IBM coordinates management of IT infrastructure of Lenta hypermarkets

The IBM corporation announced in June, 2011 the conclusion of the three-year service contract of individual technical support (Managed Technical Support Services – MTSS) the hardware-software platform for network of LENTA hypermarkets. Signing of the contract, the previous project on three years' service maintenance which became continuation, gave to LENTA new opportunities for optimization of management of IT infrastructure and increases in operational efficiency.

'TAPE' – the largest network of retail founded in 1993. In different regions of Russia 39 hypermarkets of network which regular customers are over 3 million work human.

'TAPE' uses the server platform of IBM on which the automated control system for the SAP enterprise is placed. On a hardware platform of IBM the business applications which are responsible for an accounting system, logistics, warehouse service, HR systems function. Considering the possibilities of optimization of management of IT infrastructure of the enterprise, the management of 'TAPE' made the decision on expansion of the service contract and transition to services of individual service support of IT infrastructure.

'In highly competitive conditions of the Russian retail continuous work of our business applications is one of important competitive advantages, – Kuzmich Vsevolod, the CIO of LENTA company emphasized. – The service contract signed with IBM allows to provide reliable support of our IT infrastructure and to guarantee protection against idle times'.

Transition to individual pro-active service support will allow to use most fully competence of specialists of IBM of work with infrastructure of the company. It will allow 'TAPE' to reduce presence of the specialists within service support and to involve the resources in more strategic directions. According to terms of the contract, IBM provides the companies of service in availability control, services for service of a software and hardware platform and operating systems. The fixed recovery time of the critical systems is 72 hours. For this purpose in IBM a branch-off group of specialists which is responsible for technology support of 'TAPE'.

'It is the first service contract of individual technical support signed with the retail company, – Vladimir Bykov, the director of representative office of IBM in St. Petersburg, IBM in Russia and the CIS noted. – The managed Technology services – one of the first steps on the way to receiving IT as services when the company management has an opportunity completely to focus on business challenges'.

The contract for rendering individual service support was signed in the first quarter 2011. Within planned upgrade of a hardware platform 'TAPE' also broadened the park of the IBM Power 770 servers.