EIKONA Business Continuity
makes logistics at Emons crisis-proof

The solution: Emergency TMS prepares for system failures

The only way to be prepared for system failures is to store the most important data in such a way that it is always available. This is the principle behind an emergency TMS. The back-up system runs alongside the main system during regular operation and is continuously filled with data. The important difference is that the emergency system has no connection to the rest of the IT infrastructure and receives the data via a defined, non-attackable channel. This means that it is not affected by any IT failures. The backup software is supplemented by a physical emergency case containing replacement devices such as laptops, mobile phones with an emergency app installed and a router so that a new internet connection can be established if necessary.

The right emergency concept: What is important to Emons for a back-up TMS?

In order to tailor the business continuity software perfectly to the needs of the freight forwarder, we first identified the business-critical processes and defined the requirements for the system in a kick-off meeting with Emons' seven-member BCM (Business Continuity Management) team. These points were particularly important to Emons:

1. The master data of all partners entered in the normal TMS must also be available in the emergency system.
2. Status updates and the history of the current TMS must be transmitted continuously and also be available in the back-up TMS.
3. Data received from partners and customers on the day of the system failure must be transferable to the emergency system in order to maintain operations.
4. It must be possible to easily integrate status updates on the processed consignments back into the normal system once the emergency has ended.

The result: TMS light is used at 23 locations

The decision in favour of EIKONA Business Continuity was made at the beginning of 2024. 23 Emons locations in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia use the same TMS. The back-up was designed for this system. Since April 2024, the locations have enjoyed a little extra security: they know that they can fall back on the back-up system to empty their warehouse in an emergency. It is affectionately known as ‘TMS light’ and delivers exactly what the name promises: the most important functions of the normal TMS are included and employees can continue to work with it as normal for the most part.

 



Some functions (such as billing or, depending on which systems are affected by the outage, the EDI connection of all customer and partner systems) were not transferred to TMS light because the effort involved would have been enormous and disproportionate to the benefits. The handheld scanners can also no longer be used in an emergency because they are linked to the regular TMS. Instead, an Android and iOS-based app is available for the hall processes, which can be installed and used on any device with a mobile phone connection. With adapted organisational processes and the use of ‘analogue’ paper printouts, the shipments can still be processed.
After all, it is particularly important that the packages in the warehouse are dispatched as quickly as possible.  Before the system was rolled out, the employees were of course called in. They were informed about the back-up TMS by means of presentations at their respective locations, whereby nothing changed in their regular working day. Smaller tests, in which individual relations were switched off to check whether they are also available in TMS light, have shown that the system is running as desired: The system runs as desired. There are now one or two people responsible for each building who make the decision to use TMS light in an emergency.

The process: how Emons remains operational even in the event of a system failure

What would the actual process look like if there was a total failure in the data centre? If the TMS only fails for a few hours, it is not worth the effort to switch to the back-up system. However, if it is a longer outage, work must continue somehow - after all, partners and customers rely on it.

We have outlined here what to do if the worst comes to the worst and when the warehouse staff at Emons can get back to work:


Conclusion: TMS light provides a degree of security and ensures reliable service

Systems can always fail, that much is certain. By implementing TMS light, Emons has now provided for the worst-case scenario and ensured that the most important warehouse processes continue to run, even if the main system has been compromised. ‘TMS light offers us and our partners an important level of security. If there was an emergency, we would still be able to continue working and satisfy customers and partners to the best of our ability. That's what good and reliable service is all about,’ says René Galuba, Requirements Management Emons, who is delighted with the new tool.