The Ask

One of the largest refineries in Europe needed to upgrade its STARLIMS system from version 10 to version 12. Just to explain the versioning, version 10 of STARLIMS dated from 2015 whereas the version 12 to be used is the latest available version from STARLIMS at the end of 2024. The existing system, holding over 500GB of critical laboratory data accumulated over 10 years, required a seamless transition with minimal downtime to ensure uninterrupted operations.

The Challenges

• Massive Database: Upgrading a system containing over 500GB of laboratory data spanning a decade.
• Critical Operations: Ensuring minimal downtime to prevent disruptions in a highly regulated industry.
• Data Integrity: Preventing data loss or corruption during the upgrade process.
• Version Gap: The transition covered a 10-year version difference, making direct upgrades complex due to changes in architecture, database structures, and compatibility issues.
• Personnel Training: The upgraded version may bring differences in user interface that would require personnel training.

The Solution

Lightetech leveraged its deep expertise in STARLIMS upgrades and system integrations to design and execute a highly controlled upgrade process. The key steps included:

• Pre-Upgrade Assessment: Conducted extensive system analysis, compatibility checks, and risk assessments to ensure a smooth transition.
• Data Integrity Measures: Implemented robust data migration strategies, backup protocols, and validation procedures to safeguard all information.
• User Training: Since the screens were matched to follow the older version in key applications the training need was completely removed
• Operational Planning: Established, based on historical data, the time frame with the minimal impact down to days of the week and hours of the day precision
• Optimized Execution: Designed a streamlined upgrade process that completed the transition in just 3 hours, significantly minimizing operational impact.
• Post-Upgrade Validation: Performed rigorous testing and system validation to confirm full functionality and data accuracy.

Impact

• Zero Data Loss – Over 500GB of laboratory data remained intact.
• Minimal Downtime – The entire upgrade was completed in just 3 hours. During this time all stakeholders were informed and contingency plans were in place
• Enhanced Performance & Compliance – The refinery now benefits from the latest STARLIMS features, improved security, and better regulatory compliance.
• Business Continuity Ensured – Operations continued with minimal disruption, allowing laboratory staff to resume work seamlessly.
• Users Confidence - since there was no need for user training, once STARLIMS was started, the users were able to hit the ground running by logging in to the screens they were already familiar with and see all the data available and continue working with complete confidence

By partnering with Lightetech, the refinery successfully transitioned to STARLIMS version 12, ensuring a future-proof, high-performance LIMS environment tailored for its demanding operations.