Actian Case Studies Actian Ingres Database Powers Global Circulation for Askews Library Services

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	Actian Ingres Database Powers Global Circulation for Askews Library Services Actian

Actian Ingres Database Powers Global Circulation for Askews Library Services

Actian

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage
Applicable Industries	Education
Applicable Functions	Procurement
Use Cases	Inventory Management Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Data Science Services System Integration
Challenge	Askews Library Systems provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The libraries market within which Askews provides these services has become increasingly sensitive in recent years as economic pressures cap and in some cases depress spending. Four other companies compete with Askews in the £90m-a-year UK market, where contracts are awarded by competitive tender. Over the past decade, these pressures led the 130-yearold Askews to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide. In addition, the company undertook the development of a bespoke e-procurement system. Read More
About Customer	Askews Library Services is a company that provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The company operates in a highly competitive, low-margin market, handling more than three million books for thousands of customers worldwide each year. To succeed, Askews has to give each library exactly what they want, the way they want it. Over the past decade, economic pressures have led the company to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide. Read More
Solution	In building a system to provide individualized service to its global customer base, the Askews database team faced a task of significant complexity. Different libraries have different requirements that Askews needs to remember and apply to each of the books they prepare for delivery. There is no standard approach. As Askews works to meet the diverse requirements of each individual customer while supporting a growing volume of business worldwide, Ingres has scaled seamlessly through several versions without the need for major intervention. The latest upgrade came just before Christmas in 2006, when the hardware was upgraded to Sun x86 platforms, the operating system to Solaris 10, and the database moved to Ingres Database – all without drama. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Database Management & Storage

Applicable Industries

Education

Applicable Functions

Procurement

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Data Science Services

System Integration

Challenge

Askews Library Systems provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The libraries market within which Askews provides these services has become increasingly sensitive in recent years as economic pressures cap and in some cases depress spending. Four other companies compete with Askews in the £90m-a-year UK market, where contracts are awarded by competitive tender. Over the past decade, these pressures led the 130-yearold Askews to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide. In addition, the company undertook the development of a bespoke e-procurement system.

About Customer

Askews Library Services is a company that provides libraries around the world with complete services including selection support, buying, cataloguing, physical preparation for lending, promotional support, and management reporting. The company operates in a highly competitive, low-margin market, handling more than three million books for thousands of customers worldwide each year. To succeed, Askews has to give each library exactly what they want, the way they want it. Over the past decade, economic pressures have led the company to embrace state-of-the-art technology and process automation, including using the Web to market globally and Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) to serve customers world-wide.

Solution

In building a system to provide individualized service to its global customer base, the Askews database team faced a task of significant complexity. Different libraries have different requirements that Askews needs to remember and apply to each of the books they prepare for delivery. There is no standard approach. As Askews works to meet the diverse requirements of each individual customer while supporting a growing volume of business worldwide, Ingres has scaled seamlessly through several versions without the need for major intervention. The latest upgrade came just before Christmas in 2006, when the hardware was upgraded to Sun x86 platforms, the operating system to Solaris 10, and the database moved to Ingres Database – all without drama.

Impact #1	Increased customer use of low-cost electronic channels
Impact #2	Flexible, efficient order fulfillment
Impact #3	Ease of maintenance

Impact #1

Increased customer use of low-cost electronic channels

Impact #2

Flexible, efficient order fulfillment

Impact #3

Ease of maintenance

Benefit #1	80 to 90 percent of orders are now placed electronically
Benefit #2	The database holds the details of some four million titles, 900,000 of which are currently in print

Benefit #1

80 to 90 percent of orders are now placed electronically

Benefit #2

The database holds the details of some four million titles, 900,000 of which are currently in print

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Overview

Actian Ingres Database Powers Global Circulation for Askews Library Services

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit