Magic Seizes Opportunity in Scotland
Magic Software Enterprises, a provider of application development technology and business solutions for the AS/400, capitalized on a new Scottish e-business agenda, signing Scotland’s Inverclyde Council to a contract valued at more than $500,000.
Under terms of the contract, Magic will develop financial and property management systems for the Inverclyde Council. In addition, Magic will integrate the solutions with the council’s existing IT systems in compliance with a new order by the Scottish government that says that all new information-based solutions must integrate with existing IT systems.
The Inverclyde Council is a local government authority that works in partnership with communities, investors and volunteer organizations to provide services to the more than 85,000 people domiciled within a 60-square mile radius of the southern edge of the River Clyde.
Many of Inverclyde Council's systems operate on the AS/400 platform with Windows NT/98 clients, and utilize a range of databases, including DB2/400 and Oracle. It was primarily Magic's ability to work easily and efficiently in this type of heterogeneous environment that led Inverclyde Council to select Magic for its new solutions.
"Following a successful pilot project, it was clear that Magic understood our business needs, including our desire to transform our systems as quickly as possible and to deliver solutions that maximized our existing IT investments," said Maria Russell, director of information services for Inverclyde Council in a statement.
The requirement by the Scottish government that new IT systems be linked to existing legacy systems could be a major coup for the AS/400. Since the effort is designed to limit the cost of purchasing new back-end infrastructure, and since AS/400 has a substantial presence in the Scottish IT industry, the platform could enjoy an extended life.
The Inverclyde Council expects to use the systems Magic is developing to free its staff up to focus on projects more closely aligned with its mission.
For more information, visit www.magicsoftware.com.