Challenges

Through two decades of operations, EC21 has developed one of the industry’s most extensive information databases. Although EC21 has been very satisfied with the performance of its Oracle Database, the company wanted to reduce its high operating costs, in particular annual support fees. In addition, EC21 needed to improve IT productivity and pursue strategic projects such as cloud-based applications that would extend and grow its business. “We use Oracle Database as our core system for managing important data across our business. However, the cost of maintaining this critical system and ensuring performance and availability was quite steep,” says Hak-joon Lee, senior research associate, New Commerce Team, New Business Division for EC21. EC21 needed a cost-effective solution that would ensure it would receive ultra-responsive support to keep its database up and running with outstanding availability and performance.

Rimini Street Solution

After researching its options, EC21 chose Rimini Street to support its Oracle Database, which immediately slashed its annual maintenance and support fees by 50 percent. EC21 also gained access to value-added services such as performance tuning, interoperability support and security guidance at no additional charge. Hak-joon Lee says that EC21 expects the new Rimini Street services will enable the company to extend the life and performance of its database as well as free funds and resources for more strategic projects over several years. In addition, EC21 expects to avoid the cost of forced upgrades that would have been required to stay fully supported by Oracle.

Client Results

• Reduced support and maintenance spend: EC21 is saving 50 percent of its previous Oracle Database annual support fees, while receiving more responsive support and value-added services like performance support at no extra cost.
• Received improved support services: Rimini Street’s Primary Support Engineer (PSE) model provides EC21 with an expert familiar with the company’s systems, resulting in faster issue resolution.
• Gained strategic flexibility: EC21 can now rely on its stable and effective Oracle Database environment for years to come, allowing IT resources to innovate by creating new cloud-based applications instead of upgrading its systems to remain fully supported.