Measuring market orientation of Muscle Pharm Corp. (MSLP:US) REAL LIFECASE STUDY – REACHING NEW HEIGHTS | Page 6

Reaching new heights - Open source software application SabreSonic® Res.

2. Reservation Systems Infrastructure Analysis
This chapter explains how the current infrastructure within AA and US Airways is operating, how a
reservation booking system works in general and which parties are involved. In order to create a
basic understanding of the related business process and identify potential critical processes.
Multiple users require flight information on a daily basis. These users include airport staff, the public
and travel agents. Two processes may be used to retrieve information about flights: direct log in to
the airline website and log in using a global distribution system (GDS). GDSs are inter-enterprise
networks, while customer reservation systems (CRSs) are intra-enterprise resource planning
systems.

Log in using the airline website (red box in Figure 1). When users log in to the airline website,
they enter what is known as the user interface. The user interface connects to a booking engine
server that enables online payment. However, before making a booking the booking engine server
must identify the flight for which payment is being made. This data is retrieved via the following
process. Data from the booking engine server is directed by the webgate server to the relevant
compartment in the database server. The database server stores and compartmentalises
information into sections such as flight schedules, a fares and inventory. The required information is
fed back, via the booking engine server, to the user who can then proceed to make payment. The
payment will be made correctly because the booking engine already has the information concerning
the flight details.

Log in using the GDS system (blue box on Figure 1). When a user logs on and inputs data to a
GDS booking system, the data is directed by the RealTime Message Network to a specific session
server. This session server accesses the relevant compartment in the database server.

The

information retrieved from the database server is then be sent back to the GDS booking system,
which will provide the user with the information he/she requested.

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