AGM Automated Deployment

Introduction

AGM has been helping high tech oil & gas companies implement next-generation geological interpretation solutions. Customers depend on AGM to provide powerful, easy-to-use software that directly contributes to their business bottom line.

AGM has training facilities in Houston and London, where it trains customers on its Recon software and integration with Landmark products. The servers and desktops utilized for the training must run specific builds of the operating system (Linux), database and applications stack, and must be refreshed before each training class.

Challenge

With successful sales of their Recon product line, AGM was forced to run multiple training classes back-to-back, necessitating quick turn around on refreshing all of the systems back to a “known state”. In addition, new versions of Landmark, Oracle and the Linux operating system would have required an army of system, database and application administrators working many man hours to constantly build the systems. AGM could have outsourced this to a consulting support group or vendor, or hired in their own people (in three different geographical areas). Either option would have required shipping master DVDs to all sites to ensure the consistency of the system builds. Both of these options would have incurred large costs, which would have affected not only AGM’s bottom line but their customers satisfaction levels with the training and ultimately the product.

Solution Delivered

AGM chose to automate this build process by implementing GeoComputing Group’s (GCG) Automated Deployment System (ADS) to auto-provision the desktops and server in both sites used for training. The resulting system provides a revolutionary hands-off process for provision the systems with the correct build every time, in a timely and cost effective manner for each session. The resulting system works for all three sites, removing the requirement for people with the required knowledge at all three locations and shortening the turnaround time for all parties involved. The solution removed costs, time and uncertainty from the training preparation process.

Conclusions

Technology must work for you, not against you. AGM working with GeoComputing Group were able to find and deploy the right technology to increase AGM’s ability to deliver its core business: Best-in-class applications for geological interpretation.