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By Jeremy Hore, 12 August 2008 12:06

COMMENT

Given the extensive preparations for the Olympics, what could possibly stop the technology working? Certainly not an unfortunate encounter between a lawn mower and a network cable, says Jeremy Hore, chief integrator for Olympic worldwide IT partner Atos Origin, in his exclusive silicon.com diary. Follow the link for more on the technology behind the games.

After four years of preparation and more than 200,000 hours of testing, I still felt apprehensive in the final minutes before the start of the opening ceremony on Friday. There were still many small things to be done.

But when the clock struck 8PM in Beijing, it was a relief to be finally in Games time operations. So far, everything is working as the journalists, broadcasters, athletes and sports federations expect. The technology team and systems are performing well.

See what happened when silicon.com editor Steve Ranger went to visit the Beijing Olympics venues.
From the Bird's Nest, to the Water Cube…

There have been no major surprises. But as with any big project, there have been a couple of things we weren't expecting.

For example, on Friday just before the final rehearsal for the cross-country eventing in Hong Kong, one of the network cables was accidentally cut by someone mowing the grass.

A cut cable was a scenario we had prepared for and was quickly resolved, so no impact on either the rehearsal or the event that was successfully completed on Monday.

The whole team has settled very quickly into the Games time routine. The days are passing quickly.

Our busiest times at the venues are just before competitions start, which is when the media arrive at the venue to set themselves up, and also immediately after the results have been confirmed.

We need to make sure not only that the confirmed results are immediately input into the systems but also that they are printed and distributed to the media and sports federation officials.

So far most of my time has been spent at the Technology Operations Center, as planned, where I can get an overall view of the operation along with regular visits to both the Main Press Center and International Broadcasting Center where the main customers are working.

I will be going out to the competition venues more over the next few days. Being an Australian, I am keen to get to the Water Cube and see our swimming team in action.

See photos of silicon.com's editor Steve Ranger's visit to the Beijing Olympics' venues.