Projects & Agreements
Berendsen UK ’ s fresh approach to the Internet of Things
When bosses at laundry company Berendsen UK say their biggest challenge is ‘ speed of cycle ’, they ’ re not referring to the giant washing machines they fill with one million bed sheets , pillowcases , tablecloths , napkins and towels every day , later to be returned from whence they came .
Due to the cyclical nature of Berendsen ’ s business , it ’ s vital the company has complete visibility into where items are , what state they ’ re in and when they ’ ll be needed again . Keeping tabs on it all was proving to be quite challenging .
However , it ’ s a challenge the company has now got to grips with , thanks to advances in radio-frequency identification ( RFID ) microchips and the use of the Microsoft Azure cloud to store and analyse the data it generates .
Each item of linen contains an RFID tag . When it arrives on site for laundry , it is typically held in a giant rollcage with up to 1,000 similar items . The rollcage is pushed through a large arch-shaped scanner – similar to those found in security areas at airports .
These scanners read and log every RFID tag on every item in the rollcage , and that data is sent to the Microsoft Azure cloud for processing in Azure HDInsight , the Big Data analysis stack based on Hadoop , via the Microsoft Internet of Things ( IoT ) Hub .
In doing this , Berendsen has essentially undertaken a Big Data driven IoT project , but one in which the ‘ things ’ are not smart fridges or industrial sensors on a utilities network , but ‘ intelligent ’ linen .
For further information visit : www . berendsen . co . uk and www . azure . microsoft . com / en-gb /
Nigerian Internet Exchange ( IXPN ) goes live at MainOne ’ s MDXi Lekki Data Centre to peer local Internet traffic
MainData Nigeria ( MDXi ) and the Internet Exchange Point of Nigeria ( IXPN ) have announced a partnership aimed at expanding the peering of Internet Transit traffic within Nigeria .
The partnership seeks to take advantage of the numerous networks and content providers already connected to MainOne to grow traffic in the Nigerian Internet Exchange . With its open access submarine cable system , Tier 3 data centre and IP transit network already connected to the Lagos , Accra , London and Amsterdam Internet Exchanges , MDXi will bring to the Exchange the capacity to connect directly with the greatest number of IP transit and Content Delivery networks in West Africa .
Speaking during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding , chief executive officer of the IXPN Muhammed Rudman highlighted efforts of the Exchange to deepen local content via partnerships focused on the creation and hosting of content in-country . ‘ Our partnership with MDXi provides our members direct and more cost effective interconnection with their partners , leveraging hosting in MDXi ’ s Tier 3 data centre , and access via MainOne ’ s open-access submarine cable . This will enhance local Internet performance , lower costs and minimise traffic bottlenecks for Internet traffic in Nigeria .’
For further information visit : www . mainone . net
Volta selected by City Business Solutions
City Business Solutions ( CBSIT ) has selected Volta to help improve uptime and security to its central London customers , as well as the flexibility and ability to rapidly upscale existing hosting services .
CBSIT was seeking a new data centre to provide up to date hosting facilities , backed up by strong service level agreements . Just as important to CBSIT was the location of the data centre , as the majority of its customers work within the centre of London . The company had to be able to reassure customers about the accessibility and security of the services it provides .
The ability to provide guaranteed uptime and prompt service delivery was a deciding factor when looking at potential data centre facilities . When time is money , there is no scope for downtime or power failure .
Since working with Volta , City Business Solutions has been able to expand existing hosting services to its customers in a far shorter timeframe . This is because of the location and accessibility of the data facility in the centre of London where most of its customers are based , as well as the exceptionally prompt and expert customer care and support from the Volta team . Volta also guarantees security and resilience at its data centre , meaning CBSIT is confident in addressing this primary customer .
For further information visit : www . cbsit . co . uk and www . voltadatacentres . com
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