Added: 05/25/2006 |
Online database solutions of Ford Internet Reatail SystemThe effective usage of such Microsoft technologies as Microsoft BizTalk Framework and SNA Server e-commerce applications has allowed the Ford company to connect a lot of network trade channels to the central production systems and to the order processing systems. In fact, the usage of message exchange systems on the basis of XML presents a new conception of the electronic automobile trade, which is considered to be the main standard for the entire automobile industry.
As it is known, Ford Internet Retail System (FIRST) connects to each other various trade channels, which are used by different automobile consumers, including the dealers of Ford trade mark in North America and the companies, which possess huge car parks. Customers, who buy and look for automobiles, are given an opportunity to log in the given system over several web-portals, including the CarPoint™ portal in MSN™ system and various internet-means of the Ford company. It should be pointed out that the system contains a lot of control means, the access to which is given only to the company's representatives.
Although the FIRST system was firstly intended only for improving a project exchange process between the Ford Motor company and its dealers, the usage of Microsoft Windows DNA technologies and online database solutions, especially message exchange systems on the basis of XML and Microsoft BizTalk Framework, provided the creation of a reliable solution, which pemitted the company to present a lot of order processing services for its clients and the solutions of applied problems.
From the customer's point of view the FIRST system presents a new way of searching and buying a car. In fact, the given system allows to find, select and order a car in an interactive mode. In addition, it presents a lot of various catalogs and online database solutions. It should be stated that the FIRST system was developed by the Microsoft and Trilogy® Software companies and firstly was based on the Microsoft Windows® 2000 Advanced Server system. Then Windows DNA platform and BizTalk technologies were added.
It is not a secret, that online database solutions are considered to be the key components of the FIRST system. The support of separated cluster databases, which are used for dealer's catalogues, customer's requests, contact information and etc. is effected by the help of the Microsoft SQL Server™ 7.0 technology.
The information, which is received from all Ford dealers is saved in a large catalog's database several times throughout a day. In fact, the usage of OLAP Services technologies and SQL Server 7.0 online database solutions allows the Ford company to analyse all these necessary data. The given system comprises the means, which allow to create a report. As it was shown in practice, the given option improves the quality of customer's service and helps to increase the assortment of the automobile production.
The integration of existent systems and trade channels by the help of Microsoft BizTalk Framework Server and XML technologies predicts the correspondence of the FIRST system with the future requirements of the Ford company.
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