VENDOR RELATIONSHIPS

CLIENT CASE STUDIES

DB Administration, Security and Compliance for First Distribution

DB Administration, Security and Compliance for First Distribution

First Distribution’s Database Administration, Security and Compliance needs lead it to trusted advisor, Ascent Technology. For any large organisation, Database Administration (DBA) is a vital part of maintaining their Data Platform Operations effectively. As it has...

Ascent Technology helps Bidfood SA migrate to Microsoft Azure

When Bidfood SA chose to modernise and migrate its data platform to Microsoft Azure, it turned to Ascent Technology for help. In a world that is digitally transforming, it is more vital than ever to an organisation’s success to utilise the latest platforms to drive...

Ascent Technology helps migrate Phumelela Gaming to Azure

A Windows Server and SQL Server consolidation, optimisation and migration to Microsoft Azure enables the company to reduce costs, modernise its data platform and boost its innovation capabilities. As an operator running two distinct betting businesses, Phumelela...

CAMPAIGNS

Database System Health Check Service from Ascent Technology

Database System Health Check Service from Ascent Technology

A Database System Health Check assesses if your Database is running optimally, and can help diagnose challenges before performance issues, and/or down time affect your users. That’s where Ascent's Database Health Check Service comes in. Our Database Health Check...

Database Security and Compliance with DB Shield

The growing number of threats to databases and unauthorised access to the data within, is clearly creating on-going headaches for CIOs. Solving these headaches may not be easy, but by asking the right questions, CIOs can begin to overcome their Database Security and...

Database Administration and Support Service from Ascent Technology

Economic volatility is driving a greater number of organisations to consider cost cutting measures and to implement consolidation procedures. This situation is further compounded by the growing skills shortage that makes it more difficult for businesses to acquire and...

AWARDS AND ACCOLADES

Microsoft Data and Analytics Partner of the Year Finalist

Microsoft Data and Analytics Partner of the Year Finalist

Ascent Technology continues its strong showing in the Microsoft Partner of the Year awards, as a finalist in the Data and Analytics Partner of the Year award. Finalist Data and Analytics Partner of the Year "It is always gratifying to be recognised by Microsoft as one...

NEWSFLASHES

Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Data Platform Modernisation

Ascent Technology’s clients benefit from Data Platform Modernisation

Facing platform ‘end of life’ issues together with increasing pressures to digitise processes, increase profitability and innovate on product and service, organisations are finding Data Platform Modernisation projects can deliver significant value by enabling IT cost...

FROM THE DESK OF THE MD

From the Desk of the MD – January 2019

From the Desk of the MD – January 2019

The start of another year inevitably brings with it the promise of change, and in wishing all our clients a happy New Year, we would like to suggest that 2019 is going to be a year of considerable and exciting change. After all, not only do we have what are sure to be...

Case Study Tsogo Sun

Ascent Technology enables Tsogo Sun to deliver unparalleled service

03 Apr 2012

With 42 years of experience in the hospitality industry, Tsogo Sun, previously known as Southern Sun is the leading hotel group in Africa. It provides world-class accommodation across all markets and offers the widest distribution of hotels in Africa in major urban centres and key leisure destinations. Tsogo Sun’s hotel portfolio comprises various brands, segmented to guests’ needs. With a collection of 94 hotels, with 14 742 rooms, Tsogo Sun has continued to revolutionise the local hospitality industry with its innovative spirit, dynamic management and consummate levels of service to both local and international travellers.

When the company decided to standardise its database server environment across multiple sites, it quickly realised it would need an expert partner that could effectively handle the diverse database technologies within these sites, while at the same time ensure continuity and availability. Database specialist company Ascent Technology was therefore the obvious choice.

Anthony Ivins, General Manager: IT at Tsogo Sun says that the database server environment is crucial to the effective operation of the company’s property management system, Opera.

“This application controls the booking, billing and day-to-day operations within the group. Obviously, these functions are critical to our business, so high availability was vital if we were to maintain the highest levels of customer satisfaction. Ascent was able to assist us with the standardisation process, while at the same time ensure the required availability,” he says.

According to Ivins, the company has close to 60 sites, which needed to be standardised. This was an important step towards ensuring continuity and availability, while it would also make maintenance simpler.

“Ascent’s effort in standardising our database server environment across these multiple sites means that whenever new operations are opened up – something that happens regularly in such a large leisure industry operation – we are able to rapidly deploy additional environments. Having the same look and feel across the board makes any new deployment a simple affair,” says Ivins.

Johan Lamberts, MD of Ascent Technology, adds that the company adopted the role of trusted advisor and partner to Tsogo Sun, offering it strong technical knowledge, critical skills and an unparalleled depth and breadth of expertise.

“As a heterogeneous Enterprise Database Management service provider, we were able to assist the client with its mixed technology environment, which included both Microsoft SQL and Oracle database servers. Moreover, as an organisation with a deep understanding of the data management arena, we were able to fully understand the unique challenges within the client environment,” he says.

Ivins points out that Tsogo Sun sought an end-to-end data management service provider, and it found exactly that in Ascent. He says that the company’s incredible service levels and its ability to attend to challanges and perform rapidly has made it Tsogo Sun’s partner of choice in this space.

“We are not just saying this either. The proof of the pudding is in the eating, and we recently suffered an instance of hardware failure that resulted in the complete rebuild and restore of one of the database servers. Thanks to Ascent’s technical skills, not only was there no data loss, but within half an hour of the hardware failure being sorted out, the system was up and running again.”

“I think that the most important aspect of having a trusted advisor and partner like Ascent is that with the skills and experience they have, we know our environment will be properly taken care of. It means that we are able to sleep comfortably at night,” concludes Ivins.

PDF Version (607 KB)