April 25, 2006
By transferring its Wide Area Network, Süddeutscher Verlag GmbH will lower operating costs for its IT environment
Since April, Lufthansa Systems has operated the WAN service (Wide Area Network) for the Süddeutscher Verlag media group, which enables offices and users throughout Germany to remain connected to the Süddeutscher Verlag head office in Munich. Lufthansa Systems is thus ensuring a continual exchange of information within the media group and has established a basis for the production of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and other regional newspapers, electronic media, professional information, free papers, and services in the field of logistics, for example.
By outsourcing its WAN management, the media group will achieve a sustainable reduction of its IT operating costs. The media group also benefits from a technical and operational perspective as the operation of a worldwide WAN for the exchange of information between distributed computers over long distances offers more advantages than maintaining point-topoint connections and sub-networks within established structures. Synergies will arise through the IT services from Lufthansa Systems which are already being used such as the management of central publishing applications in the Lufthansa Systems data center in Munich. WAN and IT services are now being offered from a single source, enabling the media group to save money on hardware and provider services. Managing different service providers will also be easier.
“Our services guarantee the highest degree of availability, security and longevity. While we ensure the smooth operation of the IT network, the Süddeutscher Verlag media group can concentrate on its core competencies,“ explained Stefan Hansen, Senior Vice President Infrastructure Services at Lufthansa Systems.
Digital newspaper production processes are extremely time-critical. Powerful, reliable, fullcoverage connections must be guaranteed between all sites at all times in order to meet increasingly tight deadlines. This is the only way to ensure that production goes according to plan and daily newspapers appear on time. “In choosing Lufthansa Systems, we are confirming our strategy of securing external management for our IT infrastructures. Lufthansa Systems impressed us with its flexibility, technical knowledge and by offering good value for money. We look forward to expanded cooperation in the future,“ said Dr. Harald Arker, CIO of the Süddeutscher Verlag media group.
The new contract with the Süddeutscher Verlag group is another step in Lufthansa Systems’ strategy of growth in the field of media. Lufthansa Systems continually orients itself on the industry’s need to outsource its IT services. The customer-oriented design and implementation of IT infrastructures and the high-quality services that are offered can lower costs for customers and increase the security and availability of their IT systems.
Note to editors:
Süddeutscher Verlag is one of the leading German media companies. It evolved from the publishing house of Süddeutsche Zeitung newspaper, which was established in 1945. Today, Süddeutscher Verlag operates in a number of business areas including newspapers (Süddeutsche Zeitung, regional newspaper group Hof/Coburg/Suhl), technical publications (magazine and book publishers), printing houses and electronic media (Internet, TV and radio). In 2004, the media group recorded sales of EUR 664.8 million and had 4,283 employees on average.
Lufthansa Systems is one of the leading IT service providers for the airline and aviation industries worldwide. As systems integrator, the wholly-owned subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group covers the entire range of IT services, including consulting, development, implementation and operation. Lufthansa Systems provides its IT infrastructure and operations services to a variety of industries. Headquartered in Kelsterbach near Frankfurt/Main, Germany, the company has branches in Germany and 17 countries and employs about 4,550 people worldwide. In business year 2005, Lufthansa Systems recorded sales of EUR 635 million.
For further information, please contact:
Lufthansa Systems AG
Sandra Hammer
Corporate Communications
Tel.: +49 (0)69 696 90776
Fax: +49 (0)69 696 90777
E-mail: publicrelations@LHsystems.com