Success for ERA's systems integration business

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Mar 20, 2001

For the fifth consecutive year ERA Technology's software systems integration business has substantially exceeded its performance expectations

For the fifth consecutive year ERA Technology's software systems integration business has substantially exceeded its performance expectations.

ERA's growth in order intake in this area is almost double that of growth in the telecoms sector, ERA's principal market for this business activity.

This exceptional success means that software systems integration is now the largest single activity of ERA, the integrated technology solutions provider.

ERA's software systems integration business unit was originally set up by a small team who had considerable experience of automated hardware test systems in the aerospace industry.

The methodologies and engineering principles used here are particularly rigorous; if systems fail there would be fatal consequences.

"With origins in the aerospace industry we understand risk", says Steve Melton, Manager of Software Systems Integration.

"We bring customers a risk managed approach with rigorous, detailed methodology that delivers known performance capability in the minimum time frame." By applying these good engineering principles learned in the aerospace sector ERA has successfully transferred its knowledge to the telecoms arena, coming up with an innovative systems integration methodology, especially in the important area of validation, verification and test (VV and T) of end-to-end systems.

This is one area often given minimal attention by software developers as typically there is a trade off between creativity and rigour, meaning that truly creative solutions come from an environment where rigour is not the main issue.

ERA's customers believe that its systems integration offering is more rigorous and efficient than competitors, who have not come from such a disciplined background.

"By listening to our customers we understand that in the dynamic and constantly changing telecoms environment our customers really value the discipline and rigour that we can bring to the integration environment", states Michael Neale, Director of Marketing at ERA.

"ERA's unique, responsive and efficient methodology helps telecom service providers speed their services to market faster, with confidence, reduced project risks and controlled costs.

It also enables clients to start up projects quickly, achieve deliverables in changing environments and address resource limitations." Companies that undertake systems integration gain a competitive edge by delivering guaranteed functionality within improved response times, ensuring that the system speeds to market.

If a system is not fully integrated the costs of rectification can both lose the company money and harm corporate image.

Systems integration supports the delivery of quality software by pinpointing errors and potential hazards early on in the development lifecycle thereby saving time, costs and manpower.

An error found in the implementation stage can typically cost about 1000 times more to fix than if found at the requirement stage.

Systems integration keeps the development process focused on the client's objective and enables eradication of inconsistencies and location of missing requirements.

Any fixes to the system can be implemented and tested rapidly.

ERA tests the entire system to ensure the functionality meets the client's requirements, as well as providing end-to-end testing to ensure reliable operation within guaranteed response times.

So by successfully carrying over methodology from one industry to another, ERA has been able to deliver real technical and business benefits to its customers, meeting their requirements.

Judging by its clients' comments, the company's phenomenal growth rates are set to continue well into the future.