Eye Opener: the Cloud for Industry: "High Level" Thoughts and Takeaways

Seminars were held November 12 (Chicago)  and 14 (Boston)

The final Eye Opener Seminars/The Cloud for Industry: Proof Points were held November 12 in Microsoft headquarters in downtown Chicago, and then in Cambridge, MA on November 14.  Both featured a line up of experienced speakers from Microsoft, Invensys, and partner Saugatuck Technology who revealed the secrets to effective utilization of the cloud in an industrial setting.

We started off with Microsoft's Gene Ferioli, who discussed the scalability, security and availability aspects of using Microsoft Azure for hosting critical applications.  Microsoft's 8 data centers provide uptime, redundancy, and security. Different methods of utilizing the cloud--from traditional onsite to a pure Software as a Service, allow customers flexibility in how they will use and scale their applications. Platform as a Service, and Infrastructure as a Service, give IT and users choices for deployment and development.

 

We then transitioned to Mike West at Saugatuck Technology.  Saugatuck is a leading industry analyst, focusing on the Cloud. Mike discussed industry trends, and how the automation industry is gingerly, but steadily, adopting the cloud for applications such as SCADA, reporting, and informatics.  Mike pointed out that by 2015, 20% of all corporations will have 50% of their content in the cloud--with Asia Pacific leading, the US and EURA following closely.

 

We then finished with Invensys' Saadi Kermani, who talked about the convergence of social, mobile, big data, and the cloud as high impact on today's industrials.  Using these technologies, workers can be more informed, collaborative, and productive, for accessing operational data  "any time, anywhere and on any device" frees them from sitting at a desk, or making decisions only when in front of a PC. The solutions that Invensys brings, fueled by Microsoft Azure's hosting platform, allow anyone immediate updates, progress, status.

 

 

 

Saadi talked about two solutions that are available today: SmartGlance mobile reporting, and Historian Online Edition, a software as a service offering for gathering, consolidating, and visualizing enterprise data.

 

Although this is the end of the seminars for this year, we'd be happy to share material with you.  If you would like a copy of what we've presented, email me at maryanne.steidinger@invensys.com.