Going for gold – will the IT team perform?

By Jenny McLeod, G2G3

Beijing 2008 is finally upon us. This afternoon is the opening ceremony of the 29th Summer Olympics which will boast two hundred countries, eleven thousand athletes and an estimated 3 billion spectators over the next sixteen days. Now, that's pressure. And the big question on everybody's lips is – are they ready? As a company that specialize in creating readiness, this is an issue close to our hearts, and one that affects everybody in Beijing. Of course, there was the controversy surrounding China's readiness; there is always the question of competitor readiness; but there is another crucial preparedness that underpins the entire operation – the IT infrastructure.

Since 2003, a consortium of nine IT service providers has been preparing for this moment of glory. Lead by Atos Origin, the past months and years have consisted of over 200,000 hours of Spartan training and testing, to ensure that the IT systems run smoothly and effectively throughout. With 10,000 computers, 1000 servers and 4000 printers to worry about this is no meager task and the systems have been fully operational for the past two weeks in order to account for every eventuality. All eyes may be on the athletes, but if these systems don't run smoothly there won't be much to see.

However, as they say, practice makes perfect and I have faith in the ability of the IT team. Readiness is the key and with five years of testing everything should be in place for a seamless performance. The odds seem good for this event.