Maintaining reliable IT systems during the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity is a complex and unique challenge facing top energy companies in the USA. Metering and monitoring systems, engineering tools, design applications, and incident response systems are critical to ensuring continuous supply to customers. For companies that rely heavily on their digital infrastructure to maintain operations, any disruption can lead to revenue loss and reputational damage.
The different IT systems and networks in energy companies form part of their critical support infrastructure. Everyone, from the maintenance technicians and operators to field services and customer billing departments, requires access to accurate, real-time information to perform their duties. As these are highly specialized systems, keeping everything operational requires a dedicated team of IT professionals and application experts. The cost of maintaining these systems can run quite high, which is why a Managed IT solution can help energy companies save money and ensure reliable operations for their customers and other stakeholders.
Benefits of Managed IT Services for Ohio Energy Companies
More companies realize the benefits of outsourcing some or all their IT needs to a managed service provider. The cost of commissioning new servers or keeping systems secure and available was historically prohibitive. This meant many organizations needed to make compromises when deciding the right time to acquire new hardware or hire additional IT experts. With a Managed IT service provider, this is no longer the case as services can be adjusted and expanded when required.
1. Cost Savings with Managed IT Services
Instead of on-site hardware, energy companies can move their IT systems to a private cloud. With cloud services providing the resources the company requires, they will only pay for the provisioning needed to maintain their system. When a company uses bare-metal servers, they spend a lot of time monitoring consumption and putting new boxes into service as they scale their digital operations. Virtualized servers hosted by a Managed IT service provider enable energy companies to scale efficiently, without requiring massive expenditures for new hardware and supporting resources.
2. Improved Application Performance and Network Efficiency
Managed IT services improve the system’s reliability and streamline IT operations throughout the company to enhance productivity. Reducing complexity and ensuring the system’s optimal utilization increase uptimes. Regular backups and disaster recovery solutions for energy companies, on the other hand, come in handy if anything goes wrong because the systems can be quickly restored. The Managed IT services company monitors the network remotely, freeing up in-house resource to focus on more strategic initiatives.3. Reduced Cost of Compliance and Increased Data Security
There are many regulatory and reporting requirements in the energy industry. Uncontrolled disclosures of information can open companies up to litigation or lead to the loss of Intellectual Property (IP). Managed IT Services include access control models and secure storage of all information, thereby reducing the cost of maintaining and managing compliance requirements. Additionally, companies that use Managed IT Services benefit from the highest grade of encryption available, reducing the risk of a data breach or other malicious cyberattacks. Managed IT providers have access to security analysts that proactively monitor the entire system for newly discovered vulnerabilities and deploy the necessary security patches before an attack succeeds.
4. Eliminating Technology Lag
Technology continues to evolve daily, and traditionally, utility and energy companies depend heavily on legacy systems to maintain operations. By adopting the managed services model, the company will have access to the latest modernization and digital transformation solutions. Managed IT Services can also include hardware solutions and provide mobile device access to the IT system, keeping everyone productive even while away from their desks. Renewable energy companies can leverage the latest wireless network routers with VOIP capabilities to streamline business processes and reduce operational overheads.
5. Gaining Greater Insights from IoT
Similarly, solar energy companies can use the Internet of Things (IoT) to collect sensor data from panel controllers and establish detailed metrics of the entire facility or the plant’s performance. Advanced analytics can assist the company in evaluating current maintenance procedures and planning for higher uptimes without putting the IT systems at risk. Device and sensor data are subject to the same security protocols and encryption, making it safe to connect them to the same networks as other applications and simulation tools.
Complete Peace of Mind with Managed IT Services from Blue Technologies
Blue Technologies help utilities and energy companies bring their operations in line with the latest technological trends. As a technology solution provider, Blue Technologies provides complete peace of mind for critical IT infrastructure from a dedicated team of experts. Energy companies can improve operational availability, eliminate inefficiencies, and leverage new solutions to reduce all their IT-related overheads.
To discuss the different service offerings, and learn more about what Blue Technologies can do for your Ohio energy company, contact one of our consultants today.
