Pro2 Simplifies Processes and Lowers Costs
Download Case Study
(PDF File)
Industries:
Electrical ContractorChallenge
Improve access to analytics to make timely business decisions.
Solution
Progress OpenEdge Pro2 data replication and a Progress Services database health check.Result
A simplified computing environment has reduced costs and is laying the foundation to decommission several legacy reporting applications.Full Story
Challenge
One of the biggest challenges for Electrical Equipment Company (EECO), a leader in industrial automation and motor solutions, is fast and easy access to analytics to make timely business decisions that drive revenue and profit. Holding the company back was an antiquated data warehouse and replication structure. “Our structure was incomplete in that it wasn’t comprehensively replicating data,” explained Tracy Deuell, Chief Information Officer, EECO. “Ultimately it was a very costly and complex platform for us to manage.”
Deuell further explained that producing reports involved time consuming, manual processes. “It could take up to 90 minutes or more to complete an ETL (extract, transform, load) process and achieve the report delivery that we strive for.”
Those challenges stand in stark contrast to the solutions EECO delivers to its customers. EECO prides itself in its ability to deliver state-of-the-art industrial solutions that utilize the latest technology advances to lower cost of ownership, increase reliability and improve performance. When it came to its internal enterprise systems, the company realized it needed to harness some of that customer-focused energy to drive its own business goals. That’s where Progress® OpenEdge® Pro2™ data replication and a Progress® Services database health check come in.
Deuell further explained that producing reports involved time consuming, manual processes. “It could take up to 90 minutes or more to complete an ETL (extract, transform, load) process and achieve the report delivery that we strive for.”
Those challenges stand in stark contrast to the solutions EECO delivers to its customers. EECO prides itself in its ability to deliver state-of-the-art industrial solutions that utilize the latest technology advances to lower cost of ownership, increase reliability and improve performance. When it came to its internal enterprise systems, the company realized it needed to harness some of that customer-focused energy to drive its own business goals. That’s where Progress® OpenEdge® Pro2™ data replication and a Progress® Services database health check come in.
Solution
For more than 15 years EECO has relied on its OpenEdge-based Infor ERP system to run its business. When the company realized it had data infrastructure and replication issues, Progress was a natural choice. “The approach and benefits of the Pro2 project resonated with me in terms of both the technology solution and the familiarity of the Progress consultants with our platform and ERP system,” Deuell said. “We knew the product would do what we wanted it to do, but having a good partnership was just as important to us.”
EECO began its replication project with a database tuning and health assessment. “We wanted to make sure our database was running as optimally as possible before implementing the replication project,” Deuell said. “We had some good discoveries through the process in terms of improvements that we made along the way, so it was a great experience.”
With its database tuned and Pro2 replication solution in place, EECO was ready for a fresh start.
“With our prior environment it was difficult to decipher where data was coming and going,” Deuell said. “Progress OpenEdge Pro2 enabled us to basically wipe the slate clean in terms of all our multiple connections and create a specific area where we were able to drive our data requirements.”
EECO began its replication project with a database tuning and health assessment. “We wanted to make sure our database was running as optimally as possible before implementing the replication project,” Deuell said. “We had some good discoveries through the process in terms of improvements that we made along the way, so it was a great experience.”
With its database tuned and Pro2 replication solution in place, EECO was ready for a fresh start.
“With our prior environment it was difficult to decipher where data was coming and going,” Deuell said. “Progress OpenEdge Pro2 enabled us to basically wipe the slate clean in terms of all our multiple connections and create a specific area where we were able to drive our data requirements.”
Result
The OpenEdge Pro2 replication solution has resulted in a change to its ETL processes from reactive to proactive, improving EECO’s business processes and putting new efficiencies in place. For the analytics specialist who struggled with manual processes to deliver reports, job quality has dramatically improved.
“Progress OpenEdge Pro2 has given our analyst the ability to focus on working with internal customers to drive new analytics and create dashboards to enable the business,” Deuell said. “Her job has become much more efficient and more fun as well.”
Another key benefit of OpenEdge Pro2 is a dramatic reduction in the complexity and operating cost of the computing environment, laying the foundation to decommission several legacy reporting applications and platforms as well as redefining the company’s overall data strategy. The complexity of ODBC connections going directly into the ERP system and onto the Progress database put a great strain on the system.
“We anticipate saving tens of thousands of dollars annually across server infrastructure as well as support, maintenance and other related factors,” Deuell said. “We’ve had a great shift in just reducing the complexity of our environment. Progress OpenEdge Pro2 is really the cornerstone for driving our data infrastructure strategy going forward.”
“Progress OpenEdge Pro2 has given our analyst the ability to focus on working with internal customers to drive new analytics and create dashboards to enable the business,” Deuell said. “Her job has become much more efficient and more fun as well.”
Another key benefit of OpenEdge Pro2 is a dramatic reduction in the complexity and operating cost of the computing environment, laying the foundation to decommission several legacy reporting applications and platforms as well as redefining the company’s overall data strategy. The complexity of ODBC connections going directly into the ERP system and onto the Progress database put a great strain on the system.
“We anticipate saving tens of thousands of dollars annually across server infrastructure as well as support, maintenance and other related factors,” Deuell said. “We’ve had a great shift in just reducing the complexity of our environment. Progress OpenEdge Pro2 is really the cornerstone for driving our data infrastructure strategy going forward.”