This is the final instalment of our 4-part series on cloud computing. View Part 1, 2 and 3.
In the previous posts in this series, we looked at the reasons that cloud adoption is gathering pace and some of the challenges and advantages that can gained through this technology. In this final post, we will uncover some of the techniques that can be used to take advantage of this technology.
How are cloud applications run?
There are a number of ways in which cloud infrastructure can be provided – via a private cloud within the company’s network, or via a public or hosted cloud solution. In addition, the services that are offered vary according to the service from the cloud provider. The most common cloud solutions are delivered as Infrastructure (IaaS), Platform (PaaS), or Software (SaaS) as a service.
What are some technical solutions?
There are also ways of minimizing the impact of low bandwidth connections. Special hardware devices and so-called “Edge appliances” can be installed at either end of the connection to optimize and compress the data and make data transfer more efficient.
There are also different types of network infrastructure such as mesh networks and IEEE 802.11s designed to allow intra-mine communication. Mesh networks allow different types of devices to act as nodes in a network without creating new access points, each node spreading the radio signal further than the last in a single network. These have been used in dealing with emergency situations where a Wi-Fi network needs to be setup rapidly by first responders and are equally valuable in difficult mining situations.
However, it should be acknowledged that there are locations where regular high bandwidth Internet use is challenging or prohibitively expensive to install and alternative solutions are needed to allow cloud technologies to work effectively.
Private Cloud Intranet installations can be built on premise at a mine site and do not have to rely on permanent links to a hosting provider. In addition, hybrid cloud solutions can offer significant business flexibility, caching data during the day and sending bulk data at night for backups or access by other applications. In this way, it is sometimes possible to use a combination of local and hosted servers which allow deployment of applications to minimize network impact.
The 3DEXPERIENCE Platform and Cloud
Dassault Systèmes’ 3DEXPERIENCE Platform is a business platform available on premise and in public or private cloud to enable next-level collaboration and business improvement. It allows data input from any number of data sources and provides a single point of reference for data and applications that can be used across the organization.
As new mining technologies such as parametric design and stochastic modeling become available, these will be released as applications which can run against existing data sets hosted on the platform. In addition, many applications are already available on the 3DEXPERIENCE Platform which deliver solutions such as business analytics and finite element modeling to run against mining data, which have already proved transformational in other industries.
The mining industry has unique challenges when it comes to cloud adoption, although some mining companies have overcome connectivity obstacles by installing fiber links at each site. The business benefits of centralizing web applications or taking a hybrid approach which allows data to be stored on the web can bring significant improvements in efficiency, safety, and economy. In doing so, the path will be established which transforms data already produced in planning and production processes into knowledge which provides enhanced, smarter, decision-making capabilities.
Indeed, the adoption of cloud computing is one of the few ways in which the learnings that will come from the Internet of Things. Big data analytics can come to fruition, and the inclusion of these technologies in the mining technology landscape will set mining on the path to becoming a more sustainable industry. Cloud is a key enabler of digital disruption and without it, the democratization of data across departments and teams would not be possible.
Charles Elliott
Latest posts by Charles Elliott (see all)
- Solutions to Blending Problems in Industrial Minerals - July 31, 2018
- Part 4: Cloud Solutions - July 3, 2017
- Part 3: Cloud Computing Issues & Benefits - June 21, 2017
