It is estimated that there will be more than
28 Billion devices connected to the Cloud by 2020
Cloud Computing, where are we now and where are we going. Cloud Computing is only eight years old and is having a quite a success story. Most trade publications put cloud computing at the leading edge of it next stage which is entering the “essential” phase. Most of the criticisms and concerns expressed during the early stages of Cloud Computing have either been resolved or proven to not have been a problem.
In the past few years applications developers have validated the flexibility and cost effectiveness of using the cloud as a development environment. Without having to deal with the high infrastructure cost (non-recurring) for internal development, developers have been able to develop cost-effective, highly focused web based applications that require little or no upfront costs to the customer. With the lower cost structure afforded by the Cloud this has facilitated the development of applications and services for use in operations and intermediate levels of business and administration.
Society’s embrace of mobile devices has accelerated the desire and demand for web based applications and solutions. Keeping connected to friends and family has lead to the desire to want to stay more connected to service providers (airports, airlines, retail, etc.) to remain better informed. Mobile devices can be even more useful when the real power resides in the sky providing almost unlimited access.
Why buy hardware when you can buy the computing and processing you need by the month. Federal agencies such as the CIA and others are also moving to the more secure and cost effective Cloud Computing model. The scalability of the cloud business model facilitates timely expansion when more capability is needed and returning or reducing capacity when it is not needed. This provides an affordable cost structure for users.
Aircraft Data Fusion began its migration to Cloud Computing in 2010. All mobile applications that previously resided on the mobile device were transferred to the Microsoft Azure Cloud Computing Platform. Since that time all new and partner software applications and services have been developed, hosted and delivered from the Cloud. This also permits Aircraft Data Fusion to store and analyze large volumes of data for the customer.
A driving force for inexpensive data storage and processing is being driven by the massive increase of sensor data. Much of this data is being collected from devices that are acquired for unrelated uses but have valuable data points for other applications. As the data from multiple sensors and sources are fused and processed, it becomes an extremely rich source of data for applications and services that could not have been previously envisioned. Cloud computing is going to be the back bone for managing this explosion in sensor data.
With the large amounts of sensor data being collected, developers are getting closer and closer to providing the status of operations in real-time. Combined with historical data and algorithms designed to track trends, this will create accurate forecasts that can be made to identify and alert the onset of irregular operations and guide corrective actions to mitigate impact.
Moving forward, data collection, analysis and the intelligence gained from it will be the differentiator of many businesses. Business models will be restructured to take advantage of real-time information to measure performance and create opportunity. Inexpensive data storage, processing and business analytics is becoming a rapid growth field for cloud computing service providers.
(This blog has been updated from our previous blog of the same name dated October 29, 2013 to emphasize the growing importance of these technologie)
Social Media, Mobile Technologies and Cloud Computing IT applications continue to merge into a much larger Information Eco System. Technology companies such as Aircraft Data Fusion and its growing team of technology partners are leveraging these technologies to reduce anxiety in the air travel experience while improving both business and operations intelligence.
Each of these technologies was developed independently with their own framework. As they have matured they have morphed into a platform of technologies that can; capture, process, store, analyze and distribute intelligence for its user community(s). Leveraging the advancements in each of these technologies into merged solutions significantly adds value not available if a technology is used independently.
The “SoMoClo” term was coined by a research team at the Aberdeen Group. The term represents the phenomenon of merging the three technologies into evolving applications and solutions that leverage the synergies of communications, real-time information, and decision support/execution tools. Uses range from simply providing information to keep everyone better informed to driving operations and business decisions.
The ability to access or receive information regarding your travel experience at anytime, anywhere on multiple IT devices including, mobile devices and multi-purpose displays, significantly reduces the anxiety of the traveler by keeping them better informed. This is becoming the expectations of travelers and workers.
Mobility and real-time information has become a competitive differentiator. The complexity or number of moving parts in any business, operations or travel experience necessitates the need to quickly identify variances, trends or predictive outcomes, etc. Employing cloud technologies facilitates an efficient business approach to data consolidation and distribution providing a single source for real-time monitoring of key performance indicators and retrieval of reports and analysis.
“SoMoClo” are the contributing technologies that can create a better atmosphere for the work place and travel experience by keeping everyone more informed. It also facilitates the value of other systems or tools by leveraging their results or outcomes across a larger population (enterprise solution).
Aircraft Data Fusion, Inc. (ADF) has significantly increased its offering of products and services for its AOMSTM suite. In its white paper “21st Century Airport Challenges”, Aircraft Data Fusion outlines the challenges that are facing airport management teams today and in the near future. Regulation, business necessity and operations requirements will evolve as the air transportation requirements change.
Aircraft Data Fusion and its technology team members have expanded the AOMSTM product suite into an “Enterprise Business Solution” focused on both business and operations. The design criteria used in developing this suite incorporates advances in technology and design to capture the maximum capabilities in:
In addition to state-of-the-art reporting systems, AOMSTM incorporates a series of dashboards that are tailored and configured to the needs of the end user. Each dashboard contains the specific attributes and data presented in a format and structure that makes the information/intelligence that it communicates easy to understand and easily used in the decision making process.
Accessing these new solutions via the web from Microsoft’s Windows Azure platform represents a significant differentiator for ADF solutions as it reduces the risk of protracted implementations and training for complex environments. Using a familiar Windows format and process significantly enhances the acceptance by nearly all users.
ADF leveraged Microsoft’s technologies and partner resources in this design, development and now implementation. ADF brings deep industry knowledge, experience and now, with the power of Windows Azure, the help needed by airports to implement next-generation answers to operational challenges.
About Aircraft Data Fusion (ADF)
Aircraft Data Fusion Inc. is a technology company based in Minneapolis, Minnesota specializing in software solutions in support of airport and airline operations. ADF has earned a reputation of being an innovator in creating new approaches to address airport and airline operations. For more information: www.aircraftdf.com
Airports need to have the flexibility to adopt new/modified business models to accommodate the ever changing landscape of the airlines and airport customers. Airline consolidation, market changes, aircraft types and frequency changes, new start ups and changing business models are the active dynamics that require a constant vigilance to remain competitive and viable.
Near real-time operations and business intelligence is necessary to manage all the moving parts of this complex environment. Asset and resource management is essential to ensure the best possible service(s) to lease customers and passengers.
Over time airports, like airlines, and other industries have acquired a number of information technologies (IT) to address specific task requirements that were a high priority at the time. These systems served the user(s) well, however as the needs grow to integrate or consolidate the output of these information systems, the cost becomes prohibitive.
The good news is that technologies have advanced during the intervening years that will facilitate the merging of the data output from these systems into a common source data repository. Proprietary technologies permit the use of these disparate and unstructured data sources and facilitate the ability to give the new data structures context to support specific data need requirements. This permits the extension and leveraging of these IT investments for an extended period of time.
An Airport Operations Management System designed to view an airports operation and business needs simultaneously are now available. Based on an airports business model and services provided the system is tailored meet their specific needs. The system will merge operations and business data to meet specific needs such as:
A hosted, on-line airport operations management systems is the most practical and affordable approach to the management of airport and business operations. It also represents a least risk model to gaining access to tailored applications and solutions to meet the required business and operations needs. Development, maintenance, upgrades and adding new functionality is the responsibility of the provider.
Technology(s), proprietary systems and applications continue to evolve. The hosted system should be designed as a platform to accommodate these developments and provide the upgraded or extended capabilities; e.g., Analytics, simulation, big data analysis, etc.
We are seeing the morphing of Social Media, Mobile Technologies and Cloud IT infrastructures into a Business Intelligence Eco system. This is having a profound impact on the gathering and distribution of Business Intelligence. Increasingly more users are gaining access to enterprise data and business applications via the cloud wherever they may be, on mobile devices and sending messages to each other.
The “SoMoClo” term was coined by a research team at the Aberdeen Group. The term represents the phenomenon of these three technologies evolving into key communications, decision support and execution tools for operations. The ability to access enterprise data and systems; anytime, anywhere on multiple mobile devices provides a near real-time access to actionable/informed business intelligence. This is today’s business reality.
These technologies enable managers to be better informed and have more productive conversations in management meetings leading to quicker results. Drill down capabilities facilitate the review of raw source or processed data for answering questions during these conversations eliminating the need for members to go research and report back. Business intelligence at your finger tips.
Mobility has become a competitive differentiator. The complexity or number of moving parts in any business operations necessitates the need to quickly identify variances, trends or predictive outcomes. Employing cloud technologies facilitates an efficient business approach to data consolidation providing a single source for real-time monitoring of key performance indicators and retrieval of reports and analysis.
The Cloud Computing platform provides elasticity to a dynamically changing environment and addresses variable needs. Peak demands and volatility in processing and storage requirements can be accommodated on the fly. Upgrades, maintenance and additional functionality is typically provided by the provider.
New applications may be developed by the platform provider or through partnership arrangements minimizing or eliminating the development and or implementation costs. Typically these costs are amortized across multiple users unless the applications are specific to a customer.
“SoMoClo” builds a better atmosphere for the work place by keeping everyone more informed. It also facilitates the value of other systems or tools by leveraging their results or outcomes across a larger population.