Media release
July 14, 2010
Open Systems to operate and safeguard Sika's new WAN
Open Systems AG wins the international call for tenders for the strategic development of the Wide Area Network (WAN) for the Sika Group and thereby takes on responsibility for the operation, protection and management of Sika's global corporate network.
The Sika Group's WAN links 12,000 employees in more than 300 locations in over 70 countries. Open Systems will be responsible for the operation, protection and management of the global corporate network of the successful Swiss supplier of the construction and manufacturing industries. Open Systems will be working closely with the Japanese telecommunications company NTT Communications to operate the network infrastructure. NTT Communications provides an outstanding network infrastructure in Sika's key growth markets in the IMEA (India, Middle East and Africa) and Asia-Pacific regions. Mission Control Security Services from Open Systems will safeguard the network, while security monitoring and availability will be handled by the Mission Control Operation Centers in Zurich, Switzerland, and Sydney, Australia. Sika has been relying on Mission Control Security Services from Open Systems since 2003, thereby ensuring the long-term availability and smooth operation of its global IT and communications infrastructure.
Kurt Scherer, General Manager of Sika Informationssysteme AG and the head of IT Sika Group, said that the new WAN is an important factor in the future success of the Sika Group. He said: «As a network of companies that are strongly established locally, we are in a position, thanks to the new WAN, to use new technologies and application solutions in order to be able to work in partnership more efficiently and react to market opportunities more flexibly. The partnership with Open Systems enables us to minimize complexity and risk while at the same time raise the quality of the global network. Open Systems has the necessary technological know-how, the necessary quality of service as well as a well-founded understanding of our global business, while its independence means that it is in a position, as Sika's single point of contact, to monitor and manage our providers on a global scale.»
Martin Bosshardt, CEO of Open Systems AG, said: «We are naturally delighted to have been able to successfully communicate our expertise and commitment to those in charge at Sika, and to take on more responsibility for the development of the existing network. Thanks to the combination of our skills in operating and protecting global IT networks, and the global network infrastructure provided by NTT Communications, we are convinced that we will satisfy Sika's high expectations of us and thereby contribute to the future economic success of the company.»
