Just a couple of kilometers from Frankfurt, in Kelsterbach, Lufthansa Systems operates one of the largest and most-cutting-edge data center in Europe. Several hundred computer experts coordinate dataflows in the control room, a high-security stronghold - 24 hours and 365 days a year.
In the Enterprise Operation Center EOC a large amount of firewalls guards precious data and processes.
Every day for example thousands of passengers checking in make a virtual detour past Kelsterbach. Booking, takeoff and landing, in short, the big electronic picture, can be accessed as a global nanosecond phenomenon that largely regulates itself in processes that surpass the capacity of the human brain many times over.
Every second, billions of pieces of information whiz down the data highways, arrive via satellite, fiber optic cable or point-to-point radio and leave again as fast as they came.
All this competence is naturally in demand. Lufthansa Systems passes it on, providing more than one hundred and twenty airlines with systems for check-in processes and flight schedule calculation, and counting some eighty companies from other branches of industry, commerce and the financial sector among its customers.
Data center - special features
- Centralized and comprehensive storage and back-up management for all system platforms and customer environments using storage area network (SAN) technology
- High data security ensured by a sophisticated "house in house" security concept: The four computer sectors form two sector pairs; the two sectors of each pair are connected with each other based on the back-up principle ("four data centers in one").
- Data is protected by special data safes
Platforms and applications used
- IBM hosts with a computing power of 7,500 MIPS in a variety of computer environments for business applications
- Unisys hosts with a computing power of 3,000 MIPS on 14 partitions for reservation and departure control applications
- 1,500 UNIX or Intel server systems in a client/server environment for SAP R/3, CRM, flight operations, revenue management and for other distributed applications in a wide variety of customer environments
Competencies
- SAP R/3 systems which are operated on different system platforms for customers both within and outside of the airline and aviation industry
- SAP R/3 competence center, database management (e.g. Oracle, UDB) and middleware (e.g. BEA, Tuxedo, WebLogic, Orbix)
- Comprehensive portfolio of services: from designing individual systems and application landscapes to carrying out complete outsourcing projects
- IT project realization so that customer business processes are optimally supported by IT solutions, resulting in improved competitiveness
- Successful transfer of the technological leadership in the airline and aviation industry to other industry sectors
