Hybrid cloud service in manufacturing: made to measure?
Manufacturing, like all industries, is highly specialised. But regardless of the goods or items made, there’s an ongoing need for technological advancements to improve operational efficiency.
With the growing interest in the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), many manufacturers have invested in advanced analytics, as well as technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML).
But perhaps, some of the greatest savings and efficiencies could be made by deploying a hybrid cloud infrastructure.
With the growing use of IIoT in factories and on production lines, the amounts of data being created, and the speed in which it is created is immense.
There’s no incentive to send all these terabytes of data across the network from remote cloud processing. But, in contrast, performing localised data processing, then only sending the data exceptions to the cloud for additional analysis, makes total sense.
Then there’s traditional Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES). This technology is used in manufacturing to monitor the conversion of raw materials into finished goods. These MES are crucial – they provide all the necessary data to help inform how the plant floor technology can be adjusted to improve production levels.
MES work in real-time to allow various elements of the manufacturing process to be controlled.
Hybrid MES – that which is both on-premises and in the cloud – builds on the benefits of MES. By nature of its hybrid methodology, operations occur on the premises, complemented by the analytics and optimisation tools which send only the required data to the cloud.
Technology like this is freely available. But to harness it properly, you need a provider you can trust.
BT and Dell Technologies offer an agile hybrid cloud for agile service delivery.
With dedicated private cloud solutions, manufacturing customers can now push innovation to new levels. This is technology that’s trusted all over the world because it accelerates and delivers much needed digital reform.
Using hybrid cloud technology and infrastructure, manufacturers are now able to optimise, to drive new products and services, to adapt to new ways of working.
And, saving the best till last, create a strong competitive edge.