Interoperability by Design at Microsoft
Customer Solution Case Study
Credit Card Processor Utilizes Microsoft-Novell
Agreement, Expects 55 Percent Savings
Customer: Conductor ―I have solved my server consolidation and support
Web Site: www.conductor.com.br
Customer Size: 1100
problems…. I also have an answer to the server
Country or Region: Brazil virtualization and document file compatibility issues
Industry: Financial services
that plagued our mixed environment for so long.‖
Customer Profile Jose Ricardo Ribeiro, Chief Information Officer, Conductor
Conductor is the one of the largest credit-
card processing outsourcers in Brazil. The
Conductor, a credit-card processing outsourcer, provides credit
company provides a full range of services
from credit applications to billing services. card issuers with comprehensive services. Internally, it supports a
mix of desktop systems and a heterogeneous IT infrastructure.
Software and Services
2007 Microsoft Office System However, the mixed environments led to support inefficiencies, lack
Microsoft Server Product Portfolio
of interoperability between servers, and difficulty exchanging files
− Microsoft SQL Server 2000
− Microsoft SQL Server 2005 internally. By using the Microsoft-Novell interoperability agreement,
− Windows Server 2003
Conductor has alleviated these issues and expects to save 55
− Microsoft Exchange Server 2007
Linux Server Product Portfolio percent on hardware, energy, and support costs.
− SUSE Linux Enterprise Server v10 SP1
Technologies
− Open XML Formats
Business Needs Chief Information Officer at Conductor. ―We
In 1998, the Brazilian company Conductor build custom solutions for nearly 10,000
Hardware
was founded to provide retail businesses retailers and some of the major private
Dell PowerEdge 1955
and financial institutions with customized banks in Brazil. We maintain 8,000 card
credit-card processing and billing systems. brands, process 200,000 credit applications
Conductor’s clients needed a supplier that monthly, and support more than 7 million
could deliver the full range of credit-card individual cards and cardholders—our
services—from application processing to services must be reliable 24 hours a day,
monthly billing. Conductor’s offerings include seven days a week.‖
customer care, credit application processing,
billing management, and fraud prevention. Conductor supports a host of servers,
For more information about other Microsoft ―Today, we are Brazil’s leading private label operating systems, and applications. The mix
customer successes, please visit:
credit-card processor, and a major provider includes the 2007 Microsoft® Office system
www.microsoft.com/casestudies
of hybrid cards,‖ says Jose Ricardo Ribeiro, and OpenOffice running on its more than
600 desktops, Microsoft SQL Server™ 2000 He found that the move to SUSE Linux would OpenDocument formats, Microsoft and
and 2005 database software, the Windows be further enhanced by the Microsoft and Novell are improving interoperability
Server® 2003 operating system, Microsoft Novell interoperability agreement. between office productivity applications.
Exchange Server 2007, and a range of Linux- Representatives from the Microsoft office in
based systems upon which a key component Brazil encouraged Ribeiro to join a SUSE Using these translators, Conductor
of its data processing system runs. ―When I Linux support pilot program and to utilize information workers can send documents
joined Conductor, I inherited a mixed sales and support components of the created in OpenOffice to a colleague using
Microsoft and Linux IT environment,‖ explains agreement as well as development benefits Microsoft Office applications and never worry
Ribeiro. ―I needed to reduce the company’s that would allow Conductor to run a Windows that the file is unreadable. ―Call-center
support needs and consolidate the systems or Linux virtualized server environment. employees don’t have time to struggle with
as much as possible. Our customers have unreadable documents,‖ says Ribeiro. ―The
mixed environments, too, and, as our Today, he has consolidated support for the interoperability between Open XML and the
business grows, we must continue to maintain heterogeneous environment with two OpenDocument file format allows us to save
a very efficient and reliable IT and vendors: Microsoft and Novell. And with the and send documents in their original formats
communication infrastructure in order to development components of the agreement, with no data loss.‖
support them properly.‖ Ribeiro has deployed Windows Server 2003
virtual machines running on a Linux Virtualization Resource Savings
Conductor also experienced interoperability virtualization solution. The file exchange Running a virtualized server environment is
problems when exchanging OpenOffice and difficulties between OpenOffice and the bringing additional efficiencies to Conductor.
2007 Office system–based documents Microsoft Office system have now been Not only can Ribeiro remove older machines
internally. eliminated as well. ―Suddenly, I have solved from the environment but he has also
my server consolidation and support reduced the total number of machines
Solution problems, and more,‖ says Ribeiro. ―I also needed to maintain the system. ―With our
In November 2006, Microsoft and Novell have an answer to the server virtualization virtualized server environment we are doing
announced a set of business and technical and document file compatibility issues that more with less hardware. We expect to save
collaboration agreements to build, market, plagued our mixed environment for so long.‖ 40 percent on hardware and energy costs,‖
and support a series of new solutions to make says Ribeiro.
their products work better together. Some Benefits
components of the agreement include a Conductor is reaping rewards from the Consolidated Support
jointly developed virtualization solution, agreement. It has an efficient, virtualized Using the support certificates purchased
improved OpenOffice and Microsoft Office server infrastructure and enjoys trouble-free with the SUSE Linux Enterprise Server
document format compatibility, federated document exchange. The company can licenses, Conductor now enjoys support for
identity, and standards-based system continue to grow without fear of its virtualized environment 24 hours a day,
management for managing mixed Windows® overburdening its systems and it has access seven days a week. The certificates are valid
and SUSE Linux Enterprise environments. to mission-critical support services from a for 12 months and can be renewed annually.
single source. The processor’s ability to In terms of support costs, Conductor expects
In April 2006, Ribeiro, determined to improve provide excellent service is bringing in new to save 15 percent. ―If there is a problem
IT efficiency, explored consolidating all his business as well. In 2007, Conductor added with our system, I don’t have time to track
Linux-based systems onto SUSE Linux two major Brazilian banks to its list of clients down support technicians from multiple
Enterprise Server from Novell. Though he and is now processing Visa and MasterCard vendors. The Novell and Microsoft
couldn’t move to a single system transactions. agreement allows me to make one call,‖
environment, he wanted to at least move all says Ribeiro.
his Linux systems to one vendor, take Trouble-free Exchange of Documents
advantage of virtualization features, and By building translators to improve document
consolidate his Linux support. format compatibility between Open XML and
This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.
Document published November 2007