentiates itself from its competitors through a variety of innovative financial services. Based in Zagreb, RBA has 56 branch offices and employs about 2,000 people.
Business Situation RBA wanted to reduce costs associated with managing its growing data center. It needed to consolidate services on its underutilized servers, which hosted applications that could only run in isolation.
Solution RBA used Microsoft® Virtual Server and the clustering feature in Windows Server® 2003 to create a virtualized failover cluster environment. It manages with Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager.
Benefits • Improved reliability and business continuity • Increased operational agility • Cut data center costs by 50 percent • Saved U.S.$31,800 on hardware, licensing costs • Saved 30 percent in server management costs
Organization Raiffeisenbank Austria
Software and Services Microsoft System Center Virtual Machine Manager 2007 Microsoft Virtual Server 2005 R2 Windows Server 2003 R2 Enterprise x64 Edition Windows Server 2003 R2 Standard x64 Edition
“With a Microsoft virtualization solution, we have saved money, improved server management, and boosted the reliability of our infrastructure. Today, we have a better platform for growing the business.“
Marko Pranic Deputy Executive Director of IT and Direct Banking Division, Raiffeisenbank Austria
Pharmaceutical Firm Manages Seldom-Connected Laptops, Cuts Licensing Costs
Pharmaceutical company Krka needed to manage its technology environment—including laptop computers that connected to the network infrequently. Its solution: Microsoft® System Center Configuration Manager 2007. The company uses the Internet-based Client Management capability to push out regular updates to laptops over the Web. And the solution’s Asset Intelligence enables Krka to cut software licensing costs while making software more available.
Organization Profile Krka, based in Novo mesto, Slovenia, develops high-quality generic medicines with added value, marketed as branded products. The company’s main products are human medicines.
Business Situation The increase in laptop use in Krka, combined with the broad geographic dispersal of those laptops and the limits on available resources, made an automated, remote management solution highly desirable to reduce support costs, particularly in the Russian market.
Solution Krka is gaining control over its remote laptops—and the rest of its technology infrastructure—thanks to Microsoft System Center Configura- tion Manager 2007, the successor to Systems Management Server 2003.
Benefits • Configuration Manager brings control over the IT environment. • Internet-based Client Management accelerates the update schedules for laptops and other personal computers.. • Configuration Manager helps to validate compliance with the licensing agreements.
Organization Krka
Country Slovenia
Industry Pharmaceuticals
Software and Services Microsoft System Center Configuration Manager 2007 Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007
“Thanks to Configuration Manager, we have the level of control over our environment that we need. The result is that our environment operates more efficiently. We can manage the environment the way we should, without the limitations we had before.“
Ivan Lukšic Head of Information Infrastructure, Krka
Latvian University Implements New e-Learning System to Help Distance Learners
The IT faculty at the University of Agriculture in Latvia wanted a modernized e-learning environment to support both classroom and distance learners. The previous open source system lacked flexibility, and was expensive to operate. Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Datorzinibu Centrs recommended Windows® SharePoint® Services, which not only supports all the e-learning curriculum needs, but also automates many previously manual processes. It is already opening up channels for better collaboration and communication between students and teachers.
Organization Profile The Latvian University of Agriculture’s IT faculty—founded in 2001—offers educational qualifications in IT at bachelors, masters, and doctorate levels for campus-based and distance learners.
Business Situation The faculty is a Microsoft IT Academy program member, and also takes advantage of the Microsoft Academic Resource Center for customizable curriculum and in-class programs. For this reason, Arhipova and her colleagues wanted a system that would easily integrate with their existing IT assets.
Solution The faculty chose a solution based on the Microsoft Learning Gateway Framework, an integrated solutions environment for connecting people, information, and processes in education. The technology building blocks involved Windows SharePoint Services 3.0 collaboration technology, Windows Server® 2003 operating system, and Active Directory® services for identity management.
Benefits • Low total cost of ownership. • Simple to support. • User-friendly interface. • Management information system. • Easy integration with existing IT. • Meets the needs of all learners. • New features for learning. • Conforms to global standards.
Organization Latvian University of Agriculture
Country Latvia
Partner(s) Datorzinibu Centrs
“The new SharePoint solution helps us break down barriers and promotes social inclusion, making education accessible to everyone regardless of age, em- ployment, and where they live.“
Prof. Irina Arhipova Faculty of IT Technologies Dean at the Latvian University of Agriculture
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Large Polish Bank Gains Advanced Public Key Infrastructure with New Server Solution
One of the largest banks in Poland wanted to build a public key infrastructure (PKI) to centralize the authentication of users, devices, and applications. The bank also wanted a mechanism to electronically sign and encrypt documents and e-mail messages. After a thorough evaluation, the bank deployed Windows Server® 2008—which offers built-in support for PKI—in a pilot environment, along with Microsoft® System Center Operations Manager 2007. The initial deployment was so successful that the bank plans to extend the solution throughout the organization by the end of 2008. The centralized authentication increases security by providing authorized access to both information and bank facilities. Improved efficiency helps accelerate decision making. And, when the deployment is complete, the bank might extend its market opportunities by offering electronic banking services to its customers.
Organization Profile The bank is one of the largest in Poland, providing services to both institu- tional and individual customers.
Business Situation The bank sought to improve the security of information access. It also wanted to find a mechanism for electronically signing and encrypting documents and e-mail messages.
Solution With the help of Microsoft® Services, the bank deployed Windows Server® 2008 and Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007.
Benefits • Increases security • Accelerates decision making • Simplifies management • Extends market opportunities
Organization PKO Bank Polski
Software and Services Microsoft System Center Operations Manager 2007 Windows Server 2008
“The public key infrastructure that we created through our deployment of Windows Server 2008 has fundamentally increased the level of information security that we have at the bank.”
Security Director, Large Polish Bank
Postal Service Improves Application Protection and Remote Access with IT Solution
The Post of Slovenia provides postal services to customers throughout Slovenia. The company manages a large group of post offices and regional centers. Because it wanted to make remote user applications more accessible and more secure, the organization deployed Windows Server® 2008. IT administrators can now manage applications more easily while providing better remote access and improved protection.
Organization Profile The Post of Slovenia, based in Maribor, Slovenia, is responsible for managing postal services for the country. The company has nearly 6,700 employees throughout Slovenia.
Business Situation The company needed to publish user applications from terminal servers at each regional center. One application the organization needed to provide access to is “Universal Postal Office,” which is used to enter postal transaction data. However, the Post of Slovenia did not have the capability to publish remote applications.
Solution The Post of Slovenia is using the Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services RemoteApp™ feature, which helps IT administrators configure terminal servers to provide users with access to individual applications that are integrated with the local desktop.
Benefits • Easier application management • Simplified branch office access • Improved protection
Organization Post of Slovenia
Partners Avtenta.si
“Managing the IT infrastructure is far easier because of Windows Server 2008 Terminal Services. To publish an application, for example, we just have to install it on the terminal server and make it available to users.“
Smiljan Švarc Head of System Engineering, Post of Slovenia
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Mobile Phone Operator Increases Productivity and Decreases IT Costs with Licence Agreement
Zapp, a Romanian mobile phone operator, needed to build a more efficient IT infrastructure and consolidate its network. After entering into a Microsoft® Enterprise Agreement, it was able to deploy a new, simplified infrastructure that improved collaboration, increased productivity, and helped employees share information. System administration also became easier, increasing the flexibility of the Zapp IT team.
Organization Profile Zapp is a mobile phone operator offering integrated communications services in Romania. The rapidly growing company needed a consolidated IT infrastructure to address current and future business requirements.
Business Situation Zapp, a rapidly growing mobile communications provider based in Roma- nia, has used Microsoft technology since its formation in 1992. It purchased licences for both OEM and OPEN licensing programs, which resulted in a complicated licensing situation. As the company grew, employees found it increasingly difficult to share documents and information with colleagues because of conflicting product versions and various file formats.
Solution To streamline network administration and give employees the business support they required, Zapp invested in an Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft in 2005. With the agreement, Zapp could add new software and desktops as needed, and with a pre-determined price structure. In addition to capping licence fees, the agreement incorporated other Microsoft software tools. Zapp implemented Microsoft Exchange Server 2003, along with Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 and Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003. The company is in the final stage of implementing Microsoft SharePoint Portal Server® 2003 and has begun deploying Windows Rights Management.
Benefits • Structured IT Spending. • Easy System Management. • Improved IT Support. • Improved Systems, Greater Productivity. • Greater Flexibility.
Organization Zapp
Country Romania
Software and Services Microsoft Active Directory Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 Microsoft Office SharePoint Server Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
“By using Systems Management Server 2003, we have been able to achieve better control over the installation of new software products and updates of existing products.“
Iulian Pipoiu Senior IT Manager, Zapp
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Founded in 1958, C. Rokas SA is a leader in renewable energy sources and electromechanical projects. Since building the first private wind farm in Greece in 1998, Rokas has se- cured a considerable market share in Greece’s energy sector, with an installed capacity of 193.3 megawatts. In addition, the company continues to expand in the design, construction, and installation of lifting and handling equipment, and other complex steel structures. Today the company is in its fifth year of an Open Value Subscription agreement with Microsoft, and has recently completed a major upgrade of its client and server systems to Windows Server® 2003, Windows® XP, and Office 2003. The IT department is planning to upgrade soon to Windows Vista™, the 2007 Microsoft® Office system, and the latest suite of server software from Microsoft.
Organization Profile C. Rokas SA is a leader in renewable energy sources and electromechanical projects. The company employs 250 people and manages 70 desktop systems.
Business Situation Before switching to Microsoft volume licensing, Rokas’ IT team managed an array of PCs and servers running numerous versions of different applications. The team was faced with compatibility and security issues, as well as maintenance inefficiencies.
Solution Microsoft Open Value Subscription licensing enabled Rokas to upgrade and unify all its systems, with a single license key. Rokas has recently upgraded to Windows Server® 2003 and Windows® XP.
Benefits • Greater flexibility • More predictability in managing software • Doesn’t require a large initial investment
Organization C. Rokas SA
Software and Services Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Office System Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Windows Vista Business
“I cannot overstate the stability we are experiencing now that we have a completely new infrastructure, installed from scratch, and all under a single Microsoft license agreement.“
Manos Karavelis System/Network Engineer, C. Rokas SA
Microsoft Open Value Subscription Licensing Puts the Wind in Rokas’ Sails
Business Productivity Infrastructure Optimization Business Productivity infrastructure optimization helps streamline the management and control of content, data, and processes across all areas of your business. it helps simplify how people communicate and share expertise, helps make processes and content management more efficient, and helps improve the quality of business insight while enabling your it department to increase responsiveness, have a strategic impact on the business, and amplify the impact of your people.
Each optimization model includes specific technical capabilities that provide a comprehensive set of solutions to help advance a customer’s infrastructure and platform optimization levels. The Business Productivity Infrastructure optimization model includes five capabilities that are necessary to build a more agile, cost-effective it infrastructure.
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• Collaborative Workspaces & Portals • social Computing
• Performance management • reporting & Analysis • Conferencing • data Warehousing
• document & record management • Forms • Web Content management
Basic Standardized Rationalized Dynamic
sub-Capabilitiessu b-
Ca pa
bi lit
ie s
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Croatia-based Food Giant Reduces Telephony Costs by 50 Percent for International Calls
Based in Croatia, Podravka is a leading food and beverages company covering a large part of Europe. Because of tight margins, the company constantly seeks new business efficiencies. Recently, it has focused on reducing business travel and the cost of telephony, while improving the speed of decision making. With these goals in mind, Podravka deployed Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007 and Microsoft Office Communicator 2007 to create a low-cost IP telephony network that also delivers Web conferencing and presence awareness. The company expects to halve the costs of international calls and save up to HRK11 million (U.S.$2.1million) in the first five years from easier management. What’s more, executives will travel 20 percent less for meetings, choosing to book a Web conference instead of an airplane ticket. And by using presence, employees can communicate 20 percent quicker, accelerating decision-making.
Organization Profile Podravka, headquartered in Koprivnica, Croatia, produces a range of branded food and pharmaceutical products. It employs nearly 7,000 people, who are distributed across multiple locations.
Business Situation The company wanted to reduce telephony costs and increase the productivity of employees through real-time communication and collaboration IT services.
Solution Podravka deployed Microsoft® Office Communications Server 2007 and Mi- crosoft Office Communicator 2007, integrating the software with its Ericsson MD110 PBX using a Dialogic TIMG300DTI (DMG2030) Media Gateway.
Benefits • Telephony costs cut by 50 percent • Low-cost calls with good sound quality • Twenty percent less business travel • Twenty percent faster communication • Improved communication
Organization Podravka
Country Croatia
Software and Services Microsoft Active Directory Microsoft Office 2007 Microsoft Office Communications Server 2007 Microsoft Office Communicator 2007
Partner Polycom
“Because Office Communicator 2007 gives executives a cred- ible alternative to face-to-face meetings, we expect business travel to drop by 20 percent.“
Mario Vrhoci System Integration and Development Leader, Podravka
Russian Conglomerate Handles Deluge of Spam While Automating e-Mail Management
One of the largest privately held organizations in Russia, SOK Group encompasses more than 40 companies. It had a highly complex IT infrastructure and was using several manual processes to monitor traffic on its e-mail servers and to deploy new domains. The company decided to upgrade to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 (SP1) for its numerous capabilities for automated monitoring and reporting and for combating malicious software. The IT staff is now using new features within Exchange Server 2007 SP1 to create customized tools and reports and to extend protection against spam. Through integration with Microsoft Operations Manager 2005, the company has reduced calls to its help desk. With the new solution, the company is enjoying a more reliable e-mail infrastructure, greater security against malicious software attacks, and improved management of its server.
Organization Profile Based in Samara, Russia, with more than 50,000 employees, SOK Group includes enterprises in various industrial sectors, but focuses primarily on automobile manufacturing and road and bridge construction.
Business Situation The company needed a more reliable e-mail infrastructure, one that would improve remote access, eliminate malicious software, and let the IT staff develop custom-tracking applications.
Solution SOK Group upgraded to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edi- tion Service Pack 1 to manage and monitor its 60 e-mail domains located throughout Russia.
Benefits • Fewer mundane tasks for IT • Less downtime • Less malicious software • Easier remote access
Organization SOK Group
Software and Services Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Service Pack 1 Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Microsoft Outlook Web Access
“The most important feature for us was the antispam engine in Exchange Server 2007 SP1 because we get up to 100,000 spam e-mail messages a month.“
Petr Grachev CIO, SOK Group
Collection Agency Improves Customer Service with Integrated Software Solution
Mellon Collection Services, based in Athens, Greece, wanted to upgrade its IT environment and its aging debt collection software to improve operational efficiencies and customer service. It acquired new Microsoft® development tools for its IT staffers and productivity enhancing desktop software for its information workers using a Microsoft Open Value Volume Licensing agreement. Mellon anticipates increasing its customer engagements by 10 percent with its new Web-based collection services software—a flexible, customizable solution that integrates easily into clients’ workflows. Productivity among its information workers is already up 10 percent. Under the terms of its licensing agreement, Mellon has upgraded 50 percent of its personal computers to the 2007 Microsoft Office release and Windows Vista™ operating system—at no extra cost.
Organization Profile Mellon Collection Services provides debt management services to the financial, retail, and telecommunications sectors. The company, along with its subsidiaries, employs more than 500 people and has 400 desktop computers.
Business Situation Mellon needed to replace its aging, custom-built collection software with a customizable, secure, and reliable solution that would better integrate with clients’ workflows and business rules.
Solution Mellon rebuilt its solution using Microsoft® .NET technologies to create a workflow application that it can reuse for its clients. It also standardized on Microsoft desktop productivity tools.
Benefits • Cut license administration costs by 50% • Saved 50% on new software costs • Saved 20% on software upgrade costs • Anticipated 10% sales increase • Increased information worker productivity by 10%
Organization Mellon
Country Greece
Software and Services .NET Framework 3.0 Microsoft Access 2002 Microsoft ASP.NET Microsoft Internet Information Server Microsoft Office 2003 Microsoft Office 2007 Microsoft Office Excel 2007 Microsoft Office Project Professional 2007 Microsoft Office Visio 2003 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Terminal Services Microsoft Visual Basic 6.0 Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Windows Vista Enterprise Windows Workflow Foundation
“We used Software Assurance to upgrade half our PCs with the 2007 Microsoft Office system and Windows Vista. We saved 20 percent and used the newest software versions ahead of our competitors.“
Dr. Stephen Panayiotou Chief Information Officer, Mellon Collection Services
Czech Coal Producer Boosts Productivity and Mobile Access with New Messaging Solution
Mostecká uhelná a.s., or MUS, is a leading producer of brown coal in the Czech Republic. The company’s core business is the prospecting, mining, processing, and selling of brown coal. Employees at MUS used Novell GroupWise for messaging, but the company wanted a solution that offered stronger support for remote and mobile users. MUS decided to move away from GroupWise and switch to Microsoft® Exchange Server 2007, together with Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007 and Windows Mobile® 5.0 powered devices. With these products, MUS has a highly reliable messaging solution that is easier for the IT staff to manage than Novell GroupWise. Em- ployees find it far easier to schedule meetings with colleagues and mobile workers, and they now have the tools they need to stay in touch while away from the office.
Organization Profile Mostecká uhelná a.s., or MUS, is one of the major producers of brown coal in the Czech Republic.
Business Situation MUS, which was using Novell GroupWise as its messaging solution, wanted to offer employees higher quality service, especially in the area of mobile access to data.
Solution After testing Microsoft® Exchange Server 2003 with positive results, MUS decided to switch from its GroupWise solution and deploy Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 with Microsoft Office Outlook® 2007.
Benefits • Increased performance • Improved system administration • Increased user productivity • Improved remote and mobile access
Organization Mostecká uhelná a.s.
Software and Services Microsoft Active Directory Microsoft Exchange Server 2007 Microsoft Office Outlook 2007 Microsoft Outlook Web Access Microsoft Windows Server 2003 R2 Windows Mobile 5.0
Partner AutoCont CZ a.s.
“The existing infrastructure did not allow us to offer high quality services to our internal customers, mainly in the area of mobile access to information.“
Pavel Chyla Head of IT Strategy Management, Mostecká uhelná a.s.
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Project Management Solution Streamlines Processes and Improves Collaboration
As one of the fastest-growing retail companies in the Russian market, household appliance and electronics retailer M.VIDEO was finding it increasingly difficult to manage the opening of new stores and the development of information systems. It wanted to introduce a corporate standard for project management and approached Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Bogdanov and Partners to help optimize its processes. The company implemented the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management (EPM) Solution based on Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003. With standardized project management processes, M.VIDEO has enhanced collaboration across the business and dramatically improved its data collection and reporting processes. In addition, managers can allocate resources more effectively, while employees have a clearer understanding of their roles and responsibilities.
Organization Profile M.VIDEO is the second-largest retail chain in sales of household appliances and sales in Russia. It also currently has the highest growth rates, sales volume per store, and sales volume per employee.
Business Situation As the fastest-growing retail chain in the Russian market, M.VIDEO now opens up to six stores a month. The company wanted to introduce a corporate standard for project management.
Solution M.VIDEO worked with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Bogdanov and Partners to implement the Microsoft Office Enterprise Project Management Solution based on Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003.
Benefits • Enhanced collaboration. • Improved resource allocation. • Streamlined operations.
Organization MVideo
Country Russia
Partner Bogdanov and Partners
“Building a new store involves a whole series of formalized procedures and coordination of our different company departments. We used to open five to six stores every year. Now, we’re opening five to six a month. This is a huge burden, not just on our Retail Network Development Department, but on the company as a whole. This burden cannot be lightened without the use of a project management system.“
Sergei Ivanov Corporate Development Director, M.VIDEO
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Organization Akrapovic Exhaust System
Software and Services Exchange Server 2007 Enterprise Edition Microsoft Office Project 2007 Microsoft Office Project Server 2007 Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007 Microsoft Outlook Web Access
Partner Alarix
“By upgrading to Exchange Server 2007, we have dramatically improved support for our employees who work outside the office with mobile devices. They now have the reliability and data security they need.“
Aleš Tancer Chief Information Officer, Akrapovic Exhaust System
As a competitor in a demanding global market, manufacturer Akrapovic constantly looks for new ways to improve its operations and support more efficient working for employees. With the help of Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner Alarix, the company decided to implement a broad portfolio of Microsoft products. These included the 2007 Microsoft Office system, Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007, Microsoft Office Project Server 2007, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007. These products form a powerful system for increased personal productivity, information sharing, and employee collaboration. The organization now has the tools in place to support users and ensure it can maintain its market-leading position.
Organization Profile Akrapovic Exhaust System manufactures high-performance exhaust systems for four-stroke motorcycles and all-terrain vehicles. It is a global market leader.
Business Situation The company looked for a solution that would help it to increase individual productivity and improve messaging, collaboration, and group work.
Solution The company implemented a range of Microsoft® products, including Microsoft Office Outlook® Web Access, Microsoft Office SharePoint® Server 2007, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2007.
Benefits • Improved efficiency and messaging. • Familiar tools. • Central document management system. • Streamlined project management. • Foundation for the future.
Polkomtel Prioritizes Projects More Effectively with Project Management Solution
Polkomtel is a leading telecommunications company in Warsaw, Poland. At Polkomtel, project management is a vital part of its everyday business. The company implements several projects related to deploying new services for clients, developing business applications, and extending its infrastructure. Polkomtel uses Microsoft® Office Project Professional 2003 and Microsoft Office Project Server 2003, which help to improve project management at the operational level; however, the company needed a solution that provided easy consolidation of information for department managers and division directors. Polkomtel deployed Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server 2007 and plans to integrate the solution with its financial systems. As a result Polkomtel has gained greater objectivity in decision making, better project prioritization, and more-efficient resource use.
Organization Profile Polkomtel is a leader in the Polish telecommunications market. Headquartered in Warsaw, Polkomtel provides services to more than 12 million customers and employs almost 3,500 people.
Business Situation The Polkomtel IT department needed a project management system that consolidated information on progress status, resources, and budgets for a number of projects.
Solution Polkomtel became one of the first companies in Central and Eastern Europe to deploy Microsoft® Office Project Portfolio Server 2007, a comprehensive project portfolio tracking solution.
Benefits • Greater objectivity in decision making • Better prioritization of projects • More efficient use of resources
Organization Polkomtel
Country Poland
Industry Telecommunications
Software and Services Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Microsoft Office Project Portfolio Server Microsoft Office Project Professional 2003 Microsoft Office Project Server 2003
“By deploying Office Project Portfolio Server 2007, we obtained a simple, efficient measure of how much attention we should give to launching each project.“
Piotr Drozdzyk Management Systems Development Department Director, Polkomtel
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Slovakian Regional Assembly Cuts Costs with Efficient Document Management Solution
A regional assembly in Slovakia relied on manual data management and information distribution—producing documents of up to 500 pages per assembly member for a single meeting. Working with a Microsoft partner, it developed a document management system based on Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007. All legislative procedures are now automated. There has also been a reduction both in administrative costs and the assembly’s carbon footprint.
Organization Profile The Regional Assembly of the Košice Self-Governing Region serves more than 800,000 citizens in Slovakia. Its responsibilities include managing public services, as well as regional development and urban planning.
Business Situation Until 2007 the governing body struggled to manage the large amounts of paperwork involved in its administrative and legislative activities. This includes listing resolutions passed, registering legal regulations and mandatory statutes, scheduling the assembly session agenda, and sending invitations to assembly members.
Solution The assembly conducted an internal survey to identify its employees’ document management requirements. It concluded that the most suitable option for this system was Microsoft technologies, as staff were already familiar with the user interface through having worked on Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 previously.
Benefits The intranet portal and the Internet site went live in February 2007. The assembly went into session eight times during the year and efficiently passed several resolutions without having to manually produce any hard copies at all, compared to 500 pages per member previously.
Organization Košice Self-Governing Region
Partner Innovative Complex Original Solutions
“Microsoft technologies helped us build a far more sophisti- cated solution than we had first planned. It is a major step towards building e-governance in the Košice Self-Governing Region.“
Frantisek Kohanyi IT Manager for the Košice Self-Governing Region
Manufacturer Saves IT Costs with Integrated Environment and Volume Licensing
Greek industrial and marine automation systems manufacturer UTECO had a heterogeneous IT infrastructure. UTECO standardized on the Microsoft® server product portfolio, acquired with a Microsoft Open Value Volume Licensing agreement. Now the IT staffer saves time using automated software update management, and employees have a secure collaboration solution. UTECO used Software Assurance to upgrade to the 2007 Microsoft Office system at no extra cost.
Organization Profile Based in Piraeus, Greece, UTECO manufactures industrial and marine automation systems. UTECO employs 45 people and has 35 desktop computers.
Business Situation During the early years of this family-owned business, the company acquired hardware and software without an overarching strategic plan. The result was an aging, mixed IT environment that required more time and money to administer than it delivered in business value. By the time Michael Pallis arrived as IT Generalist in 2005, the company faced daily IT malfunctions.
Solution Pallis proposed to management that it create a homogeneous IT infrastructure based on the Microsoft® server product portfolio.
Benefits UTECO employees are taking advantage of the new portfolio of integrated Microsoft software and desktop products to reduce IT costs and improve productivity and collaboration across the enterprise.
Organization UTECO
Country Greece
Software and Services Microsoft Active Directory Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2006 Microsoft Office 2007 Microsoft Office SharePoint Portal Server 2003 Microsoft Office Small Business Edition 2003 Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Systems Management Server 2.0 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition Windows Vista Business
“We decided on Microsoft because of the quality of its products geared for midsized companies. As I’m the entire IT department, I need IT solutions that are reliable and easy to use.“
Michael Pallis IT Generalist, UTECO
Leading Russian Bank Strengthens Employee Corporate Identity with New Portal
VTB 24—a leading provider of banking services in Russia— has a rapidly growing workforce of more than 10,000 employees. The organization wanted to improve internal communications by implementing a centralized portal. With an intranet based on Microsoft® Office SharePoint® Server 2007, employees can now access and share personal and company information. Colleagues can build relationships more easily, and feel more connected with the organization.
Organization Profile VTB 24, part of the VTB Bank Group, is a leading provider of banking services throughout Russia. The organization offers a wide range of products—including mortgages, loans, credit cards, money transfers, and safe deposit boxes—to individuals, private business professionals, and small enterprise customers.
Business Situation Employees posted and accessed documents stored in shared folders on network drives and within Microsoft Office Outlook® 2003 messaging and collaboration client. But without a centralized area for communication, employees could not share information efficiently.
Solution The project team—consisting of a project manager from the PR team, members of the human resources team, and the IT department—drew up a specification to create an intranet portal. After investigating a number of potential technologies, it chose to implement Microsoft Office SharePoint Server 2007.
Benefits More than 10,000 employees at VTB 24 can now access a centralized portal from any of the organization’s business locations. Employees can view comprehensive details on company structure, read bank news, see what colleagues are writing in forums, and feel more connected with each other.
Organization VTB 24
Partner Actis Systems
“The portal—based on Office SharePoint Server 2007—builds relationships between colleagues, creates a stronger corporate culture, and, ultimately, leads to improved operational efficiency throughout the organization.“
Mikhail Galushko Head of the Internet Department, VTB 24
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Russia’s Baltika Breweries Links its ERP Databases using SQL Server 2008 Replication
Baltika Breweries, the largest producer of beer in Russia, has about 12,000 employees and 11 breweries. Its popular brands have been the market leader in Russia for more than a decade and are exported to 46 countries. The company coordinates enterprise resource planning (ERP) across its operations using an ERP solution created by Microsoft® Certified Partner Monolit-Info. To enhance management of several geographically dispersed ERP databases holding more than 2 terabytes of information, the company deployed them as a 6-node multi-server configuration. Baltika is upgrading to Microsoft SQL Server® 2008, from the earlier version, to take advantage of new features introduced in SQL Server 2008. Baltika’s lab testing demonstrated that SQL Server 2008 provides the efficient replication required for its operations, as well as reliability.
Organization Profile Based in St. Petersburg, Russia, Baltika Breweries is the country’s largest producer of beer. With 11 breweries and 12,000 employees, its brands are market leaders in Russia and exported to 46 countries.
Business Situation The company sought better integration of the databases hosting its Monolit-Info enterprise resource planning (ERP) application in geographically dispersed locations across Russia.
Solution After testing Microsoft® SQL Server® 2008, Baltika Breweries is upgrading its ERP database infrastructure to SQL Server 2008 running on the Windows Server® 2008 operating system.
Benefits • Efficient replication • Easier database management • Reliability • Ease of upgrade
Organization Baltika Breweries
Software and Services Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Windows Server 2008
Partners AMD Monolit-Info
“SQL Server 2008 replication proved to be very predictable and reliable in our testing. This helps us to create flexible and scalable replication solutions. Reliability must be at the foundation of all that we do.“
Sergey Elchinsky Leading System Engineer, Baltika Breweries
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Microsoft SQL Server 2008 improves supervision of 20,000 company cars
SECAR BOHEMIA operates automobile tracking systems, systems for monitoring vehicles, people and objects, and fleet management services including electronic drive logging. One of the products serving for monitoring called SHERLOG Trace is provided in collaboration with Telefónica O2 Czech Republic under the brand “O2 Car Control”. Users had been requesting new reporting and geographical data features, while Telefónica O2 required improvements in system reliability and availability. This is why SECAR BOHEMIA decided to evaluate a new Microsoft product: SQL Server 2008. The evaluation having been a success, the companies resolved to deploy Microsoft SQL Server 2008 in order to support the requested features in O2 Car Control and improve system stability and reliability.
Organization Profile SECAR BOHEMIA operates automobile tracking systems, company car monitoring systems, and electronic drive logging.
Business Situation Users requested new reporting and geographical data features, while Telefónica O2 required improved system reliability and availability.
Solution The pre-release version of Microsoft SQL Server 2008 has met all the requirements.
Benefits • New features for the CarControl service • Improved system stability and availability • New development opportunities for CarControl • Simplified data management • Users enjoy more friendly and streamlined CarControl experience
Organization SECAR BOHEMIA
Country Czech Republic
Software and Services Microsoft Office System Microsoft SQL Server 2008
Partner KAKTUS Software
“We are delighted to find that we can rely on Microsoft as a partner that enables the growth of our business, and that we made the correct decision to select their platform a few years ago.“
Petr Vacek Deputy Chairman, SECAR BOHEMIA
Croatia-Based Oil Firm Enhances Operations, Achieves 100 PerCent Accurate Retail Data
INA is a leading oil and gas provider in Croatia. Established in 1964, the company employs more than 15,000 people at its regional offices, and gas and retail stores. Until 2006, INA business and marketing teams relied on the sales data provided by gas and retail stores to manage stock and plan new marketing initiatives. However, the process for consolidating data was unreliable and employees frequently worked with inaccurate and outdated information. In June 2004, INA collaborated with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner IN2, to develop a service-orientated architecture. With the new solution, based on Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2006, marketing and business teams can access real-time data from the company’s systems and use this to effectively support business operations. The new, automated system has eliminated the seven days needed by the IT team to administer sales data.
Organization Profile Established in 1964, INA is a leading oil and gas provider in Croatia. The company employs more than 15,000 people and generates an annual turnover of U.S.$2.4 billion.
Business Situation Marketing and operational teams at INA received inconsistent business data from the company’s retail outlets and could not easily support routine operations.
Solution INA worked with Microsoft® Gold Certified Partner IN2 to implement a service-orientated architecture based on Microsoft BizTalk® Server 2006. The solution provides staff with reliable information.
Benefits • Data is up-to-date and accurate. • Business operations are improved. • IT team reduces support time.
Organization INA
Country Croatia
Industry Convenience and Gas
Software and Services Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition SAP on Microsoft Technologies
Partner IN2
“With Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006, our head office receives and distributes data between more than 500 gas and retail stores in just 15 minutes, rather than six hours.“
Zorislav Mihaljevic Advisor to the Retail Division Executive Director, INA
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Supermarket Chain Boosts Competitive Advantage with Efficient Development
Seventh Continent is a leading supermarket and hypermarket chain in Russia. The company differentiates itself from competitors by internally developing and deploying business applications that boost employee productivity and operational efficiency. As the company grew in size and complexity, it needed to update its development environment to support a more agile IT group. Seventh Continent teamed with Microsoft® Consulting Services and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Luxoft to deploy the Microsoft Visual Studio® Team System development system, including Microsoft Visual Studio Team System 2008 Team Foundation Server. The company used its development platform and Microsoft SQL Server® 2008 to enhance its existing warehouse and supply management system. Today, Seventh Continent has a more collaborative, measurable, and faster development process and scalable, secure business applications.
Organization Profile With a focus on quality products and customer convenience, Seventh Con- tinent has become one of Russia’s largest supermarket and hypermarket chains, with over 130 stores across the country.
Business Situation To support dynamic growth, Seventh Continent is constantly evolving its business solutions. But to keep the process agile and solutions reliable, the company needed a more mature development platform.
Solution The company deployed the Microsoft® Visual Studio® Team System development system and upgraded a business application using the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 and Microsoft SQL Server® 2008.
Benefits • Improved collaboration • Efficient development process • Scalable system
Organization Seventh Continent
Software and Services Microsoft .NET Framework Microsoft SQL Server 2008 Microsoft Visual Studio Team Foundation Server Microsoft Visual Studio Team System
Partner Luxoft
“With Visual Studio Team System, we’ve been able to increase the quality of our development process and enable more control and transparency—without incurring additional staffing costs.“
Alexander Zubenko Software and Information Director, Seventh Continent
Latvian Government Cuts Costs and Opens Up Public Sector Market with e-Procurement
The Republic of Latvia has one of the fastest growing econo- mies in the European Union (EU). Since regaining indepen- dence in 1991, Latvia has pursued a high-growth strategy in its economy. The government now wants to open up the country’s public sector marketplace to greater competition, and make it easier for companies to bid for government contracts. Against tight deadlines, Microsoft® Services and Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Rix Technologies delivered the first phase of a national e-procurement solution that will eventually connect more than 10,000 public sector bodies and suppliers subject to changes in the system. The government anticipates that the new system will bring great transparency, cut government costs, and create greater competition in the public sector market. It believes that the new e-procurement system (including an e-auction solution) will save at least €250,000 (U.S.$320,551) and create a turnover of about €6 million (U.S.$7,693,000) a year from 2007 onwards.
Organization Profile The Latvian Procurement Monitoring Bureau regulates all government procurement. From 2006, a new agency, the Electronic Procurement State Agency, will provide a single portal for all public sector buying.
Business Situation The Latvian Government wants to cut costs, introduce greater transparency, and open up public sector procurement.
Solution Microsoft® Services and Microsoft partner Rix Technologies have delivered the first phase of a national e-procurement solution. Eventually the Web services solution will connect more than 10,000 organizations.
Benefits • Within three weeks, the pilot system generated U.S.$0.350 millions in purchase requests • Cutting government’s internal costs of business • Greater competition in public sector market • Encourages more companies to enter government marketplace
Organization Latvian Procurement Monitoring Bureau
Country Latvia
Software and Services Software and Services Microsoft .NET Framework Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004 Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 Microsoft Internet Information Server Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Technology Centers Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Partner Rix Technologies
“Building the working solution was much faster and easier than we expected. The rich feature set of Commerce Server took months out of the application development process.“
Aris Arins Development Manager, Rix Technologies
Power Systems Research Implements a Web-Based Data Portal Built on Microsoft Software
Power Systems Research is the authoritative source of market information and business intelligence for the power products and drivetrain industry. Each year it completes over 20,000 telephone and onsite interviews with engine manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and components suppliers. This information is managed in market databases. Previously, the firm distributed the information on computer diskettes, which resulted in highly ineffective maintenance and shipping procedures. Also, database content had to be manually updated by users. Implementing a unified Web- based portal solution, built with Microsoft® .NET Framework using Microsoft SQL Server™ Reporting Services, Internet Information Services, and other Microsoft technologies, has allowed the firm to effectively manage its market data internally and distribute data to customers worldwide on a real-time basis.
Organization Profile Power Systems Research is a global market research and consulting company specializing in the engine, original equipment, and components industries, with offices in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
Business Situation The firm needed to alter its database system to better suit customers and improve internal operations. It required an internal data management structure to quickly and easily update its market data.
Solution The firm deployed an online database system that effectively combines a client database and an internal data management tool using Microsoft® technologies.
Benefits • Comprehensive Web-based portal • Improved reporting services • Improved information quality • Improved archive data history • Lowered TCO and other costs
Organization Power Systems Research
Software and Services Feature: Reporting Services Internet Information Services Microsoft .NET Framework Microsoft ASP.NET Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
Partner ELEKS Software
“This solution was implemented using a standard ‘Web browser/ Internet Information Services/ Reporting Services/SQL Server’ chain and thus can be easily deployed over the Internet.“
Yevhen Zasoba Support Engineer, ELEKS Software
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Motor Manufacturer Enhances Operations and Optimizes Data Management with Solution
With revenue close to €4 billion (U.S.$5 billion) in 2004 and more than 5,000 employees, Audi Hungaria Motor is Hungary’s largest exporter. The company manufactures engines for the Volkswagen Audi Group. The vast quantity of data that the company handles is received through diverse protocols in a variety of formats, thus preventing direct analysis. To collect and standardize this data, the company needed a powerful and robust solution that could be easily config- ured and extended. Audi Hungaria chose Microsoft® BizTalk® Server 2004 to collate the data and Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 to analyze and store it. In doing so, the company gave its employees the means to better exploit the potential of production data and optimize the development process. This immediately reduced costs, while reinforcing product integrity and enhancing customer relationships.
Organization Profile Audi Hungaria Motor was established in 1993 to produce engines for the Volkswagen Audi Group. The division produced 1.69 million engines in 2005.
Business Situation Audi Hungaria Motor produces large volumes of data during the engine manufacturing process. The company needed a powerful and robust solution to collect, standardize, and store this data.
Solution The company introduced Microsoft® BizTalk® Server 2004 to harvest and standardize the data before storing it in Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000. Both run on Windows Server® 2003.
Benefits • Improved operational efficiency. • Enhanced fault detection. • Ability to handle large quantities of data reliably. • Flexible and versatile infrastructure.
Organization Audi Hungaria Motor
Software and Services Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004 Microsoft SQL Server 2000 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Standard Edition
“Our solution, based on the BizTalk Server, has a direct influence on the quality of our products and the increase in customer satisfaction.“
András Györi IT Manager, Audi Hungaria Motor
Czech Portal Handles 10 Million Online Forms and Frees Officials from Paper Systems
The Ministry of Informatics in the Czech Republic wanted to create a single solution for individuals and organizations to conduct online transactions with government ministries and public-sector agencies. It also decided to create a clearly defined interoperability standard for local software developers to write their own applications for direct communication with the eGovernment Gateway, called the Portal of Public Administration (PPA). Working with Microsoft® Services, the ministry based the solution on the United Kingdom’s Government Gateway, which uses open standard Microsoft technology. The project has made a major contribution to the development of e-government in the Czech Republic in just three years. By July 2006, 50,000 users had registered with the gateway and 800,000 online submissions had been made, representing a total of almost 10 million electronic forms.
Organization Profile The Czech Republic’s Ministry of Informatics was set up in 2003 as the central organization responsible for information and communications technology, telecommunications, and postal services.
Business Situation The ministry wanted a single solution for citizens to conduct e-government transactions instead of using multiple user names and passwords.
Solution The Czech Republic deployed a solution for filing documents electronically. The solution is based on the U.K. Government Gateway, which uses open standard Microsoft technology.
Benefits • Reduction in volume of paper forms. • Standard interface for e-government. • Ensures one-stop service. • Offers round-the-clock service. • Stimulates local IT developers.
Organization Ministry of Informatics
Software and Services Microsoft BizTalk Server 2002 Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Microsoft Commerce Server 2002 Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server 2004 Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Microsoft SQL Server 2005
“From January 16, 2006, to the end of July 2006, the gateway processed and submitted 396,869 electronic transactions, compared with 394,849 transactions in the whole of 2005. These figures show the use of the gateway for submitting documents is gaining in popularity.”
Jindrich Kolár Head of eGovernment, Ministry of Informatics of the Czech Republic
Telecommunications Company Employees Improve Service with New Customer Care System
T-Com is a leading provider of Internet, telephony, and IP services to customers throughout Croatia. Its customer contact center is the largest of its kind in Croatia, and employees field hundreds of customer enquiries every day. Until recently, each request involved accessing as many as 10 different applications to get the information required for customers. T-Com worked with Microsoft® Services to implement the Microsoft Customer Care Framework, which integrated all of its applications into an easy-to-use agent desktop application.
Organization Profile T-Com is a division of Germany’s Deutsche Telecom. It delivers DSL Internet access and telephone and IP services to more than 1.5 million customers.
Business Situation A complex network of applications, required to provision new and existing services, was causing delays in customer service.
Solution T-Com implemented the Microsoft® C.ustomer Care Framework to integrate its different line of business applications into an easy-to-navigate customer care desktop application.
Benefits • Customer requests addressed quickly. • Errors reduced through single data entry. • Contact center agents able to provide personalized services. • Reduction in staff training time.
Organization T-Com
Country Croatia
Industry Telecommunications
Software and Services Microsoft BizTalk Server 2006 Microsoft Office Communications Server Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition
“It is much easier for employees to retrieve information from the system to help customers, and they now have more time to complete other tasks.“
Davor Maric Assistant Director for Customer Care Services, T-Com
Coal Company Reduces Operational Costs with Centralized Network Management
Yuzhkuzbasugol is one of Russia’s largest coal mining companies, supplying coking coal to the leading steel and by-product coke plants in Russia and the CIS. The stability and management of its business operations rely on the security and performance of its IT infrastructure. With more than 1,500 desktops spanning multiple teams and departments, Yuzhkuzbasugol’s network required significant effort by employees and created a large financial overhead for the company.
Organization Profile Yuzhkuzbasugol is one of Russia’s largest coal mining companies. It is based in Kemerovskaya oblast.
Business Situation Yuzhkuzbasugol wanted to improve workflow processes for all of its employees by centralizing its IT infrastructure. The company needed to reduce its IT overheads while standardizing more than 1,500 workstations.
Solution The company piloted the Microsoft® Business Desktop Deployment Enterprise Edition, a cost-effective solution allowing Yuzhkuzbasugol to consolidate its current software investments while standardizing desktop applications across company.
Benefits • Centralized network management. • Optimized IT expenditure. • Remote management of desktops. • Increased IT services. • Better security.
Organization Yuzhkuzbasugol
Country Russia
Software and Services Microsoft BizTalk Server 2004 Microsoft Office 2003 Microsoft Operations Manager (MOM) 2005 Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Microsoft Systems Management Server 2003 Microsoft Windows SharePoint Services Microsoft Windows XP Professional
Partner Softline Consulting Services
“Softline Consulting Services helped us to implement our system with minimal costs. Our pilot allowed us to assess the usability of our new system and design the configuration to meet the requirements of our company. We’re now using System Management Server 2003 as the basis for using the Microsoft Business Desktop Deployment Enterprise Edition throughout the entire company.“
Vladimir Afanasiev Head of system support division, Yuzhkuzbasugol
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Business Applications
sales, marketing, Customer service & Finance: effective business management software (erP and Crm) is key to timely and insightful business decisions.
Are you looking to build more profitable relationships with your customers and culti- vate a high-performing, agile customer focused organization? We offer technology that enables your company to access and share information and insight, whether in the office, on the road, or across the globe. Microsoft offers customer relationship management, collaboration, business intelligence, communication, and productivity software that empower sales, service and marketing teams to be able to quickly and accurately access and share information internally or with customers, regardless of network or geographic boundaries, and increase individual and team productivity.
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Additionally are you looking for ways to help people throughout your organization make informed strategic decisions and ensure compliance with changing external regulations and internal policies? Microsoft finance and performance management applications break down the barriers between finance and the rest of the organization by making financial and performance data usable for more business users.
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Hungarian Application Services Provider Improves Customer Service with CRM Solution
Adverticum Zrt, based in Hungary, is an application service provider (ASP), developing software and providing online content services for clients across the country. The company also has a printed media division that publishes and distributes IT-related publications on subscription. Adverticum Zrt was established in 2000 by merging media group Prim Media with content management and traffic-boosting online services from Adverticum.
Organization Profile Adverticum Zrt., founded in 2000, is a Hungarian publisher and application services provider (ASP). It specializes in content and hosting tools and produces IT guidance publications.
Business Situation The company needed a central, reliable system to manage customer information so that it could respond faster to client queries and better serve its customers’ needs.
Solution Adverticum implemented Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 Small Business Edition running on Windows Small Business Server 2003.
Benefits • Improved customer service. • IT employees have more time. • Clearer cross-selling opportunities.
Organization Adverticum
Country Hungary
Software and Services Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003
Partner KerSoft
“Microsoft CRM is a proven, easy-to-deploy, highly scalable, and user-friendly solution.“
Ferenc Szutor Sales Director, Adverticum
Russian Business Network Strengthens Customer Relationships with Management
The American Chamber of Commerce (AmCham) in Russia provides market information and events for 800 companies. Since 1994, it has grown more than 600 percent. To provide clients with the best possible service, AmCham decided to invest in a customer relationship management (CRM) system based on Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0. Now employees have faster access to automated business information and have more time to develop customer relationships.
Organization Profile The American Chamber of Commerce in Russia is the country’s largest foreign business organization. It represents more than 800 American firms from offices in Moscow and St. Petersburg.
Business Situation AmCham provides advice, information, and analysis on priority issues among its client companies. These include membership to the World Trade Organization, regulation of direct foreign investment, financial sector reform, and corporate governance. In addition, it organizes targeted networking and business development opportunities such as conferences, seminars, roundtables, and sporting events. Members can also advertize in the company’s magazine, AmCham News, and on its website.
Solution After evaluating several products on the market, Microsoft Dynamics™ CRM 3.0 from Microsoft Gold Certified Partner Softline Solutions stood out as the best fit for AmCham. This decision was based on ease of integration with the company’s existing systems and a good predicted return on investment (ROI).
Benefits AmCham now has a consolidated system for its marketing and communication, finance, and policy information. Since deploying Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0, employees work more efficiently with reliable customer data that they can share easily. With access to client details in real time, they can respond to customer requests, and provide targeted information, faster.
Organization American Chamber of Commerce in Russia
Country Russia
Industry Government - National / Federal
Software and Services Microsoft Dynamics CRM 3.0 Microsoft Office Outlook 2003 Microsoft SQL Server 2000
Partner Softline Solutions
“With better insight into current activities, together with improved contact and client management, we can address more potential customers and strengthen our existing relationships.“
Irina Zerniva Vice President of Operations, AmCham
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Employees at Lock Systems Maker Save Five Hours Each Month with Integrated Solution
Employees at ASSA ABLOY rely on state-of-the-art technology to help turn their innovative ideas and planning into workable lock solutions. But manufacturing more than 5,000 different products involves many complex processes. Workers need to manage systems in a way that ensures all customers receive their orders in the right place and at the right time.
Organization Profile The Romanian subsidiary of Sweden-based company ASSA ABLOY produces a variety of lock systems that can be found in private homes and businesses.
Business Situation In early 2003, ASSA ABLOY Romania deployed Epicor solution iScala to manage its logistics, planning, and stock purchasing. A separate application handles production requirements. But with no integration between the two systems, personnel found the workflow difficult to manage. Few user licenses for iScala also made it expensive to run, and support costs were increasing.
Solution Management employees researched the market for solutions that would best meet the company’s business needs. They chose Microsoft Dynamics AX 3.0 and procured the business management software through the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement.
Benefits Employees

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