Senior executives at Scandinavian Airlines (SAS) have implemented a new data warehouse based on Microsoft and Intel technology, replacing the aging IBM DB2 mainframe solution that had been supporting business analysts. This will help the SAS IT team overcome existing resource conflicts between transactional systems and data analysis applications. The solution deploys Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 running in a Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 environment. It also includes the Microsoft .NET Framework to capitalise on existing COBOL programming expertise, and Microsoft Active Directory® to manage network security. SAS was supported by partners Intel®, HP, and Micro Focus. The new system is expected to reduce data warehousing costs by 50 per cent, improve operational efficiency, and provide managers with greater access to accurate business intelligence.

Unilever, the global consumer products giant that sells some 400 brands in 100 countries, generating 2005 revenue of U.S.$50.6 billion, needed to upgrade its SAP R\3 supply chain infrastructure that was hosted on an Oracle\UNIX solution. Seeking a lower total cost of ownership (TCO), Unilever tested Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2005 Enterprise Edition (64-bit) using 1.5 terabytes of data and double the transaction loads of its U.S. operations. The company was so impressed by the results that it is deploying Microsoft SQL Server 2005 running on the Microsoft Windows Server® 2003 Enterprise Edition for Itanium-based Systems operating system, hosted on an HP Superdome computer to deploy mySAP 2004 to support its North American operations. Unilever expects a 15 percent reduction in TCO, and the scalability, agility, and reliability its operations require.