VingCard

VingCard, one of the world's leading suppliers of electronic card lock systems in the hotel, casino and cruise industries, needed to increase the efficiency and functionality of its electronic identity cards. Using Sybase® technology, the company developed an innovative keycard system to provide a range of services for its customers.   Key Benefits Provides sophisticated, scalable, yet easy to use solutions to the hospitality industry Increases the efficiency and functionality of electronic identity cards Ensures high performance at peak times

Sybase Technology
	SQL Anywhere Studio®

Industry
Hospitality

Maintaining Market Position
Until the mid 1990s, VingCard was the only company able to provide integrated solutions such as those used by one of its largest clients, the Atlantis in Las Vegas. VingCard technology enables guests to check in and out of the hotel and pay bills automatically using their room keycard.

"Our card lock systems are an inexpensive and extremely efficient way to provide security and convenience for hotel guests and staff," said Halvor Aase, R&D manager at VingCard. "Our clients are using them for everything from door lock security to use of smartchip technology to recognize and provide bonuses to loyal customers."

However, increasing competition led the company to focus on leveraging new technology to address the changing needs of its customers. To meet these new demands, VingCard decided to enhance its systems using technology from Sybase's iAnywhere subsidiary.

VingCard determined its key objectives: the system had to be reliable, fast and responsive, and it had to provide the reporting functions customers wanted. Clients also wanted improved staff and guest tracking facilities and the ability to use VingCard information to plan maintenance work, such as replacing door lock batteries.

Additionally, the new system had to maintain the same high level of security and integrate with VingCard's clients' systems.

Fitting Futuristic Technology
Following an evaluation of popular database solutions, VingCard chose SQL Anywhere Studio from Sybase's iAnywhere subsidiary.

"We needed a small, stable, flexible and easy-to-deploy database that would meet the needs of our smallest installation—which uses one computer—up to the largest—which has over 50 workstations in the reception area," Aase said. "We rejected Microsoft and Oracle because they were high maintenance and costly. Our clients wanted small applications, specific to their needs, which they could install quickly and use easily. Only SQL Anywhere Studio met all these requirements."

Having selected technology from Sybase, VingCard re-engineered its existing application, Vision 3000. This fulfilled all the functions of the previous system and also allowed reporting, enabling clients to query the database to find out which staff or guests entered a room, which card they used and who created each card.

The system uses magnetic card locks to record the identification number of each keycard when it is inserted in the lock. This information is then processed by the new application which records the movements of customers in the building. VingCard tested the system on a working cruise liner. When a query arose, Sybase's iAnywhere subsidiary responded immediately.

"iAnywhere Solutions worked around our needs—the service was superb," Aase said. "I have never been in a situation when I was so well supported by such experts."

Having successfully completed the development of Vision 3000, VingCard went on to develop DA VINCI. This advanced card lock system adds smartchip technology in addition to magnetic cards to store a high volume and range of information on the VingCard.

Delivering Solid Benefits
The benefits that SQL Anywhere Studio has delivered to VingCard have been outstanding. For example, VingCard's new applications are very flexible. So, if a hotel wishes to change the type of information stored on a card—such as adding vending machine facilities—staff can easily and automatically create new preferences.

The iAnywhere Solutions system has proved very robust, even in the most demanding environments.

"Some of our clients have tried turning the power on and off, pulling out network plugs to try and make the software crash to make sure it works," Aase said. "They've been delighted to find that whatever they do to try and compromise its availability, it bounces straight back."

All of the new applications are now available on a single CD that is easy to install, easy to integrate and requires no maintenance. The applications also include leading edge monitoring functions, so hotels can quickly produce reports on the battery life of keycards or the number of cards issued, reducing the need to monitor card performance and providing valuable information on usage.

The new applications are also much quicker than the previous system, so even VingCard's largest clients can guarantee high performance at peak times.

"Technology from iAnywhere Solutions has helped us develop leading applications that meet our customers' needs now and in the future," Aase said. "We are delighted with the flexibility, control and speed these have delivered, and we will be continuing to use iAnywhere Solutions in our future application development."