Yemen's National Airline first to implement Sun Microsystems' Sun Ray Solution in republic

Yemenia, which flies to more than 30 destinations around the world, became the first organization in Yemen to deploy the ultra-thin client Sun Ray appliances after first following a "test before you invest" strategy and putting the solution through its paces at the Tech Access facility.

As part of the airline's technology upgrade, Yemenia initiated the project by selecting Mercator's RAPID revenue accounting system. RAPID extracts the financial and strategic data from tickets or cargo waybills that airlines need to plan better, react faster to rivals and compete more effectively. To maximize the benefits of the accounting solution, in terms of both cost-effectiveness and accessibility to employees, Yemenia opted to run the system on Sun Ray appliances.

"Competition amongst airlines in the Middle East is becoming extremely heated and technology is helping the region's aviation providers ensure that they stay ahead in the market," said Mr. Abdullah Al-Hothi, IT Manager, Yemenia.

"Yemenia has always been willing to break new ground in terms of aviation in the region, and we are proud to be the first organization in our country to implement Sun Ray technology. The project has created an IT environment where our employees can enjoy the benefits of Sun technology, including greater performance and productivity, as well as centralized access to information," added Al-Hothi.

"This superb Sun technology and the high-quality support services from Yemen Computer Co Ltd., the Sun partner in Yemen, are the key factors that persuaded us to opt for the Sun system," concluded Al-Hothi.

The airline selected the Sun Ray solution based on the technology's ability to run the RAPID system efficiently and cost-effectively in an Oracle database environment. The Sun Ray appliance is a "plug-and-work" desktop option that requires no client administration or upgrade, and enables Yemenia employees to operate in a "hot desk" environment that allows them to access their current work from any appliance within the workgroup just by inserting a smart card.

"Yemenia is an ideal example of an enterprise in the Middle East investing sensibly in technology that contributes to streamlining operations and cutting costs," said Stavros Vougas, channel and marketing manager, Sun Microsystems Middle East and North Africa.

"By implementing Sun Ray, the airline's centralized server architecture is providing a more secure environment, as well as upgraded virus protection. By not having to manage, administer, or configure its individual desktops, Yemenia is able to reduce the total cost of its desktop ownership," he continued.

Central to Yemenia's decision to implement Sun Ray was the Tech Access iForce Centre, based in Dubai Internet City. Launched in July 2002, the USD$1 million facility enables potential customers to build prototype technology solutions and evaluate their value before they've invested a single dollar.

"The core aim of the iForce Centre is to provide organizations in the Middle East with an off-site facility where they can test Sun technology and guarantee a solid return on their investment prior to deployment," said Martyn Molnar, business solutions architect, Tech Access.

"In partnership with Tech Access, Sun Microsystems and Yemen Computer Co. Ltd., Yemenia ensured that the Sun Ray solution exactly matched its business requirements before investing any of its budget, delivering greater peace-of-mind for its technology management and senior decision-makers," added Molnar.

Sun's partnership with Tech Access continues to expand as end-users from a range of sectors and countries endeavor to see solutions tested at the iForce Centre before deployment.

"By working with Tech Access, our customers get the opportunity to see their tailor-made solution up and running at an iForce centre before they commit to it," added Vougas.

"Yemenia is one of our top priority customers and we fulfilled all their IT requirements during the last 26 years. We are proud that they selected the most effective solution by opting for Sun Ray technology," said Abdullah T. Muraisi, sales manager of Yemen Computer Co. Ltd.