As with any design, systems age and the same is true with the various products AIS has released over the past 28 years. However, we have always recognized that the best way to avoid the hazards associated with maintaining products that eventually transition into obsolescence, is to make every effort in advance of that obsolescence to introduce a next generation product line to succeed it. In fact, doing so has always been cornerstone to AIS’ business model and why we have been able to maintain the visibility and market share over the years that we have.

MILLENNIA is the direct result of that planning model. As our previous product 2001 XG Scheduling began to age, we were determined this time around to engineer a management tool that was not based solely on our interpretation of what constitutes a ‘next generation’ system, but rather - engineer a product based on the definitions gleaned from the real experts in AvComps, the flight departments themselves.

In addition, we were intent on identifying an architecture that was truly scalable for end users, and one - for internal purposes that would provide a more efficient means to manage a large program code base. One that when the next (inevitable) paradigm shift in computing technology reveals itself, we are positioned to adopt those changes, if not actually capable of sailing right through them. 

To accomplish the first, we spent the better part of the late nineties and early millennia working hand in hand with our large user community to identify the business and interface requirements from which AIS’ next generation system should be derived. We formed Millennia User Committees to provide input on Millennia’s modular content from which we gleaned our functional design strategies.

We achieved our second goal by ‘thinking outside of the box’ in respect to data model and user interface designs - defining an approach that would withstand evolving demands as technology and market advances become apparent.

In addition, we also knew we no longer should rely on the ‘Window’ interface itself to maintain the system ‘smarts’, but rather utilize the Window presentation layer for just that – presenting the interface, while putting the ‘smarts’ of the system on the back end with the data, independent – and insulated from any eventual interface tool changes.

But to do so, also meant that we had to find a back end with a technological core resistant to obsolescence, one that we could in effect, ‘Ride the Coat Tails’ of through any future technology shift.

Enter : Oracle…

As a result : While Millennia itself will indeed age gracefully, its’ core architecture, however - both in data management and code base is flexible enough to withstand even the most unexpected industry business rule changes, as well as providing safe haven to all as the battle between client tools, web interfaces and desktop dominance wages on.

For Information Contact : terri_b@ais-software.com