Atos completes first live software rehearsal for London 2012 Olympics

Atos has completed the first live rehearsal of IT, communications, media, sports and security systems for the London 2012 Olympics.

The Atos team deliberately caused problems which had to be identified and fixed quickly. Different events and scenarios were given different levels of importance, meaning some had to be resolved faster than others.

Over 300 IT professionals operated in simulated Olympic Games conditions to complete the tests. The second planned test will be held in May.

Speaking to Computer weekly in September, Mert Karakilic, an Atos application manager for the Olympics, said the IT teams had no idea what to expect. “We put ourselves through hell,” said Karakilic.

Michele Hyron, chief integrator for London 2012 at Atos, said: “By the end of the testing phase, we will have undertaken more than 200,000 hours of meticulous testing of the IT system for London 2012, which will process 30% more information than at any other Games in history. The completion of the first technical rehearsal shows that our team of business technologists are very much on course.”  

Sebastian Coe, chairman of the London 2012 Olympics, said the importance of technology to this year’s event could not be underestimated. During the London 2012 Olympics there will be 3,500 technology specialists. There will be 900 servers, 1,000 network and security devices and more than 10,000 computers deployed. “Everything must perform seamlessly,” said Coe.  

Applications at the London 2012 Olympics fall into two groups. These are results information systems and core games management systems, such as a workforce management and scheduling application and a system to accredit participants, workers and volunteers.