Eberspaecher GmbH&Co.KG, based in Neunkirchen/Saar, is the fourth largest developer and supplier of waste gas systems (Kat and muffler systems) in the world market. With circa 5000 employers in the group and being present in 12 countries, Eberspaecher had a revenue of ca. 1.6 billion Euros in 2001. Eberspaecher is a partner for almost every European car manufacturer.
The customer has now decided to use an IBM eServer zSeries mainframe. The system is being used as SAP R/3 application server under SUSE Linux Enterprise Server for S/390 and zSeries and as a data base server under Z/OS. In addition, a Linux partition is used as server for a network computer manufacturing solution. The implementation was made by IBM Business partner SVA, Wiesbaden.
As Automobile parts supplier with 24/7 operation every week, the topic of high availability had the highest priority for Eberspaecher. The mainframe offers to the assembly plants an extremely high availability. Besides the SAP R/3 data base also the application server runs on the mainframe. Furthermore, with LINUX/390 and SAMBA all Microsoft file servers were replaced, so that almost all enterprise data are being kept centrally on a system.
"Due to this standardisation and optimization there was no need to extend the small crew of IT expertes in the computing centre despite constant growth of the demand. And IBM DB2 data base for Z/OS runs absolutely stably, is simple to handle and brings us with that On-line reorganization substantial advantages", explains Theo Kraemer, director of the computing centre with Eberspaecher, the decision.
Beside the operating system Z/OS Linux on zSeries runs in its own LPAR. Even as SAP application server this operating system is extremely reliable and proved. Linux is used further as load host for the network computer, of those 120 machines are being used in the manufacturing area. SAMBA works as Primary Domain controller for all Microsoft file services. Furthermore, under the central z/OS system, a Lotus domino Web server for the Intranet is being run.
"With the IBM mainframes we have enough flexibility for our constant data growth of monthly approximately 28 GB", Theo Kraemer explains. "The good experiences also with OS/390, which we already have used for many years in other areas, have given us good reason to go the entire way with the S/390 and IBM eServer zSeries, he continues.
The data saving is managed by the Hierarchical Storage Manager (HSM) as part of Z/OS, directly to the IBM Enterprise Storage Server ("Shark"), which has a capacity of 4,6 TB volume of data. After the replacement of a former Tetragon system with "Shark, access times at Eberspaecher were cut roughly by half, with over 1000 users using the system.
For more information about IBM eServers, please visit
http://www.ibm.com/eserver/
About Eberspaecher
The Eberspaecher Group comprises 23 operating companies, of which there are 18 abroad. The head office of the parent company, J. Eberspächer GmbH & Co. KG, which was established in 1865, is located in Esslingen/Neckar. Whit the Exhaust Engineering and Vehicle Heaters divisions Eberspächer is a leading competent systems supplier to all the major manufacturer in the automobile industry. Beyond the European market the Group is now expanding into the North American region and is penetrating the Asian market. The centres of the divisions are certified in accordance with TS 16949 and EN ISO 14000.
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