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  7. Case Study: Automotive Supplier FACIL Drives Competitive Advantage with MIMIX dr1

Case Study: Automotive Supplier FACIL Drives Competitive Advantage with MIMIX dr1

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Oakbrook Terrace, IL, November 9, 2004 – Supplying Ford Europe, the European arm of the world’s second–largest automaker, with 2.1-3.5 million screws and clip fastenings each day presents a daunting challenge for Belgium-based FACIL & Cie G.C.V. By deploying Lakeview Technology’s MIMIX dr1™ data recovery solution, FACIL minimizes data loss and business interruptions and complements their tape backup system. FACIL easily backs up small to very large files with 30 million records without downtime, which means Ford continues rolling 7,000 autos through three manufacturing plants each day without a hitch.Ford’s assembly lines operate non-stop day and night, and it is obviously vital the production line does not grind to a halt due to the late delivery of a certain component – and certainly not because of a small fastener. Delivery schedules and information could be impaired by time-consuming backups and downtime could pose a threat to meeting daily business demands. Fast turnaround means two hours for Ford Europe. That requires a constant, uninterrupted replenishing of the 2,500 different fasteners Ford needs. The automaker requires its suppliers to adhere to strict rules of operation, including the ability to protect and recover data for all RF scanned inbound and outbound supplies. “To give such an assurance to Ford is a critical element in our relationship,” said Danny Steukers, IT manager at FACIL. This is why Steukers and his team acquired Lakeview’s MIMIX dr1.With help from Real Software, Lakeview’s Antwerp, Belgium-based business partner, FACIL realized they needed to minimize or eliminate data loss and achieve zero business interruptions.After consulting with Lakeview and Real Software, FACIL determined in order to meet its business needs they would deploy MIMIX dr1, which offered the reliability and speed of disk backups without the cost of a fully redundant system. Before MIMIX dr1, the company performed backups of all data and configurations every weekend. It took hours and put an entire week’s data at risk. MIMIX dr1 now captures multiple recovery points to disk every half-hour during each day. Recovery data is more current and MIMIX dr1 creates the backups while active without disrupting FACIL’s operations. Steukers also said since MIMIX dr1 does not require journaling, it does not increase the complexity of the iSeries environment or require additional resources. “There was not the slightest hesitation to go for MIMIX dr1,” he said. “It is the perfect entry-level solution toward a larger disaster recovery strategy within the firm.” The end result: backups are done on the backup server rather than the production machine, which eliminates planned downtime and enables more overall power and performance on the IBM workhorse. MIMIX dr1 has now become a core part of FACIL’s IT infrastructure. And it provides competitive advantages in marketing situations, helping FACIL secure new clients.For more information about Lakeview’s MIMIX dr1, go to www.MIMIX.com.

About Lakeview Technology Inc.

Lakeview Technology is a leader in infrastructure software and services, specializing in High Availability, Disaster Recovery, Clustering and Data Replication. Lakeview's solutions enhance the customer's information enterprise by making business information highly available and accessible to decision-makers. By supporting any application in OS/400, Windows, UNIX and Linux operating environments, Lakeview offers customers a single vendor of choice who can simplify the complexity of the IT infrastructure and deliver high ROI within 12 months. Companies around the world have trusted their information to Lakeview Technology's MIMIX solutions for over a decade. Customers range from Fortune 100 to medium and small businesses across all industries.Headquartered near Chicago, Illinois, Lakeview serves customers from offices in the U.S., Europe and Asia and through an extensive partner network. For more information, please visit www.lakeviewtech.com
or call 630-282-8100.

About FACIL & Cie G.C.V.

FACIL is a strategic alliance between two fastening experts – the German group KAMAX, specialists in bolts and screws, and the French group A. RAYMOND, specialists in clip fasteners. For a number of years, the two groups have been among Ford’s most important providers in the field of fasteners. Their activities are not in competition but are totally complementary: screw and clip fastenings represent about 60 percent of the types of fasteners used by the car industry.The main objective of FACIL is to lend technical expertise in the general field of car fasteners and the modules that it comprises. For the development of the new models for the different OEM’s, FACIL first conducts analyses and offers solutions, enabling the overall cost of the fasteners in terms of cost/product and cost/processing to be simplified, standardized and reduced. In the field of fasteners, the product represents 20 percent of the cost while the processing represents 80 percent. To learn more, visit www.facil.biz.

About Real Software Group

Real Software was established in 1986. In 2003, a group turnover of €166.9 m was generated, with an operating profit (EBIT) of €0.4 m, representing an EBIT margin of 0.2%. The Real Software Group currently has 1432 employees. Since 2002, the group’s organisation has been based around four divisions: Banking & Insurance, Industry (formerly Manufacturing & Maintenance), Business & Government and Retail. It offers a comprehensive range of software services, from the development and implementation of in house products, tailor-made projects and outsourcing through advice, implementation and sales of products produced by other companies such as SAP, JD Edwards, Oracle, Microsoft Navision and Microsoft Axapta. The company exports Belgian technology to a number of countries, including Luxembourg, The Netherlands, France and Germany. Its customer portfolio includes companies such as Du Pont de Nemours, Carrefour, Johnson & Johnson, Merck Sharp & Dohme, Biogen, Renault, STIB-MIVB, the Paris Metro, TF1, EDF - Electricité de France, SNCF, PTT Post, NedCar, Philips, Bandag, Goodyear, KBC Bank and Fortis Bank.
You can find more information at www.realsoftwaregroup.com.
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