As part of Deutsche BP AG's new gas station concept, high quality IT products and associated 'BP Best Partner' services are being offered at its 450 BP gas station Express Shops throughout Germany and on its Web site, BPExpress.de.
Around 60 select articles and services from BP Best Partners in the IT environment - AOL, Compaq, ELSA, Intel, Lexmark, NEC and PSION - can be purchased exclusively through BP's new sales channels. A complete electronic business solution for the Internet online shopping portion has been developed by Software AG.
"Not only are new products now available from an online shop, but, even more importantly, thanks to committed use of Internet technology and the latest standards, an integrated system is in place - for ordering all the way through to delivery and payment. In addition, the Best Partners are all linked together, forming a virtual business," states Dr. J"urgen Studt, head of sales: Germany at Deutsche BP AG.
Unlike traditional online shopping solutions, the focus of this project is to integrate mission-critical systems while keeping the existing IT infrastructures of the participating companies. Software AG using its Java-based development environment, Bolero, and Tamino, the XML server for electronic business is implementing this new business model.
Says Michael Busch, CEO of Software AG's German subsidiary: "In the past, years could go by from the time an IT system concept was developed until it became reality. Those days are over. In just four months a virtual company has been created. This was made possible by taking full advantage of the synergy resulting from Software AG's years of experience in mission-critical applications and implementation of the latest technology, as well as consistent co-operation with the Best Partners."
With Bolero, the Java-based development environment, this new business model was conceived and the application was developed. Bolero's concept of 'long transactions' enables the description and completion of an order as well as integration of different partners' applications, such as materials management and invoicing. As a portable platform, Java guarantees independence of hardware and operating system platforms.
EntireX middleware provides a message-oriented integration layer, which ensures other providers, suppliers or logistics firms can be integrated in the business model quickly.
XML is the universal Internet data format, which serves as a standard for the exchange of documents between organisations. As the first native XML server, Tamino acts as a central collection point for information. Its scalability guarantees high performance, particularly on the Internet, where the expected load can never be calculated exactly.
Share