IT Vendors Work With Military To Modernize Iraqi ManufacturerIT Vendors Work With Military To Modernize Iraqi Manufacturer

The U.S. Department of Defense has joined with two tech vendors to update business processes at an Iraqi manufacturing company.

Autodesk and CDW Government said Wednesday that they will provide software and hardware for Heavy Engineering Equipment State Co. (HEESCO). The technology will help engineers update HEESCO's infrastructure and improve efficiency in its production of electromechanical industrial equipment.

The Task Force to Improve Business and Stability Operations in Iraq, which aims to decrease unemployment in the country and strengthen its economy, will sponsor the project.

South Baghdad-based HEESCO will use AutoCAD software and Autodesk Inventor software to automate design with 3-D digital models, and simulate machinery, car parts, and heavy equipment.

"Autodesk is one of the first U.S. technology companies to provide software to a company that will help the Iraqi people rebuild their manufacturing industry," Bill Goodson, VP of Autodesk Government, said in a statement.

HEESCO will modernize its data center and desktops with Hewlett-Packard and APC hardware from CDW-G. The change will increase design capabilities, streamline data center management and provide robust storage, CDW-G said.

CDW-G worked with the task force to configure, install and ship an APC NetShelter server rack with an APC Smart-UPS (uninterruptible power supply) and an HP ProLiant DL320 Storage Server backed up by an HP StorageWorks Ultrium 960-FC tape library. The server supports 40 HP xw4600 Workstations with 80-GB hot-swappable hard drives and Intel Core 2 Duo processors. The workstations also include Microsoft Windows XP, Nvidia Quadro graphics boards, and 20-inch LCD monitors.

"Savvy use of new technology is vital for companies like HEESCO to prosper," said Sami Zarzour, VP of public-sector volume sales for HP. "HP storage solutions and workstation computers, which are ideal for designing in AutoCAD, will enable the plant to design cutting-edge products that can compete in the global marketplace."

The project also supports the Iraqi government's state goal of moving from a state-run economy to a free market.