...at nearly 450 sites nationwide

ORS, (Austrian Broadcasting Services) has chosen IT service management software developed by iET Solutions to centralize all the information needed to monitor and manage its national network of transmitter stations at around 450 locations. The iET ITSM software was chosen for its flexibility. Today ORS manages around 80,000 data records using a configuration management database and broadcasting database, which was implemented using software from iET Solutions.

Norbert Grill, ORS Managing Director said: ‘‘ORS is responsible for almost all TV and radio programme providers in Austria, as well as for digital television. Our systems have to run as smoothly as the broadcasting of our TV programmes.”

iET Solutions' Austrian partner, softpoint electronic, implemented the IT service management software, iET ITSM, within a year. The system went live in the middle of 2012.

“This project involved us having to represent the infrastructure and terminology from radio and TV programme providers in a solution that was primarily designed to be used in the IT sector. The flexibility offered by iET ITSM enabled us to represent the infrastructure at ORS accurately, without having to abandon the concepts used in broadcasting technology,” adds Klaus Hörl, the project manager from softpoint electronic.

Using iET ITSM ORS was able to centralize and optimize the presentation, quality and documentation of its information. iET ITSM is the central platform used for mapping the location information and technical infrastructure. On the rare occasions when there is disruption or loss of transmission from a transmission station, it is documented in the system. Maintenance work on the transmitters is also planned using this system. A transmitter database provides information about frequency and transmitter planning, together with history.

Site management using the Configuration Management Database
Currently, ORS manages approximately 11,000 active configuration items (CI) in its configuration management database (CMDB). The entire technical infrastructure of ORS, consisting of technical equipment, radio and television programmes as well as signals for programme transfer, is displayed in the CMDB. All inactive or planned signal CIs are managed in the transmitter database, which currently contains around 70,000 records of past and planned activities. The transmitter database is based on the iET Developer's Studio from iET Solutions and has an interface to the CMDB.

CMDB map application is used to provide a clear overview
In the graphical CMDB all configuration items are visualized, together with their relationships to each other. For this purpose, a digital map application was added to the graphical CMDB. This displays the links and dependencies between the individual transmitter stations using the web-based Open Street Map and Google satellite applications. The map application shows the current status of the whole network and is also used for planning the network’s expansion. Technicians can use the application to display the location of transmitter stations, in order to plan their journey, for example. The management team at ORS uses the Maps view to get a quick overview of the transmission network. If necessary, they can access further information by drilling down to more detail.

Incident and Change Management
iET ITSM is used for the detection of faults on transmitter stations and programmes using an impact analysis feature specially developed for ORS. This allows the company to determine the impact of any disruption on the entire country, to test backup scenarios and to take appropriate measures. The impact analysis uses the data collected in the CMDB about the radio and television programs and their interdependencies.

A dynamic email management facility identifies - via the impact analysis - the sites and contacts affected by a fault, as well as their subsidiary sites. Notifications and warnings can be sent automatically as required.

Change management is used for planning and documentation of the maintenance and assembly of transmitter stations. The multi-stage authorization process which is part of iET ITSM helps ORS comply with documentation guidelines.

ITIL accelerated the project
The team at ORS and softpoint electronic succeeded in completing the complex, high profile project in just one year. A successful implementation within the tight timeframe was possible thanks to the IT Infrastructure Library (ITIL), which ORS views as a "positive side effect".

More about the project at ORS: http://www.iet-solutions.com/case-studies/ors-case-study-itsm-solutions-and-services-iet-solutions/en