×
Hear how this end user‘s inventory system improved its performance, eliminated downtime, and implemented a DR plan.
The end user's global inventory system was run on VAX hardware that was getting old. This made many aspects difficult, like running the system, backing it up, and modernizing it.
ASA Computers supplied the x86 hardware with embedded Charon software. With PARSEC's assistance, they migrated the system using a lift-and-shift approach.
For over 162 years, the end user has designed and supplied machines, process equipment, and production lines for the world’s largest industrial players. Operating with 250 employees, they serve various sectors such as aerospace, agriculture, automotives, construction, job shops, mining, oil and gas, power generation, rail, and wind.
The end user’s entire global inventory system was on a customized operating system, which ran on a VAX server. The inventory system tracked the entire supply chain and was integral to operations and productivity. However, due to the system’s age, Becky A., supervisor of Production Control and Logistics, encountered several issues with the VAX and had increasing concerns about the system.
While the operating system software and applications were stable, finding parts to keep the VAX hardware running was becoming difficult. There was also an ongoing lack of support which led to issues in backing up the system.
The aging server also hindered the modernization of the IT infrastructure by taking advantage of new technologies.
Migrating their current system to a different operating system distribution, which could run on modern x86 architecture, would require major disruption and a full rewrite of their proprietary application: an unrealistic and costly option because of the source code being lost over the years. Stromasys’ partner, PARSEC Group, currently supports the OpenVMS environment for the end user and shared a few recommendations on how they could more efficiently mitigate their aging hardware risk of potential unplanned downtime. PARSEC suggested emulation as it allows for a “lift and shift” solution which would move the essential operating system and layered application off the risky VAX server without major changes to their applications or business processes. In addition, the end user would be on a path for IT modernization of the legacy application on a much safer platform and at a time of their choosing.
Another Stromasys partner, ASA Computers, Inc., supplied the x86 hardware with embedded Charon software, efficiently furnishing the foundation of the solution. The partners worked closely with the Stromasys engineering team for the installation and configuration of the solution in the end user’s environment, expertly troubleshooting a few networking issues. In the end, PARSEC Group lifted and shifted the layered solution: their version-locked operating system and application running on the embedded Charon and the modern x86 ASA server running on top of a Linux host OS.
Finally, with the essential operating system migrated away from the VAX, Becky found that she had a solid working system for the inventory operations.
With better performance, “getting parts to the floor is faster and assemblies have increased their productivity as well.” Better still, Becky found that unplanned downtime was no longer a concern, and she had a solid working and reliable system for the inventory operations. With modernization, she is also able to implement an efficient disaster recovery solution, which was not feasible before the migration.
