A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
A combination of a hybrid network and a SAP implementation
across all its locations, has enabled Orchid to grow from Rs. 400
Million (US$ 8.3 Mio) in its first year of operation to a Rs. 3710
Million (US$ 78 Mio) in 2000-2001.
With its chosen path of aggressive growth, through investment in
expansion of product range and manufacturing facilities, Chennai
based OrchidChemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited (OCPL), has
grown from single manufacturing location in 1994 to a multi-location
company today. In 1997, an in-house business application called
Inventory Accounting System / Financial Accounting System (IAS /
FAS) was developed keeping in mind the single location of OCPL.
This application was used for capturing data of activities at the
manufacturing facility at Alathur and the head office. While this
solution ensured that the company’s business remained unaffected,
the power of data integration between multi locations was not
available. The architecture of IAS / FAS was such that, the two
systems could not be linked. Since time was short, it was decided that
a standard and totally integrated Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
application will be implemented. OCPL implemented SAP in 6
months.
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
Earlier days - solitary systems.
Initially OCPL started of with 10 base-T Local Area Network (LAN)
consisting of BNC, UTP & Thick Ethernet in 1995 at the Active
Pharmaceutical Ingredients (API) plant at Alathur and the head office.
At the same time a team of 18 software engineers was formed to
develop the GUI based IAS / FAS application to automate the various
business processes of OCPL. The application was ready for use in
1997 and was installed at both the locations. Says Raghu Ram N.C,
General Manager, IT, OCPL, “While the company’s business was
running smoothly with the IAS / FAS, there were many disadvantages
due to its deployment. Firstly both IAS / FAS were disparate systems
and data between the two systems was transferred through FTP. Data
from one location to another was uploaded through digital audio tapes
(DATs). Now this was not a standard and fool proof practice”. In 1998,
a radio link was established between the head office and the
manufacturing facility at Alathur for communications.
Due to the rapid growth of the company, the number of nodes rose
from approximately 50 to over 175. As the nodes were widespread,
the response of the nodes during interaction with end users was very
slow on the 10 Base-T LAN. “Moving along with the company’s policy
of operating with cutting edge technology, and feeling that the current
IT infrastructure did not support multi-location operations, we
undertook a total revamp of our computer technology in 2000”, says
Raghu Ram
The structured approach
Since OCPL was a multi location company by 2000, it started
revamping its local area networks. New PremisNET Cat 5E structured
cabling solutions from KRONE were installed across all its locations.
The desktops used in OCPL are mainly HP and IBM based
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
P-III and P-IV machines, and the servers being HP L 2000 Unix
Servers and HP LH netservers for applications like ERP, mailing,
intranet and the Internet. Rathna Communications, a Chennai based
system integrator was handed the job of doing the local area network.
• Head Office: Consists of a 325 node structured cabling UTP
network. Active components used are 10 D-link switches and 10
D-link 10 base-T hubs.
• Alathur API Plant: Consists of a 225 node structured cabling
switched network of OFC running up to 2 kms & UTP cables
running up to 10 kms. Active components used are 10 Nortel
Networks Baystack 450 switches.
• Alathur FDF Plant: Consists of a 50 node structured cabling
switched network of OFC & UTP cables. Active components
used are 3 Nortel Networks Baystack 450 switches.
• R&D Centre: Consists of a 100 node structured cabling UTP
network. Active components used are 10 D-link 10 Base-T hubs.
• Aurangabad API Plant: Consists of a 75 node structured
cabling switched network of OFC & UTP cables. Active
components used are 6 Nortel Networks Baystack 450 switches.
Across the border line
The wide area network at OCPL is a hybrid system. It uses a
combination of VSATs, leased lines, ISDN lines and radio link for
connectivity. The head office at Chennai is connected to the Alathur
API plant by a 64 Kbps VSAT PAMA link, and is backed up by an
ISDN dial up access. The R&D centre and the plant at Aurangabad
are connected to the head office by a 64 Kbps leased line and are
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
backed up by an ISDN dial up access. Connectivity between the
plants at Alathur API & Alathur FDF is by a 11 Mbps radio link. The
installation of the wide area network was done by HCL Comnet.
The optical way
The head office at Chennai consists of two buildings which are located
across a busy main road. To connect both the buildings, OPCL tried
out various options. “We initially looked at a HDSL 2 Mbps local loop
connection. The problem with this solution was the recurring cost,
laying cables for 4 kms because digging across the road was not
permitted and throughput was low. After a rigorous evaluation of
various solutions from vendors, we decided to go in for the Optical
Access – Infra red Terescope Etherlink solution from Krone based
on the revolutionary Free Space Optics, at the cost of Rs. 4 Lakhs
(US$ 8500)”, says Gopinath, Systems Manager, OPCL.
The optical access solution works on the principle of free space optics
and aims at proving last mile connectivity. “Optical access works only
if the line of sight is available between the two locations to be
connected, and it performs well under all climatic conditions. This
solution is easy to deploy, manage and requires very little
maintenance”, says Nikhil, country sales manager, AccessNet, Krone
Communications. At OPCL, two infrared Terescopes were installed,
one on each of the buildings, providing a 100 meter link, with a
throughput of 10 Mbps. “The optical solution was up and running in an
hour and the only maintenance required is to clean the Terescopes
lens once a while”, adds Gopinath.
Business with SAP
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
After extensive evaluation of 5 ERP solutions, OCPL decided to
implement SAP. “The end users at OCPL drew up the functional
requirements of the company and formed a statistical model. We
valued all the ERP products and found SAP best suited the statistical
model and our multi location business processes”, says Raghu Ram.
He further added that SAP is very well suited for a manufacturing
company like OCPL and it brings in information based decision in the
company.
OCPL implemented SAP R/3 version 4.6C in a record time of 6
months. Modules of SAP implemented were Finance, Controlling,
Sales & Distribution, Process Production for Process Industry, Plant
Maintenance, Quality Management, Material Management, Project
Systems, Human Resources & Payroll. A proud Raghu Ram says
“OCPL is one of the few company’s in India to have implemented all
modules of SAP, in all locations of the company at the same time in a
record time. This is called as the big bang approach”. SAP has
enabled OCPL complete integration of all its business functions and
has ensured transparency and availability of the right data, to the right
person, at the right time.
The road ahead
OCPL has drawn up a road map for the next two years for deploying
enterprise wide applications like Supply Chain Management,
Customer Relationship Management, Knowledge Management and
Manufacturing Execution Systems. “The IT infrastructure will be
improved and will be maintained on par with the relevant technologies
from time to time. The hardware and networking infrastructure will be
further strengthened and enhanced in line with investment in
Enterprise Wide Applications”, says Raghu Ram. The company also
has plans to go live with its B to B and B to C portal
www.healthorchid.com.
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
IT has enabled the OCPL to make the leap from an intuitive decision
making process to an interactive and information based decision
making process, hence improving not only the efficiency of decision
making but also the quality of the decisions.
The Company: OrchidChemicals and Pharmaceuticals Limited
(OCPL) is a multi location company with head quarters at Chennai,
manufacturing plants in three locations and an R&D centre. The
company is into manufacturing of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients
(API) and Full Dosage Forms (FDF).
The Need: The company needed an answer to support their multi
location business operations and at the same time the power of data
integration must be available.
The Solution: Fusion of various wide area networking technologies,
along with structured LANs, optical MANs and the power of SAP at all
the sites of OCPL.
The Benefits: The new solution allows data to be integrated easily
and permits multi location business functions to be carried out.
Communications among all the locations have become cheaper with
the installation of the wide area network.
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
“While the IAS / FAS solution ensured that the company’s business
remained unaffected, the power of data integration between multi
locations was not available”
“The wide area network at OCPL is a hybrid system. It uses a
combination of VSATs, leased lines, ISDN lines and radio link for
connectivity”
“OCPL is one of the few company’s in India to have implemented all
modules of SAP, in all locations of the company at the same time in a
record time”
R&D
Plant-3
Chennai (HO)
Plant-2
Plant-1
INSAT 3B
64K Leased line
64K V-SAT PAMA link
64K Radio link
ISDN backup line
11MBPS Radio Link
Chennai (Building - 2)
10MBPS Infrared Link
Metropolitan Area Network
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
This is Link 1 in
Building 1(Floor 4)
beaming to Link 2 at
Building 2 (Floor 3)
across the road
Both the links are fixed firmly behind the window with a clear line of
sight to each other. The installation and alignment was completed
overnight.
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
This is the part of the
comms room rack in
Building 1 which shows
the the Rate Selective
HDSL Ethernet Switch
(2 Mpbs) which is used
as a back-up.
The back up is a
product called H
Connect RS from M/s
Banyan Networks
Link 1 at Floor 4 Building 1 window as seen from the opposite side
A CaseStudy – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
For further details on Krone products contact:
sales.india@krone.com
Tel: ++91 80 225 1904
Fax: ++91 80 225 1693
www.krone.com
. time”
R&D
Plant-3
Chennai (HO)
Plant-2
Plant-1
INSAT 3B
64K Leased line
64K V-SAT PAMA link
64K Radio link
ISDN backup line
11MBPS Radio Link
Chennai (Building - 2)
10MBPS. OCPL are mainly HP and IBM based
A Case Study – Enterprise Networking – Cabling & Free Space Optics
P-III and P-IV machines, and the servers being