New Article Provides Three Tips for Supporting Customers to the Edge
December 05, 2019
The definition of the “edge” seems hard to pin down. The concept, simply put, means extending your network into spaces outside of the traditional telecom room or data center. To support digital transformation, businesses must be prepared to help customers as they work to create safe spaces that will protect their sensitive ICT equipment in warehouses, manufacturing floors, commercial areas, roadsides, oil fields, mines and many other harsh or nontraditional environments.
As you work towards extending your network, there is an additional challenge. Typically, a considerable gap exists when it comes to project ownership. Take, for example, a new manufacturing facility. It is usually managed by Manufacturing Facilities Operations, so the additional IT space needed may simply not be part of the initial plan.
As Sam Rodriguez, Sr. Product Manager of Industrial Solutions for Chatsworth Products (CPI) puts it: Think of the nature of the edge as homesteading in the Wild West except in this case, it is the IT professional leaving the safety of their data centers for new frontiers; they can’t plan for everything and there are many unknowns.
Rodriguez goes on to provide three tips for organizations facing the many unknowns of the digital transformation infrastructure:
- Identify and include all stakeholders: Digital transformation is not the exclusive role of the IT department, but the entire organization, including those in Operational Technology (OT) who are stakeholders as well. Control systems, automation, manufacturing and facilities engineers can provide valuable input on systems and software integration. If factors like data criticality for operational decisions, limitations of the facility, ideal procedures and workflows can be identified early, the information architecture and corresponding data network can be designed to allow more flexible response.
- Drive digital transformation from within: Use the resources and tools that assist in helping to clearly communicate, provide simplicity and help with detailed specification to better understand and meet the needs of your customers.
- Support customers with custom solutions at scale: Sometimes, customers will benefit from modified solutions. Make sure your organization has the resources to identify their needs, modify a concept, bundle it with appropriate accessories and most importantly, deliver these modified standard products in a near industry-standard timeframe.
To dive deeper into these three tips and access tools and resources that help to support your customers, please read the full article and leave your comments below!
Posted by Brittany Mangan, Digital Content Specialist at 12/5/2019 9:25:51 AM