Parmalat SA has creamed up its internal information management with Magic v 8.3, an implementation which has upgraded the company`s ability to integrate data from various databases into a single, centralised repository.
The software, which was implemented by Magic SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of JSE Securities Exchange-listed MGX, is part of the Magic suite of interactive Web applications. It constructs a development environment that allows the rapid creation and customisation of large-scale and complex distributed applications. Used as an application tool, the solution can consolidate information from various different systems and draw it into a single, workable system.
"Parmalat employed several legacy systems, with data saved in different formats and sprinkled in different types of databases," says Hannes Germishuys, information manager at Parmalat SA. "Using Magic we have collated all the data and moved it into a central, more accessible repository. This is useful from a decision-making perspective, enabling head office to view the whole country`s data simultaneously, rather than each region individually."
Once in place, the information is utilised by Cognos, the front-end business intelligence tool in place at Parmalat.
"Magic was chosen by Parmalat for its complete compatibility to different systems and for the speed at which the suite can develop applications," says Paul Spagnoletti, account manager at Magic SA. The software features a component framework, enabling developers to rapidly build new application components and other business processes.
"In Magic, complete application functionality - including data structures, business rules, programme logic and presentation - is developed entirely in a table-driven, point-and-click interface for faster programming. Parmalat has its own team of five developers, and speed and efficiency is crucial for their needs," he says.
Spagnoletti says the key to the software`s productivity and platform independence is the Magic engine which, because of its built-in functionality, eliminates the need to maintain different versions of an application for different platforms.
The software also allows user-friendly transparent integration with third-party Web authoring tools. Business logic can be assigned to control on Web pages with no need for special scripting.
"When developers are under pressure to write an application quickly, no other application has proven to be as fast at development as Magic," concludes Spagnoletti.
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MGX is a JSE Securities Exchange-listed, new economy company that represents world-class products and services and delivers measurable business outcomes for customers across business-critical areas of the information economy.
Recognising that the strategic value of a company lies in its information, the company`s focus is on information-rich business solutions that transform each client`s unique business information into competitive advantage. MGX comprises five business value domains: content management, storage management, business availability management, software development and enterprise value management. With strong operational and strategic synergies, the business units create and implement solutions for business users across all sectors and industries. MGX has operations in SA, Botswana, Australia, the UK and the US. During its five-year history as a listed company it has delivered consistent growth to shareholders. For more information on the company, visit www.mgxgroup.com.
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