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Samlink

A happy Black Box client Samlink develops banking systems


SamlinkThere are several Black Box ServSelect server management switches in use in the Samlink server room. They control dozens of servers conveniently, locally as well as over network via IP-connection. In addition Samlink has several dozens of Black Box ServSwitch workstation switches.


Samlink is an IT-supplier which clients consists of Savings banks, Local cooperative banks and the Mortgage Society of Finland. The company designs and develops modern banking technology for its customers. Today's priority is especially in Internet banking systems, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system and Business Intelligence system. Samlink is owned by savings banks, it has about 270 employees and its turnover is almost 60 million euros.


Product development simulates banks


Above all Samlink is a product development environment where has been built a solution, which simulates the banks thoroughly - Samlink Bank. In the server hall there are, along with other things, computer systems simulating two typical bank offices placed in one shelve. Black Box ServSelect switch allows the developers to connect from their own console to all the "office" equipments, servers and notebooks as well.


Samlink

Complete testing


Samlink tests all new software and all the ordinary office programs and software upgrades delivered to the banks thoroughly with its threephase method. After the basic testing the software will be installed into the system testing which is equivalent to a real production environment.


All this testing requires plenty of machinery too and there are almost hundred server units in the server hall. About 20 servers are in production use and over 60 in development and testing use. All in all there are about 1000 devices equipped with IP-address in the Samlink office.


Carefully designed server zone


SamlinkSamlink moved in to its present, modern premises in Leppävaara last November. At the same time there was an opportunity to modernise the whole physical accomplishment of the server zone. In associated with the planning appropriate Black Box equipments and management solutions where chosen to the premises.


When placing the micros that simulate the offices the Black Box server tables turned out to be very practical. With ServSelect server management switch the control of the whole machinery could take place from only two terminals.


"The new cabling technique and SAM-module are absolutely brilliant", consider System Expert, Ari Korkia-Aho. "With the module we can transfer the monitor, keyboard and mouse cable signals through normal CAT5/6 cable. It makes the cabling much easier and you can put quite many CAT5/6 cables in one cable rack. The longest cablings in this server hall are nine meters and through IP-connection a lot of employees at upstairs office premises can access to the devices at the same time."


SamlinkAlong with developing new systems Samlink has an important task of maintenance and support the older systems. For managing different systems and software operating in various hardware the support staff has for example the Black Box ServSwitch Jr. workstation switches in use. They allow them to control two machines operating in different environments with the same monitor, keyboard and mouse. Switching from one machine to another is easy with keyboard command.


"In the NT4 environment the console session is an excellent thing", says Korkia-Aho. "The best thing is that you don't need to install any extra software into the machines which could possibly affect to the functionality of the programmes under tests. In Unix systems this is necessary because you can't get in there with any other way."


Samlink has been using the Black Box systems for about seven years now and their experiences have been really good. Olli Kahri and Ari Korkia-Aho are both satisfied with the functionality of the machines as well as the service Black Box personnel have offered.