Electricity distributor Kenya Power has today announced that it has integrated one of the world’s most advanced data warehousing and online transactions processing machines. Kenya power became can now boast that it is the first company in Sub-Saharan Africa to adopt Oracle Exadata, a database machine that provides 'extreme performance for both data warehousing and online transaction processing (OLTP) applications. The company becomes the first local firm to deploy the high performance machine and is among the top ten leading organisations in Africa that have deployed the machine.
Through a competitive tender, Kenya Power recently picked local IT solutions provider Seven Seas Technologies to facilitate the provision of cutting edge IT solutions which involves the integration of an Oracle Exadata Database Machine.
The new machine will allow Kenya Power to Warehouse its operational data while boosting its online transactions which are particularly critical in the on-going prepaid metering project and related automations projects at Kenya Power.

Speaking in Nairobi, Kenya Power Chief Manager, Information Technology and Telecommunications Eng Johnson Ole Nchoe confirmed that the power distribution firm has integrated an Oracle Exadata machine to guarantee efficiency and quality service delivery.

The move to adopt global IT benchmarks is also part of Kenya Power’s ongoing commitment to intensify efforts to increase population access to electricity from the current 29% to a target of 40% by the year 2020 as part of a medium-plan target of the Vision 2030.

The integration of the new Exadata database machine by Seven Seas Technologies is expected to facilitate real time data processing on the Kenya Power’s IT platforms and is part of the firm’s efforts to provide better customer service delivery through information technology systems.

Following the successful prepaid metering pilot runs by Kenya Power, the firm’s reliance on Information Technology systems will remain on a growth trend as the firm seeks to ensure customer satisfaction.

“With the installation of the Oracle Exadata machine, our customers on all platforms including the pre-pay bill platform will enjoy better, faster, efficient and more up to date services,” says Ole Nchoe.

On his part, Seven Seas Technologies Founder & CEO Michael Macharia explains that Kenya Power stands to gain immense benefits on both its corporate and customer platforms.

The Oracle Exadata Database Machine, Macharia discloses, is the only database machine that provides extreme performance for both data warehousing and online transaction processing (OLTP) applications, making it the ideal platform for consolidating onto grids or private clouds.

“It is a complete package of servers, storage, networking, and software that is massively scalable, secure, and redundant,” Macharia points out.

With the Oracle Exadata Database Machine, Macharia expects Kenya Power to cost effectively reduce its IT costs through consolidation, management of  more data on multiple compression levels while improving performance of all applications and making better business decisions in real time.