Mission Critical Applications running on SQL Server
In choosing a platform for running Mission Critical applications, IT Managers, Architects and CIOs need to ensure that the platform is trustworthy and can provide the reliability, availability, security, and performance needed to meet the service level agreements that these type of applications demand. Below is a summary of some recent examples of organizations using SQL Server as the data platform for their Mission Critical applications. Click on the links to access more detailed accounts of these customer case studies.
Visa wanted a new payments service for small online purchases. “We saw an opportunity in the ever-rising number of small-value digital transactions online,” says Greg Storey, General Manager of payclick by Visa, a subsidiary that Visa formed in 2010 to take advantage of this opportunity in Australia. The company worked with the Microsoft Services Solutions Development Centre in Sydney to develop and deploy payclick by Visa. Using an agile development process, Visa and the SDC incorporated frequently changing requirements without delaying delivery. Visa is pleased with the reliability of the new payclick solution. “Since payclick went live in June 2010, we’ve had no serious issues or problems,” says Storey. “The SDC provided us just what we asked for: a stable, reliable application that meets the needs of both merchants and consumers.”
Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation
The Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) developed a powerful analytic tool to provide instant access to billions of lottery transactions dating back to 1999. Dubbed the Data Analytic and Retrieval Technology (DART), OLG developed the solution in six months for about CAN$1.1 million (U.S.$1.15 million) with Microsoft and HP supporting technologies—a sharp contrast to the three-to-five years and more than $10 million needed with other BI solutions evaluated by OLG. Searches that used to take weeks can now be done in seconds. With the DART tool, OLG can identify play patterns to confirm legitimate winners and identify potentially fraudulent behavior and claims. DART builds on other OLG antifraud and player protection initiatives, delivering on the organization’s pledge to better inform and protect those who play its games and lotteries.
Generali USA Life Reassurance Company
Generali USA Life Reassurance Company ran its mission-critical applications and data on an IBM OS/390 mainframe that was increasingly difficult to update, use, and rely on. The company evaluated several database options: DB2 on a contemporary mainframe, Linux, UNIX, and Windows; Oracle; and Microsoft SQL Server. All provided mission-critical reliability and scalability, but SQL Server provided the lowest total cost of ownership. Generali USA then rewrote its applications and migrated its data to SQL Server. The results: The company expects to save U.S.$2.7 million a year; it now has both more choice and more control over mission-critical systems; and the democratization of data gives business users more and faster information for better risk analysis and pricing. The company envisions extending data access to its customers, helping to enhance customer relationships and increase revenues.
What about SQL Server 2012?
All of the case studies referred to above relate to companies deploying SQL Server 2008 and SQL Server 2008 R2. What about SQL Server 2012? We are pleased to say that several case studies are being prepared on some of the early adopters of SQL Server 2012 – so check here in the next few weeks to see the first examples of customers already using SQL Server 2012.
Learn more about SQL Server 2012 at: www.microsoft.com/sqlserver
