Enbridge Deploys Over 50 Service-Oriented Applications via Plumtree Enterprise Web Suite
Enterprise Web leader Plumtree Software announced that Enbridge Inc. (TSX, NYSE: ENB), a leader in energy transportation and distribution, has deployed the Plumtree Enterprise Web Suite to 4,000 employees. Over the past ten years, Enbridge has grown rapidly through acquisitions to operate the world’s longest crude oil and liquids pipeline system. By creating an enterprise-wide Web environment to span the entire organization, Enbridge has been able to eliminate redundant servers, integrate backend systems like PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources Management and IBM Lotus Domino Web Access in one site, and allow different operating units to easily share information for the first time via service-oriented applications.
“Enbridge’s rapid growth has resulted in a federated business model, which requires that we support different business processes, networks, application servers and enterprise systems,” said Reg Elliott, director of IT strategic relationships at Enbridge. “Rather than replacing every business unit’s infrastructure with a single set of infrastructure, we were able to get a return on our existing assets through the Web Services Architecture of Plumtree’s Enterprise Web Suite. Today, our employees are able to share information across a wide range of systems.”
What’s in Enbridge’s Enterprise Web?
Prior to deploying the Plumtree Enterprise Web Suite in October 2002, Enbridge had many disparate intranet sites; e-mails with large attachments were routinely sent throughout the company and there were only local shared file servers for storing and searching documents. Enbridge also had difficulty communicating across regions and time zones with offices distributed throughout North America. To overcome these challenges, Enbridge deployed an integrated portal and collaboration solution from Plumtree that provided a single place for employees ― including those from newly acquired companies ― to share information.
Known as e>Source 2, Enbridge’s portal contains over 12,000 documents and 50 project- and department-based applications. These include the:
- CIO Office application which provides comprehensive details on Enbridge-wide IT direction and usage, including analyst documents, vision papers and projects;
- Gas Distribution Environment Health and Safety application which uses the Plumtree Portlet Framework for Microsoft Excel to show loss time injury graphs, severity levels and preventable accidents; and
- Board of Directors application which provides board members secure access to information for board meetings.
As a result, Enbridge decreased security administration work by eliminating intranet servers and security systems, and avoided printing and distribution costs by delivering information through the portal instead of producing costly binders. Today, instead of duplicating IT efforts, Enbridge’s developers spend their time creating new applications, based in part on data and services hosted in existing systems. Enbridge also believes the portal has lowered communication costs and accelerated integration of employees from newly acquired companies by keeping them better informed and more productive.
Plumtree Chosen for Web Services Architecture
Enbridge chose Plumtree for its integrated portal and collaboration solution for employees, customers and partners. With Plumtree’s Web Services Architecture, Enbridge avoided being locked into a single vendor’s suite of products and integrated information from a wide range of systems including PeopleSoft Enterprise Human Resources Management, IBM Lotus Domino Web Access (iNotes) and iPlanet Directory Server.
The public can read more about Plumtree’s customers in the oil and gas industry at http://www.plumtree.com/customers/industries/energy_utilities/
About Plumtree Software
Plumtree Software is the Enterprise Web leader. Plumtree’s mission is to create a comprehensive Web environment for employees, customers and partners across the enterprise to interact with different systems and work together. Plumtree’s Enterprise Web solution consists of integration products for bringing resources from traditional systems together on the Web, shared services such as collaboration, content management and search for building new Web applications, and a portal platform for delivering these Web applications to broad audiences. Plumtree’s independence and its Web Services Architecture allow this solution to span rival platforms and systems, helping maximize customers’ return on their existing technology investments. With offices in more than a dozen countries, Plumtree has over licensed over 600 customers, including Boeing, Ford Motor Company, Procter & Gamble and the U.S. Navy.
About Enbridge
Enbridge Inc. is a publicly traded Canadian company and a leader in energy transportation and distribution in North America and internationally. The company operates, in Canada and the U.S., the world’s longest crude oil and liquids pipeline system. It also owns and operates Canada’s largest natural gas distribution company and delivers gas to approximately 1.6 million customers in Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick and New York State.
Plumtree is a registered trademark of Plumtree Software, Inc. and/or its subsidiaries in the US and/or other countries. All other registered and unregistered trademarks in this document are the sole property of their respective owners.
