Getting your IT on demand

GETTING YOUR IT ON DEMANDIn the new world of cloud computing, getting your IT on demand is becoming the intelligent way forward. Nowhere does it hold more promise than for the air transport industry.

For an industry constantly buffeted by fluctuating economic cycles, the tightest of margins, and the need to permanently scrutinize costs, air transport looks to IT to deliver big change. Cloud computing is set to deliver that change.

Its well-known advantages include scalability, lower unit costs, pay-as-you-go models and on-demand IT. For airlines, the on-demand element promises to be a major enabler.IT at the 'flick of a switch'

As an airline's business grows, declines, moves, merges and swings in line with economic fortunes, being able to flick the IT switch on or off quickly and easily makes all the difference to business cost and effectiveness.

On-demand access to the latest hardware, software, applications and infrastructure offers a whole new way of working - an intelligent IT pathway for airlines in search of less cost, a superior service and minimum risk.Industry fit

For vertical industries, where businesses have similar goals, this pathway is set out by a community cloud. It captures the benefits of scale and higher utilization rates of public cloud services. But it retains the security and reliability of a private cloud.

It's a perfect fit for the way the air transport industry operates. Already extremely interconnected, the air transport industry has evolved as a community using shared information and communication technology.

Vast numbers of common processes are replicated by airlines and airports across the world to meet global compliance requirements in areas such as safety and security.

Competition exists, but so does a lot of collaboration among all air transport players.

A community cloud will link the industry ecosystem as never before, integrating network services with industry-specific applications.

Its on-demand nature means an airline and ground handler can work together to bring new routes to life quicker, for instance. Or Maintenance Repair and Overhaul (MRO) providers can work with their supply chain to bring efficiency gains to maintenance operations.Business change

In times of disruption, community cloud services can be invaluable. Being able to respond rapidly can make a huge difference to the customer experience, as well as to the bottom line of the airline, and of course the airport.

End-to-end business and IT on-demand solutions are precisely what SITA's Air Transport Industry (ATI) Cloud is about. What's more, it's adapted to the specific business needs and environment of the air transport industry.

It includes the introduction of a broad and integrated portfolio of Infrastructure, Platform, Desktop and Software-as-a-Service, much of it throughout 2012. A prime example is the already launched Desktop-as-a-Service. It enables the rapid provisioning of applications on a pay-per-use model to any end-users, wherever located, with the same level of consistency, compliance and performance.

That means an emergency call centre can be quickly set up by mobilizing agents with local language ability to work from their homes. When no longer required, it can be disconnected easily with no closure costs.Virtually unlimited

It's not just at times of disruption that the speed and flexibility of cloud services are important. Providing virtually unlimited access to IT resources on-demand means projects can be completed in less time and with less risk.

That speeds up product and services testing and development, and enables deployment of new products and services into the marketplace much more quickly. Think of the implications:

  * An airline will be able to provide crews with rosters, email and a number of corporate applications hosted in the cloud and accessible from any internet-enabled device instead of having to supply laptops or PCs with the programmes installed on each one

  * New check-in counters and even entire airports can be made operational at speeds not possible today. Staff can get fast access to the applications they need from any location or device with an Internet connectionReact fast and compete

Fast maturing cloud-enabled technologies, on-demand, provide a compelling value proposition for the air transport industry. Embracing a community cloud, the industry can finally divest itself of the legacy IT infrastructure that is dragging on its operational efficiency and ability to innovate.

By giving ready access to next generation IT resources and sophisticated solutions, at a fraction of the cost of building in-house operations, a community cloud enables air transport businesses to stretch their IT budgets, react fast, and compete far more effectively.The arrival of Cloud

SITA's ATI Cloud is founded on state-of-the-art cloud computing infrastructure. Implemented across five continents are six high-end regional cloud data centres - in Singapore, Atlanta, Frankfurt, Hong Kong, Sydney and Johannesburg. Each can be complemented by local cloud computing centres at key airports in the world, as required.

Some key points about SITA's ATI Cloud:

  * On this global infrastructure, SITA already provides Desktop and Infrastructure-as-a-Service solutions. Building on this, 2012 will see Platform and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS)

  * As a self-orchestration platform, Platform-as-a-Service lets you manage and control IT resources dynamically and automate routine tasks

  * The approach means that an offering can be deployed to any airport, for any airline, rapidly and readily in many countries and locations, thanks to data centre and global network infrastructure capabilities

  * Performance and Quality of Service over SITA's network infrastructure will be superior to any competitor who needs to rely on a third-party infrastructure. SITA's business partnership with Orange ensures global coverage

  * The first key building blocks of SITA's self-service and automation approach for all cloud products and capabilities are in place

  * SITA is busy with its virtualization solution for Common-Use, with a Virtualized/Thin Client AirportConnect (CUTE) solution to be deployed in regional data centres around the world during 2012

  * SITA's own portfolio of applications are being made available on a SaaS model

Published with Blogger-droid v2.0.4