Business Connexion (BCX) has signed a three-year contract with specialist software provider JMR Software for the supply and maintenance of the William Data Systems’ ZEN suite of z/OS network management software for its data centre.
The optimal functioning of the z/OS environment is vital for Business Connexion, as it runs mission-critical ICT systems and manages products, services and solutions for many of South Africa’s largest and most demanding IT clients.

Dean Joseph, principal Network Engineer says, “The ZEN software solution replaces our legacy network management system, which required extensive customisation and was extremely expensive to operate.

“In addition, because it was command driven, often the data returned has to be interpreted by experienced z/OS network engineers, access to z/OS network diagnostics was slow and complicated and problems took longer than necessary to diagnose.”

JMR Software represents William Data Systems (WDS) in South Africa, which has a worldwide reputation for pioneering development in the z/OS software market and which authored, developed and supports the ZEN Suite of z/OS network management products.

“Our goal is to produce software that enables our worldwide customer base to improve continuity of business operations at less cost, says Simon Cooper, Business Development Manager at WDS.

The implementation of the ZEN z/OS Suite within Business Connexion followed a three-month pilot project, which demonstrated huge cost and time savings as well as the benefits of quick problem diagnosis.

“We have had a fantastic partner in JMR software. In an environment where service delivery is critical, it’s beneficial to have a product that provides such a satisfactory user experience,” says Shalini Maharaj, software asset analyst for Business Connexion.

Business Connexion is rated as the number one data services centre in South Africa by growth partnership company Frost & Sullivan, with an estimated 27 percent share of the local data centre services market.