Sky TV automates schedules using local integration kit
Making its eclectic mix of computer systems and databases communicate efficiently in the face of growing IT and programming demands presented a major challenge for Sky TV until it discovered the integration power of a locally developed software package.
The pay-TV provider which now has in excess of half a million subscribers has grown rapidly in the past few years with demand on its internal system escalating. With more channels being added and interactive services on the way more data had to be moved between incompatible systems.
The IT department was using a variety of scripts to make systems work together to run schedules and automate processes but this patchwork approach was proving unreliable.
"We were looking around to try and find a middleware product to centralise and control interfaces so our help desk could look at why things failed and quickly determine who to call," says Steve Wotten, IT manager at Sky TV.
Sky has a number of different databases and systems including Oracle DB2, SQL Server, Ingres, Windows 2000, Windows NT Server, HP UX, AS/400 and Sun Solaris. It needed to bring these together so it could continue to expand its capabilities without going through a costly re-engineering process or loosing investment in existing computer systems.
"We looked at several products that would have required additional software to meet our needs then we had a demonstration of a product called Slik. After we went to Fisher & Paykel to see what they had done with it we were convinced this was the way to go," says Mr Wotten.
Drag and drop approach
Slik (Standard legacy interface kit), originally designed by the development team at Fisher & Paykel Appliances, is used by the white goods manufacturer to integrate processes across hundreds of interfaces using a drag and drop approach.
The new graphical toolset rapidly proved its value at Sky TV making it much easier to customise new interfaces for any application and automate previously complex processes. Slik does all the internal FTP work moving files around and executing applications from a single screen. "It's a great product that is rich in features considering what you pay for. We're only touching the surface of what it can do," says Mr Wotten.
Slik, provides an import link to most of Sky's legacy systems allowing the company to do away with costly database gateways between DB2 and Oracle or Oracle and SQL Server by using an open database compliant (ODBC) approach to sharing information.
Without Slik, in-depth scripting would be required and it would still be difficult to pinpoint where failures occurred. "One of the interfaces we rebuilt covers three systems and would previously have required three people to determine where the fault was."Under Slik specific error messages are returned so helpdesk people know to call the Unix administrator rather than having to get the database administrator and the Windows and server administration people involved.
Ease of integration
Mr Wotten says installing the software was reasonably straightforward. After developer Chris Wenzlick and his team configured a couple of interfaces it was clear the Sky TV team could complete the rest of the integration on its own.
"We still maintain scripts on our Unix and NT boxes but Slik allows us to sequentially run schedules. Depending on the result from one job you can kick off another. If one script fails you simply tell it to roll back the transaction and alert a database administrator or retry the script. It simplifies the whole process.
"For example Slik is used to build scripts and interfaces to manage Sky TV's Electronic Programme Guide (EPG) providing web site and set top box users with a synopsis of movies, soap operas, documentaries, special features, cartoons and sports programming and when they're due to air. "It's like a workflow tool for interfaces," says Mr Wotten.
Previously seven NT and Unix commands had to be run to move information for the EPG to an Oracle database, a Unix system and a Windows 2000 machine to reach the TV screen and web site.
Now with Slik the channel manager takes programming information from the business management system and manually exports it to a directory on a Windows machine. From there Slik polls that directory, picks up the files and FTPs them to the EPG on the Unix box. It does a remote up log-in, executes the script and once the process is complete the files are automatically send back to the Windows machine and uploaded to Sky's web site.
"We used to have to try and time the scripts but it was difficult getting them all in synch. If the process took longer than expected material wouldn't get delivered to the web on time."
Sky is continuing to move a large number of interfaces into Slik. "We're in the throes of using the EDI import which allows us to strip off attachments from emails in Outlook and dump them into a directory and then into a database.
"It's also using Slik to download from its financial system for all direct credit payments. Slik automatically converts a tab-separated AS/400 file for processing into the BNZ's PC banking system for direct debits or credits.
About Slik
Slik (Standard Legacy Interface Kit) was developed in house for Fisher and Paykel Ltd to give them control of data transfers and business processes. It sits in the centre of their IT operations running across a WAN linking New Zealand and Australia. It has been in operation at F&P since November 1998.
Slik Software has the commercial rights to further develop and sell the Slik suite, which is now used by concrete and pipe manufacturer W Stevenson & Sons. Technical experts from Slik Software Ltd developed Lemoncheck, which checks the authenticity of motor vehicle purchases by interrogating multiple disparate databases in an average time of 15 seconds. This produces a report to highlight concerns such as money owing, stolen, outstanding road user or registration charges etc. (see www.lemoncheck.co.nz )
For more information:
Sky Television Steve Wotten - IT Manager
DDI: 09 525 8354
Cell: 021 317 527
Email: swotten@skytv.co.nz |
