IBM At Wimbledon Technology Summary
N/A (June 05, 1998) – A network of 60 IBM personal computers provides administrative support to the Club throughout the year. During The Championships, more than 150 desktop systems attached to IBM PC servers – including IBM ThinkPad notebook computers – are brought in to manage data entry and the Championships Information System (CIS).
Thin Film Technology (TFT) computer screens are used in the tight confines of the Centre Court commentary positions.
IBM AS/400
The world’s best selling mid-range computer supports the Club’s administrative, financial, ticketing and debenture systems.
IBM Printing
30 fast, efficient laser printers serve all the printing needs of the Championships Information System including results bulletins, player biographies, and match statistics. The printers even produce the players’ prize money cheques.
SOFTWARE
IBM Software
Key applications include the Championships Information System (CIS), commentator and database servers running on IBM’s operating system OS/2 Warp. The complete physical network is managed by IBM LAN Network Manager. This combination of IBM software products ensures a consistent and reliable Service across the whole Wimbledon site.
NETWORKS
The Network
The IBM 8250 and 8260 Multiprotocol Intelligent Hubs support the fibre-optic and copper connectivity requirements across the site including the new No 1 Court complex and the International Broadcast Centre.
APPLICATIONS
Championships Information System (CIS)
The most comprehensive source of Championships Information including match facts, player profiles and historical data, CIS gives fingertip access to players, tennis fans, and officials.
The service merges databases (including the Championships Information System and the Wimbledon Championships Database), live BBC court camera feeds, statistics, historical information and pictures of players into one multimedia application accessible through IBM touch sensitive screens.
The Wimbledon Web Site
A comprehensive Championships results service is available on the Internet again this year, providing up-to-the-minute scores and information on all the matches at Wimbledon. Designed under the control of The All England Lawn Tennis Club, and designed and operated by IBM, this is the fourth year that an official results service has appeared on the Internet.
The Web site is powered by IBM’s RS/6000 Scaleable POWERParallel System known as the SP for short. The official web site can be found at: http://www.wimbledon.org.
Desktop Wimbledon
Integrating data, still pictures, video, graphics and sound in a single multimedia application, DeskTop Wimbledon brings video-on-demand to The Championships. This is also available throughout the year in the Wimbledon Museum alongside CIS.
SERVICES
IBM Services
IBM Global Services brings a range of consultancy skills to The Championships. These include:
IBM project management expertise – which delivers solutions, services and skills in order to bring together hardware, software, recruitment and training.
Software support – as well as various operational software from IBM, specialist programmes have been developed by IBM working in association with Spanish sports software specialist MSL.
Systems and Applications Design – the IBM Consultancy team has the responsibility to ensure that overall design is both achievable and fulfils the requirements of the media, press, players, officials and the general public.
Systems Management and Networking – the IBM team has responsibility for the implementation and support of high availability networks enabling the delivery of critical services and applications.
IBM reliability is supported by sophisticated contingencies put in place for dealing with potential problems, including backup equipment to ensure
continuity. This includes IT Site Services, Business Recovery Service (BRS) for the AS/400, UPS ‘Powerware’ (Uninterrupted Power Supplies) systems and Advanced Connectivity Systems which shield cables from nearby interference.
Source: IBM