Challenge
Design and implement the world’s most advanced tariff and shipping rate retrieval system for an international customer community. Allow users to search a 40 GB database of nearly 5000 tariffs with a guaranteed average response time of under 10 seconds. Support up to 500 simultaneous users while concurrently loading up to 100 MB of new tariff data daily (without adversely impacting performance). Provide customer access on a 24×7 basis via dial-up, leased line and the Internet. Reduce operational expenses by 75% as compared with the customer’s previous generation system running on an IBM 3090 mainframe.
Solution
We used a 3-tier client/server approach to deliver a system with both OLTP and DSS capabilities. We wrote a user-friendly GUI in Visual BASIC, which communicates with a multi-threading gateway program (developed in Microsoft Visual C++) via TCP/IP protocol and Microsoft Open Data Services. The gateway application verifies security, creates billing and audit records for each transaction and routes user queries to one of several MS-SQL Server databases running on Windows NT.
The team implemented a multi-platform host system on DEC Alpha and Intel processors with RAID-5 storage. Load balancing and performance is achieved through a custom designed clustering scheme and system tuning. We used Microsoft Replication Services to update remote database servers.
Our project manager worked on the customer’s behalf to negotiate contracts with CompuServe for global dial-up access and MCI for Internet and dedicated frame relay connectivity. We managed an extensive quality assurance program using automated test tools like SQA Robot and designed an automated pager notification application to alert the operations staff of any system problems around the clock. To ensure ongoing user satisfaction, we implemented a company-wide problem tracking system for our client and provided technical training for their help desk staff.
To increase user convenience and expedite release delivery, we implemented a web site (including firewall) to deliver product marketing information and allow users to download software on demand via FTP. We also used Internet Information Server in conjunction with CGI and IDC applications to integrate system management and reporting with the customer’s corporate Intranet.
The cyberThink Advantage
Our industry experts (project manager, system architect, client/server developers, database designer and data communications specialist) delivered this best in class system in 12 months and for less than $3 million – one third the development time and one quarter the cost of the system that it replaced. We provided a complete solution encompassing requirements, design/development, quality assurance, vendor management and hardware deployment. Our customer was able to keep its focus on the business aspects. As a result, our client’s customer base increased by over 350 percent.