“In the more than two years that we’ve been using SQL Server2005, we have had no interruption. So we feel very secure about the scalability of the product.”

Celso Tonolli, IT Manager, Marcopolo

To improve scalability and management, Brazilian manufacturer Marcopolo implemented a solution based on Microsoft SQL Server 2005. The solution supports its mission-critical SAP environment and 9 terabytes of data. As a result, the company has improved performance and reliability, and IT management is also easier. As its business expands, and it continues to streamline and consolidate its IT environment, Marcopolo looks forward to a future supported by Microsoft technology.

Business NeedsBased in Caxias do Sol, Brazil, Marcopolo manufactures bus bodies, including touring coaches and intermunicipal, urban, and micro buses. The company produces more than half the bus bodies made in Brazil and exports its products worldwide. It has 18,000 employees and reported revenue of U.S.$1.7 billion in 2010.

The IT department at Marcopolo is closely aligned with the company’s business goals. “The IT department acts as strategic support for the company,” says Celso Tonolli, IT Manager at Marcopolo. “It always strives for operational excellence, reduced costs, and more efficient industrial processes.”

In the past, Marcopolo had designed its own technology solutions, and different vendors supplied the company’s firewall, email system, and database software. This heterogonous environment was difficult to manage, and the company was also concerned about reliability and performance. In particular, it wanted a highly scalable and reliable database solution to support its mission-critical SAP system, which the company depends on for business intelligence, human resources, and customer resource management capabilities.

SolutionMarcopolo decided to implement a solution with Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition data management software running on the Windows Server 2003 Enterprise Edition operating system. The solution also includes Microsoft Internet Security and Acceleration Server (ISA) 2006 Enterprise Edition to enhance security, and Microsoft Exchange Server 2003 Enterprise Edition for email. Cristian Bernardi, IT Analyst at Marcopolo, says, “We could integrate everything with Microsoft and have a network, firewall, and database from a single provider.”

The company turned to Processor Informática, a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner, for help. In addition to assisting with implementation, the IT services provider also helped configure user interfaces and provided training. The project included replacing the existing Oracle database, which ran on the HP-UX operating system, with SQL Server 2005 running on Windows Server 2003. Next, the company migrated its SAP data to SQL Server 2005. The solution went live in the first quarter of 2008 and currently supports 9 terabytes of data and approximately 1,300 SAP users daily.

BenefitsBy implementing the Microsoft mission-critical platform, Marcopolo has improved

Customer: MarcopoloWebsite: www.marcopolo.com.brCustomer Size: 18,000 employeesCountry or Region: BrazilIndustry: Manufacturing—Automotive and industrial manufacturingPartner: Processor InformáticaPartner Website: www.processor.com.br

Customer ProfileMarcopolo is a bus manufacturer based in Caxias do Sul, Brazil. The company makes more than half of Brazil’s bus bodies, and it exports coaches worldwide. Marcopolo reported revenue of U.S.$1.7 billion in 2010.

Software and Services Microsoft Server Product Portfolio− Windows Server 2003 Enterprise

Edition − Microsoft Exchange Server 2003

Enterprise Edition− Microsoft Internet Security and

Acceleration Server 2006 Enterprise Edition

− Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Enterprise Edition

For more information about other Microsoft customer successes, please visit: www.microsoft.com/casestudies

Microsoft Server Product PortfolioCustomer Solution Case Study

Brazilian Manufacturer Improves Scalability and IT Management with Database Solution

scalability and IT administration. The company looks forward to expanding its business with Microsoft solutions.

More Reliable, Scalable InfrastructureMarcopolo has achieved its goals of a more reliable, easily managed IT environment with the Microsoft solution. “In the more than two years that we’ve been using SQL Server 2003, we have had no interruption,” says Tonolli. “So we feel very secure about the scalability of the product.”Improved IT ManagementBy implementing a solution based on the Microsoft platform and SQL Server 2005, Marcopolo has improved administration and gained more confidence in the integrity of its data. “SQL Server offers some good features, such as a basic online index rebuild, huge tables, index creation suggestions, and dynamic management views that provide insight into how the database is running,” says Bernardi. “We can trust the information 100 percent.”

Stronger FutureMarcopolo looks forward to building its business with Microsoft technology. “The Marcopolo relationship with Microsoft has been growing steadily throughout the years,” says Tonolli. “Every time we look at the future of Microsoft products and our company’s own future strategy, we see a convergence and we feel very confident.”

This case study is for informational purposes only. MICROSOFT MAKES NO WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, IN THIS SUMMARY.

Document published July 2011