Credit Build, a niche provider of financial services to self-employed builders, has in less than three months installed Pick Systems` D3 on Linux for its internal database management system.
The Pick System, installed at a cost of R400 000, is used by Credit Build to run the company`s entire debtor tracking system in more than 50 branches in SA. The 300 user system runs on Pentium servers with six to 10 users in each branch and captures data on 48 000 debtors. It also records transaction details and stock items.
The legacy system made it difficult for Credit Build to retrieve data from the branches. This constraint meant it could only retrieve essential client and transaction data at month-end. After moving to D3 Linux, Credit Build is now able to retrieve transactional data on a daily basis.
"Quick and timely access to data allows management to be better informed as to what is happening. Daily information means that we can act proactively to changes in our business," says Irvin Haefele, IT manager at Credit Build.
"A unique benefit from the Pick System is that it allows rapid application development. One can write a program in three days in what would normally take three weeks in other languages. The migration to D3 only took us a month-and-a-half," he adds.
The front-end of the application will soon be replaced with an HTML/Java system, allowing access to the application from a variety of platforms. This is made possible with Flash-connect, a Pick Systems product that allows Web access to the D3 database and application.
According to Adrian Oxborrow, MD of Pick Systems Africa, leveraging the high value and low cost of D3 and Linux is the combination for beating the competition.
"D3 `s proven technology combined with the Linux open source software allows Pick to offer the high performance at a total cost of ownership far below competing database solutions."
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