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We Secure your Digitalization!

While digitalization offers enormous opportunities and solutions to many of the challenges facing Europe, including during the COVID-19 crisis, it also exposes the European economy and society to cyber threats. SAMA PARTNERS Business Solutions GmbH is encountering this fact very closely among its partners and customers and is strongly committed to the thematic. We have carried out a large part of our projects in the Energy, Pharma & Healthcare, Logistics & Transport, Finance, Automotive, Industrials, Government & Public Sector and other sectors.

Energy

Our experts worked out and established a complete scaled agile methodology which cohere with the customers requirements regarding the agile manifesto and the support of a multi-stream projects running side by side.

Web Application Penetration Testing

In order to ensure the security of its new customer portal, our team supported an energy provider from southern Germany with the execution of web application penetration testing. Our experts services included the preparation, organization, coordination and execution of the tests. It was particularly important to include all stakeholders involved in order to guarantee a smooth process. The test execution was based on the OWASP Top 10 security risks for web applications, in close coordination with the customer, to ensure secure processing of customer data. Thanks to the targeted tests, security gaps could be ruled out and the energy provider's new private and business customer portal went online without fear of data loss.

Introduction of SEPA

A southern German energy supplier wanted to convert its Internet portals to SEPA (Single European Payment Area). We were contracted for the technical project management for the introduction or conversion of the portals. In the course of the project, not only were legal and functional requirements coordinated and planned by the legislator and the specialist department, but the technical implementation and programming were also carried out. In addition, adjustments to other systems involved in the process had to be agreed and coordinated, and the smooth interactive go-live of the individual Internet portals for private and business of the project, the portal, converted to SEPA, went online and complies with all legal requirements.

Implementation of a Service-oriented Architecture

A German energy supplier was confronted with the requirement of a market opening of the power grid. In order to successfully accomplish the extensive and long-term project, experienced consultants from SAMA PARTNERS were involved.

Together with employees of the company, several Scrum teams were formed, which carried out regular sprints. This led to an agile approach in the project. The individual teams covered different areas, such as market communication, internal processes at the network operator and the function as electricity supplier. The focus was to be on separating the roles of network operator and electricity supplier. An IT solution with separate systems had to be implemented.

Our consultants provided significant support to the project in the design and governance of the IT architecture through consultation-compliant specifications, as well as solutions for decoupling or integrating with other systems in the company. Important tasks were also a requirements analysis in the Scrum environment, the structuring of requirements and the creation of functional models, as well as a detailed representation of the process chains, in the context of business process management.

Furthermore, our development specialists modeled and implemented an innovative backend system for data management and processing using Java and carried out integration tests.

As an important deliverable, two different and independent IT systems were available that mapped and supported the processes of the network operator on the one hand and those of the electricity supplier on the other.

Implementation of a Service-oriented Architecture

IT - Technologic Topics

  • Digitalization
  • Modernization
  • cloud management
  • Information Security Management
  • Process Optimization
  • Project Management
  • Managed Application Services

Technical Topics

  • Network calculation
  • Protection technology
  • Energy database : Power plant gas / Electricity balance / Energy balance
  • Commissioning/grid connection
  • Residential/Commercial Business - Gas, Water, Electricity / Internet Self Services
  • Energy trading
  • Quality management Fleet
  • Maintenance Subway, Bus, Tram/Mobile Maintenance
  • Material management
  • Construction management system
  • Electronic damage files
  • Energy consulting
  • Support programs
  • Hydrology management
  • Corrosion rate tracking/testing
  • Minute server retrievals
  • Redispatch 2.0
  • Maintenance Subway, Bus, Tram/Mobile Maintenance
  • Material management
  • Construction management system
  • Electronic damage files
  • Energy consulting
  • Support programs
  • Hydrology management
  • Corrosion rate tracking/testing
  • Minute server retrievals
  • Redispatch 2.0

Pharma & Healthcare

Portfolio for Healthcare, Information, IT and Cybersecurity :

- Data protection and data security

- Audit of the security of institutions in the Healthcare

- Audit of the security of healthcare IT

- Process analysis and optimization

- Secure connections and integration of IT solutions

Learn more about our success stories we had with our Pharma & Healthcare partners.
 
 

Plant Engineering: Increasing Efficiency in Production Operations

Due to inefficiencies in the production operation, a German manufacturer of automation systems commissioned us for the automation and more efficient design of the processes.

The main focus of the project was the plant-specific creation of automated processes, the preparation and adaptation of software for PLC with Simatic S7 and the visualization as well as programming of new functions, which should enable an increase in efficiency. Other activities that our consultants undertook included setting up the improved software and commissioning the plant. They also developed a display model to help operators understand the plant more quickly in the future.

Challenges in the project arose primarily from the need to quickly understand and apply the new vector step chains. It was also important to design the architecture and structure of the software in a comprehensible way and to optimize the process in such a way that the protection of people was ensured, material damage was avoided and the defined cycle of the equipment was complied with.

Our experts ensured that the company's ideas were always met, despite the tight time frame, and that customer requirements were taken into account at all times. Thanks to a well thought-out and targeted approach, processes could be automated and machine handling significantly simplified.

Manufacturing Industry: Architecture and Software Optimization

At one of the most important manufacturers of electrical and thermoelectric materials as well as passive components for various industries, SAMA PARTNERS provided support in the area of precision engineering.

The calibration of manufactured parts is a central process step in precision engineering. Our customer wished to improve its functionality and stability in order to meet the increasing requirements and quantities.

SAMA PARTNERS therefore provided support in optimizing the architecture of the system and revising the existing software. The tools we used included Microsoft Visual Studio 2013 and Simatic Manager Step 7, and Oracle and Ingres were used as databases.

Through our efforts, we improved the error messages and status displays on the system and created a simplified display that allowed for quick and clear operability.

IT Security Management in Public Administration

SAMA PARTNERS supported the administration of a German federal state in the area of IT security management.

We acted as consultants in the IT security assessment and the creation of IT changes within the change process. Furthermore, we supported the creation of IT security concepts and helped, within our expert service, in different security projects of the customer. Topics such as vulnerability management of Windows clients and other active network components as well as the preparation and derivation of measures from the data obtained were further focal points of our assignment.

Manufacturing: Test Management

An industrial group from southern Germany commissioned us with test management for the replacement of its legacy systems. The group wanted to achieve a precise analysis of the functions and an increased quality level of its software through the test execution.

SAMA PARTNERS accompanied the client through the various steps, starting with the test planning, through a risk analysis, and ending with the test results. The smooth cooperation with the customer was always in the foreground, as this was the only way to carry out the test on time and within budget.

SharePoint Implementation

A housing association planned to replace its intranet portal and LotusNotes system landscape with Microsoft SharePoint. The new portal was to simplify cross-company communication, offer distinctive document management capabilities, and map business processes with interactive applications. All this had to be achieved under high cost pressure. SAMA PARTNERS supported its client in implementing the project and not only defined a modular architecture that met all requirements in terms of functions, expandability and cost-effectiveness, but also set up a special process model that ensured full cost control and project management at all times in a changing environment.

Our Services & Solutions for the Networked Healthcare System of the Future

Logistics & Transport

Learn more about our successes stories we had with our Logistics & Transport partners.

Test Execution

During the product launch of an electronic delivery system, a logistics service provider contracted SAMA PARTNERS for an application product test. The goal was to ensure that the business requirements for the applications were met. For the test stage, as part of the fundamental test process, we ensured that the results to be delivered were complete and of the desired quality. By standardizing the delivery results, the customer was able to review the intermediate results at an early stage.

Service Management: Contract Consolidation

On behalf of an airline, SAMA PARTNERS faced the challenges of translating services from legacy contracts into a new contract structure.

The focus of the assignment was on the identification of infrastructure services from all existing legacy contracts and the transfer of the services to the new contract structure. For this purpose, workshops and meetings were held to coordinate the implementations. In addition, the service quantities of each company in the passenger transportation company were identified and the services recorded were reconciled with them. An initial quantity for the company's ordering tool also had to be compiled.

The challenges in this project arose primarily from the large group of people involved. Getting all those responsible and involved around the table and consolidating the various views of the contracts required commitment and perseverance. Our consultants took a clear position at all times and acted as mediators between the individual parties. In this way, the project was brought to a successful conclusion.

Implementation of an Information Security Management System According to ISO 27001

For an isolated production environment, we implemented an information security management system according to ISO 27001 based on BSI IT-Grundschutz for a logistics service provider. A quality management system in accordance with ISO/IEC 9001:2008 and an internal control system that meets the requirements of the IDW auditing standard IDW PS 951 were integrated into this system. The customer was successfully supported in the certification of the management systems. The integration created synergy effects and improved service quality.

Process Optimization

In the course of a legacy system modernization at a customer in the airline industry, we designed, developed and put into operation a framework as a solution and to support various business processes in the handling area. In the process, various applications were modernized, modularly structured and implemented in the framework. In addition, we were able to accelerate process flows enormously and thus achieve cost savings in the operational process. To improve maintenance and availability, we established an application support lifecycle and introduced incident management.

Finance

We offer to assist our customers to enhance their IT risk management approaches in dealing with IT risks especially those endangering the privacy, confidentiality, availability or integrity of its data assets.

IT Service Management

At a large financial services provider in the Rhine-Main area, our consultants were tasked with helping to design and develop a global system for monitoring IT performance. By continuously collecting and visualizing the IT key performance indicators of the offered IT services (SLA, capacity, availability monitoring) and the operated IT systems (cost drivers, production disruptions), the IT management was enabled to be informed about all relevant parameters of the service operation at any time. The focus was on increasing the efficiency of data collection while improving data quality by designing and optimizing technical interfaces for fully and semiautomated data collection. This made an important initial contribution to establishing continuous service improvement (CSI) in accordance with ITIL V3.

Operating Model Conversion

A German insurance group wanted to convert its operating model to ITIL® V3. Our team of experts was responsible for planning, implementing, reviewing and adapting the processes. Together with the internal process managers, we developed and implemented the process map. The operating model had to ensure a coordinated approach to each process. To ensure that the cost, quality and support targets were met when the project was handed over to the line organization, the project activities were handed over to them upon completion. At the end of the project, our customer had implemented, measurable and improved IT processes by at least one maturity level.

Web Portal Development

An international financial services provider wanted the development of a web portal for its customers worldwide. SAMA PARTNERS was called in as a consulting firm to fill in the missing know-how and to maintain the portal after development.

During the development we mainly took care of front-end issues using CMS (FirstSpirit), PHP, HTML5 and JavaScript among others. It was important for the client to get support on deployment issues, so we also helped with the implementation of the portal. We enabled automation of processes and thus shorter release cycles. In addition, we were able to help our client establish "coding guidelines", creating a sustainable solution for the future and ensuring higher code quality.

Automotive

The automotive industry is taking the issue of cybersecurity very seriously. Its actors are looking for ways to difficult and complex challenges: automation, connectivity, shared mobility and alternative fuels.

Cybersecurity risks have been exposed - Our partners trust us to end those risks.

• Security assessment (technical, organizational, process-related)           
• Preventive monitoring / security monitoring           
• Securing the charging infrastructure           
• Support in securing e-mobility solutions           
• Securing of Over the Air Update (OTA)           
• Automotive Security & Safety           
• Cyber Threat Intelligence Data for e-mobility and Automotive

Identification and correlation of key e-mobility specific Cyber Thread Intelligence Information (CTI) sources and sharing these between the members, to setup correct defense strategies

Combining the Integrating of e-mobility specific and actual CTI Information together with a dedicated Security Operating Center (SOC) to increase the detection rate of targeted attacks.

Government & Public sector

Cybersecurity: a Key Issue in the Digital Transformation of the Public Sector!

We accompany you trustfully governments and public sector organizations to manage contentious issues that disrupt their operations.
SAMA PARTNERS helps you build a reliable and resilient new digital environment - even in the face of evolving threats.

National Post & Logistic Company

Implementation, operation and support of certification audits of a combined management system (IT security/quality) according to ISO 27001/ISO 9001.

Bavarian Utilities Company

Consulting and support in handling information security incidents and documenting security concepts as well as conducting web penetration tests.

Regional Healthcare Utilities

Secure and high available mobile application for radiology imaging reading and documentation that can be used in emergency use cases due to a lack of radiologists onsite. The delivery included the software, the commented code, the installation procedure and a user manual based on customers’ requirements.

Our hands-on expertise coupled with our cutting-edge tool arsenal,           
will put your threats at bay!

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