Destin8 - Ready for the deployment early September 2006 | Destin8 Project Update - June 2006
Log on to the Destin8 UAT Environment | Destin8 What Will Change? | Meet the team | Contact us

Dear Customer,

Destin8 will be ready for deployment early September 2006

The very clear message from this edition of update is that we need you to prove your connection, via existing equipment to the UAT environment. The ability to do this has existed for some months but users seem to be choosing to leave it until the last minute.

We do of course accept that this is, for many, a natural reaction. I hope that the majority will prove their connection in the next few weeks, especially following the next data upload on 12 June 2006. This will allow as many users as possible to participate in the orchestrated tests.

Please be advised that if you wait until the go live date then we might not have the resources available to assist at that time. Connect now!

Thank you.

Charles Wilkinson
Chief Executive

The Destin8 project team continues to drive towards the implementation date. We completed the first cycle of integration testing at Easter and have started the second cycle. The test and supporting technical teams are doing an excellent job.

The purpose of the testing cycles is to identify bugs so that they can be fixed before we go live. Destin8 is a multifaceted application and although the amount of defects that are being identified is consistent with a project of this size and complexity, they are taking longer than intended to fix and regression test. Against this background Destin8 will be ready for deployment early September 2006. This delay is necessary to allow the project team to provide a fully operational and functionally rich Destin8 system.

The following major milestones have been successfully realised since the last newsletter:

Architecture & Design
 Load testing started and is generally proving; that Destin8 can handle transaction and
connection volumes in excess of those
currently experienced by FCPS.

Application Development
Final remaining new module developments
complete. Initial phase of application
defects fixed.

Testing
First cycle of integration testing successfully concluded.

Cutover
Destin8 UAT system opened up to the
customer base for connection verification and user familiarisation.

The project team has had to work hard and smart to achieve the deliverables above and the following future months’ goals will prove equally demanding:
Architecture & Design
Complete load testing.
Commence readying the production
hardware, architecture and operational
support environment.

 Application Development
Support the QA testing phases.

Testing
Complete phases 2 and 3
integration testing.

Acceptance
Commence User Acceptance
Testing (UAT).

Cutover
Develop detailed cutover procedures.
Dry-run the cutover in real life conditions to verify the cutover timings, processes and tools. Communicate and coordinate with the major Destin8 stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition. The next few months are a critical period as we continue to test the Destin8 functionality and architecture to verify and validate its completeness and robustness to fully replace FCPS.




The next data upload from FCPS will be carried out on the 12 June 2006 using data from the previous day. This is the third upload of live operational data to Destin8, whilst we appreciate that the cutover has been postponed on a number of occasions and is still some months away, it is a major concern to us that only 18% of our corporate customers – or 10% of configured FCPS user id’s – have taken advantage of previous opportunities to establish connectivity to Destin8.

As a service provider we do not underestimate the task ahead of us and we feel it is important to emphasise what is not changing. Your method of connecting to Destin8 remains the same as before i.e. fixed data circuits, ISDN, Internet and CNS links, and they all benefit from the same high level of protection and security. Your user id’s and passwords will remain the same during the cutover period, so although the look and feel will change, it will have no impact on you provided you establish and test your connections to Destin8 in advance.

We remain committed to the future of our Port Community System, and the need for our customers to be able to connect to it as well as providing the right long-term solution for them.

What Destin8 will mean is even greater options for MCP plc to continue to develop innovative market leading functionality for our customers. Our success has seen our system process the majority of the UK’s maritime containerised traffic and the change to Destin8 will help us continue that success.

We value our customer base, and the confidence you place in us to help secure your company’s position in its specific role in the shipping and transportation industry. Everyone at MCP plc will continue to work to ensure we meet your expectations but we do need your help too.

New information technology is fundamental in driving productivity and growth, turning Destin8 into reality is a goal we should all be able to support and willing to achieve!

Looking for Destin8 Information?

Previous issues of the Interconnect newsletter as well as information on connection and printing requirements are available for download from www.fcps.co.uk. If you are one of the companies who have yet to establish a connection to Destin8 we would urge you to visit this site and pass all relevant information onto your IT department or solution provider.




With any major system change it is inevitable that some changes will take place but we have made every effort to make these as transparent and seamless as possible. However, the main aspects of change that will affect customers are as follows:

Printing via Amaril will obviously cease as the Amaril software will be replaced by a web based Internet Explorer interface and in order to facilitate a seamless cutover all FCPS printing to existing Amaril devices will be discontinued six weeks prior to the final cutover date. The only print output options available in Destin8 will be either e-mail or LPD/LPR (network printing) – further information on how to do this is available at www.fcps.co.uk

We would recommend that Domain Name Server (DNS) entries are modified to reflect these URLs and are resolved to direct this traffic to the relevant connection method/router. When configuring your UAT access for test purposes, we suggest that access to the live Destin8 system is routed at the same time. Further information on how to do this is available at www.fcps.co.uk

Third-party software interfaces will need to be upgraded and we are pleased to confirm that companies such as Acan, ASM, Bell Davies, Forward Computers, Impatex, IMS, LSI Sigma, PK Associates, SCS and Vixsoft are all developing an interface for their respective software to Destin8. If you wish to establish your supplier’s status then you should contact them direct.

May we again use this opportunity to ask for your support and assistance in maintaining contact with the people who will either need to know or be affected by the impending changes, by letting us know their names and contact details? If you have not already done so, please do let us have this information by e-mailing us at spam@destin.spam as soon as possible – thank you!

Network connections to Destin8 must be routed via the following unique reference locations (URLs):

Destin8 (Live/Production)
http://www.destin8.co.uk
(194.201.255.73 /32)

Destin8 (Live Help)
http://help.destin8.co.uk
(194.201.255.73 /32)

Destin8 (Test/UAT)
http://uat.destin8.co.uk
(194.201.255.66 /32)

Destin8 (Test Help)
http://uathelp.destin8.co.uk
(194.201.255.66 /32)


Destin8 – Hot Tip

Can’t find a transaction? Open the menu choices on the left hand side and let the cursor hover over the options and the equivalent FCPS three alpha character code will then be displayed. Alternatively simply type in the old FCPS code in the TX Code field – just like the good old days!



Where have you joined MCP from?
I escaped from a 20 year stint at Customs and Excise and found myself a proper job! Seriously – I loved my job at Felixstowe Customs and over the years did Anti-smuggling, EPU, ERTS control, Audit, Staff Management and Business Development.

First impressions of MCP?
Wow – self sealing envelopes and help yourself to pens!

How long have you worked at MCP?
Nearly 5 years.

Most memorable moment?
Bit sad really but NES going live in 2002 – the relief of it all actually working and the sheer buzz of knowing that we could help our customers through this challenging time.

What does the future hold?
For me, long term, the future holds meeting, training and helping customers country wide and hopefully abroad too. Short term – lots of extra work and hours preparing for D8 and supporting customers when it goes live. For MCP we hope for continued success and development of a fantastic system in this country and abroad.

Biggest challenge since joining MCP?
Destin8 testing for what seems like forever...

Where have you joined MCP from?
HM Customs and Excise (as it was) after 18 years, my background being predominantly Imports with a short masquerade as a VAT Officer!

First impressions of MCP?
The surreal feeling that goes with finding yourself working in a building that you once went to school in (& its associated memories) instead of what is there...

How long have you worked at MCP?
14 months.

Most memorable moment?
Finding out that obtaining a new pen required nothing more than a stroll to the stationary cupboard as opposed to completing a four page document in triplicate, having it signed by someone centralised in Manchester and agreeing by means of a sworn statement to return it when empty or when I had completed the current requirement for it.

What does the future hold?
The opportunity to be involved in, and present at, the inception of Destin8 and to be a very junior member of the dedicated team responsible for one of the most exciting and innovative developments to happen to the Port Community System environment since FCP80.

Biggest challenge since joining MCP?
Juggling full time work and a family whilst maintaining a sense of humour (most of the time).




Contact details
MCP plc, The Chapel, Maybush Lane,
Felixstowe, IP11 7LL, UK
Telephone 01394 600200
Fax 01394 600222