The Client
This billion-dollar Fortune 100 Insurance Company provides services in all fifty states and has numerous overseas locations. Their focus is primarily on individual life insurance, investments, retirement products, and related services.
The Engagement
In this multi-year assignment, Encode provided a Senior Data Architect to assist the database design and administrative support team with the development of a very large and complex replacement Accounting Expense System. The new system had to integrate with the complete corporate accounting system and extract information from the older system.
Critical Services Delivered
Encode was responsible for the logical design of the DB2 database architecture. We also provided extensive data modeling and performance/tuning expertise during the project development life cycle. Encode created unique testing methodologies to verify that all requirements are satisfied and generated a series of SQL statements to handle custom requests.
As part of the assignment, Encode investigated other techniques and products to meet the challenge of a large volume of ad-hoc inquiries.
- Business Needs Analysis
- Logical Database Design
- Data Modeling
- Database Performance and Tuning
- "Best Practices" Mentoring
Technology Used
This client selected IBM DB2 and associated products as its new large scale database. "IBM DB2 software plays a critical role in this infrastructure — the on demand operating environment. All elements of the portfolio (database servers, business intelligence software, enterprise content management software, data management tools, and information integration software) are developed with four key e-business on demand attributes in mind: integrated, open, virtualized, autonomic. In addition to strong and innovative technology, DB2 provides high value to customers of all sizes. DB2 pricing on UNIX, Linux and Windows systems is recognized by industry analysts as being roughly half that of its main competitor. DBA automation and self-management enhancements combine with low price to provide remarkable value to DB2 customers." (IBM*)
*Copy which describes IBM products is adapted from the copy provided on the IBM website. Consult www.ibm.com for further information.
Project
New Online Expense Accounting System
Service
Conduct business needs analysis and then design a database architecture to support new system requirements.
Software
IBM DB2
Database Modeling Tools
Challenges
Client database exceeded 30 terabyte of critical client information and was being taxed by a large volume of ad-hoc inquiries.
