The Challenges Of Systems Integration

Whether upgrading or building a new production system, preparation and planning are key to ensuring the project can be completed on budget and on time.
With the economic challenges facing most businesses in the UK, and indeed beyond, it can be difficult to balance the bank book while taking advantage of the convenience offered by modern technology.
Bruce MacGregor, Director of Solutions at TSL Systems points out: “Customers of systems integrators (SIs) face a significant challenge right now, along with most businesses. Global economic times are tough, yet the rate of change of technology and the way in which consumers are now demanding and using content is accelerating at an ever increasing rate. If broadcasters fail to invest in new systems, they run the real risk of being overtaken by others.
“The desire to deliver the most advanced and innovative solutions must be tempered by the ultimate goal of delivering a project to a defined timeline and budget, so all targets set must be attainable.  With independence from the SI comes the ability to work with clients to develop bespoke solutions, often comprising of sub-systems from a selection of suppliers, to meet the project’s needs and expectations.
“Care needs to be taken in how this investment is made when it comes to the actual project itself.  Why is this?  If not enough time and effort is made in analysing the broadcaster’s specific operations and future business needs, the project may well not succeed.”
This is why consulting with one's integrator at the early stages of the project will ensure the right solution can be found easily, and within budget.
Indeed, time is of the essence when making decisions regarding system improvements.
MacGregor explains: “A solution is required for the client’s actual workflow and not simply one that is based solely on technical needs. In order to achieve this aim, we recommend that a reasonable period is spent on defining the detailed workflows and full operational requirements. From this work, an appropriate system design can be designed, noting the balance between essential and 'nice-to-have' functionality.
“The best advice is to devote the appropriate amount of time in the design and choice of technology, as this will have a crucial impact on the operating costs and future flexibility of the system. Never forget, a large playout and MAM system is likely to be in place for many years, so it’s best to spend quality time to get it right in the first place. Good foundations are always important.”
Steve Burgess, Technical Director at Megahertz Broadcast Systems, says the best way to begin the project is with a coordinated team approach; “so that within the company there is a broad understanding of what the project is going to do, how the operational requirements will be met by the new technology platform, and how the transition will be managed.
“Getting buy-in from the staff is the only way a project will run smoothly,” he says. “One certain way for a project to be late and over budget is to implement one thing then find that in practice it needs to be a bit different.”
“The key to any successful systems integration project is to be extremely diligent in determining the precise requirements before moving on. Particularly with modern file-based infrastructures, the technical prospects are endless, and so getting the scope of the system right first is critical.”
Of course, it goes without saying that consulting with a systems integration specialist is the most effective course of action for those companies faced with multiple choices while working against the clock.
“That is our job,” says Steve Burgess.
“From a good requirements specification, you have to trust your systems integrator for the detailed design. We invest a lot of time talking to all the leading vendors to understand their strengths and weaknesses.
“It means we can remain vendor-agnostic while recommending the best solution, and we understand what bespoke work needs to be done to create seamless integration, delivered on time and on budget.
Bruce MacGregor agrees: “All too often the operational team can demand every function that can be thought about, however this all comes with a cost,” he says.
“This is where the SI can demonstrate significant added value by constructively, yet firmly, managing the customer and design process to ensure the system ends up meeting the requirements, as well as being within the client’s budget.
“A good and experienced SI who undertakes several file-based projects every year can offer intelligent and vital guidance on this detailed design. This should be the SI's real area of expertise. 
“Whilst every project like this will require an element of customisation, the SI can give further added value by controlling the choice of technology and vendor selection to avoid excessive customisation taking place, with the inherent risks to the project timeline and potential overrun costs.”
“Probably the most significant change is the client’s expectation of timescale, both for the time allowed in responding to the Tender/RFP and the time taken for the project itself.  An SI will endeavour to keep timescales to a minimum, as this benefits all parties by reducing costs, but equally always try to explain the advantage of adopting a realistic approach, as this ensures expectations are met, but more importantly the best technical solution is produced.”
Steve Burgess adds: “Once the key vendors are chosen and the design is frozen, it is then the responsibility of the systems integrator to implement the project smoothly. It is important that the Systems Integrator has the tools and reporting mechanisms needed to correctly track the progress of the project, both in terms of time and budget and the depth of resources needed to cope with last minute snags or customer requested changes.”
However, while much of the hard work and expertise is ultimately down to the SI, preparation is vital with regards to taking on the new system once it is finished. Training and educating the relevant personnel ahead of implementation can be the difference between launching smoothly into full operation and spending precious time catching up with the new processes. As Steve Burgess puts it: “Finally, an efficient handover is needed, which may involve formal training, on-site guarantee engineers and certainly ongoing support. This will ensure that the system is put into operation as quickly and smoothly as possible.”
Read the article in the online edition of Regional Film and Video here.