MBC Radio Reduces Implementation Costs by 40%, Cuts Database Migration Time from One Day to Four Hours
 
 

MBC Radio Reduces Implementation Costs by 40%, Cuts Database Migration Time from One Day to Four Hours

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Founded in 1961, MBC Radio is a leading radio station in the Republic of Korea—it has 50% of the radio-listening audience in the country. The station produces 15 of the 20 highest rated radio programs in the country, making it the preferred choice of the Korea Advertisers Association. MBC Radio is the radio arm of multimedia group MBC, a public broadcasting company that operates communications venues, including one terrestrial TV, three radio, five cable, four satellite, and five digital multimedia broadcasting channels.

 
 

 
 

Challenges

A word from MBC Radio

  • “We chose Oracle Database Appliance for its high availability and outstanding efficiency and performance—it is the perfect solution for broadcasting companies. As a result, we cut implementation costs by 40% and reduced database migration time from one day to four hours.” – Shin Yong-woo, Deputy General Manager and Project Manager, Engineering Department, MBC Radio

  • Ensure system stability, which is essential for seamless radio production and broadcasting
  • Prevent lapses in broadcasting (defined as 10 seconds or more) for which advertisers can claim compensation
  • Implement a system that can process and manage large voice files, which have increased in size due to changes in audio formats
  • Provide a quality broadcasting service to maintain high levels of listener satisfaction and achieve strong audience ratings
  • Prepare for larger scale operations following a planned relocation in July 2013 and ensure the station can commence broadcasting from the new location in early 2014

Solutions

Oracle Product and Services

  • Cut implementation costs by 40% and reduced maintenance and repair costs
  • Reduced the time required for database migration and clustered server implementation from one day to four hours
  • Enabled high-quality radio broadcasts by maintaining system stability, despite a 6x to 7x increase in voice file sizes caused by a change in audio formats from compressed MP2 files to noncompressed WAV files
  • Improved response speed for music album searches, downloads, and broadcast requests by upgrading to Oracle Real Application Clusters option for Oracle Database to ensure high availability
  • Replaced redundant servers with a single, unified database, removing the need for unnecessary hardware and saving data center space
  • Laid a solid technical foundation to begin broadcasting from a new location in 2014

Why Oracle

MBC Radio was highly satisfied with the performance of Oracle Database, but its aging hardware forced the radio station to look for a solution that would provide improved system stability. After considering a number of solutions, MBC Radio selected Oracle Database Appliance because it offered a number of complex products—server, software, storage, and networking—in a single, easy to deploy and manage package. Oracle Database Appliance also supported MBC Radio’s relatively small operations.

Implementation Process

In midSeptember 2012, MBC Radio commenced the MBC Integrated Radio Operating System (MIROS) implementation project, working alongside Oracle Specialized Partners ASTOM Technology and Youngwoo Digital.

The Oracle platform was implemented on October 8, 2012. MBC Radio stopped broadcasting between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. on November 5 to test and successfully transition to the new system.

Partner

Database expert ASTOM Technology and integrated-IT-solution and service provider Youngwoo Digital managed the MIROS project, from database setup to migration.

“Youngwoo Digital provided consulting services throughout the project, while ASTOM Technology guided the overall implementation,” said Shin Yong-woo, deputy general manager and project manager, engineering department, MBC Radio. “Equipped with a customer-first service spirit, plenty of qualified personnel, and efficient organization, the two partners provided professional technical support to bring the project to a successful completion.”

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