AWS Partner Network (APN) Blog
Superior Integrated Systems (SIS) Developed a Data-as-a-Service Platform with AWS and AllCloud
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Superior Integrated Systems (SIS), an integrator of custom-built test equipment and data acquisition systems, launched new services during the pandemic to help their customers satisfy specific product test requirements.
The onset of the pandemic required SIS customers to have easier access to test data when working remotely. SIS launched a new initiative and a data-as-a-service product line, referred to as the Polaris Data Network (PDN). This new network delivers faster and more interactive results using the Internet of Things (IoT) with the goal of improving the customer experience and increasing revenue.
AllCloud, an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner and Managed Cloud Services Provider (MSP), supported SIS to build a proof of concept (PoC), developing the architecture for the desired data-as-a service platform. AllCloud stood up the data platform on Amazon Web Services (AWS) using AWS Control Tower and AWS Cloud Development Kit (AWS CDK).
The Challenge
Traditionally, access for customers of test results was available on a user interface of the custom-built test software and as static report files. However, the onset of the pandemic required customers to have easier access to test data when working remotely.
SIS helped customers satisfy specific product test requirements; for example, helping automotive manufacturers conduct high-cycle, stress-induced testing on vehicle components, or helping aerospace manufacturers run tests based on extreme environmental conditions.
SIS launched a new effort to deliver faster and more interactive results using IoT, with the goal of improving the customer experience and increasing revenue. This new initiative and data-as-a-service product line is referred to as the Polaris Data Network (PDN).
As part of this effort, SIS wanted to build a proof of concept for a new data platform. This portal would allow customers to view test results in near real-time, interact with those results, and even change test configurations. SIS had a clear vision for what they wanted to deliver in this PoC, but knew they would need expertise in building that solution.
The Solution
SIS decided to utilize AWS to build the testing portal, but wanted the expertise of an experienced partner. AWS referred several partners, and SIS ultimately decided to move forward with AllCloud.
SIS chose AllCloud because of the team’s big data and IoT expertise, as well as strong endorsements from AWS. Specifically, SIS found that AllCloud had a clear process in place for how to lead projects, but also demonstrated their ability to move at the company’s pace during early discussions, which positioned them as a true partner during the evaluation process.
AllCloud immediately began working to understand SIS’s strategy and goals, and then quickly transitioned to developing the architecture for the desired data-as-a-service platform. With that foundational work complete, AllCloud stood up the data platform using AWS Control Tower and AWS CDK.
AllCloud also built the data flow, set up device interactions, and structured an analytics solution to deliver a complete proof of concept.
Specifically, the entirety of this work involved:
- Building visualizations displaying dashboards of the testing taking place using containers on Amazon ECS on AWS Fargate and Grafana.
- Setting up integrations to connect different IoT devices to that data platform using AWS IoT Core.
- Creating a structure for data ingestion from IoT devices, including standard processes for how the devices send information to the platform and how that data gets collected in a data lake using Amazon Kinesis, Amazon Simple Storage Service (Amazon S3), and Amazon Timestream.
- Standing up an initial web interface for customers to log in, view dashboards of the data, and manipulate IoT devices by turning them on or off.
Results
“The professional team of AWS developers at AllCloud were critical to the success of the program,” says John Hibma, Founder and CEO at SIS.
With the data flow, device interaction, and analytics solution complete, SIS was ready to onboard their first customer to the PDN portal. Early results from the portal were strong, allowing the company to start marketing this new capability to even more customers and laying the groundwork for a big lift in revenue as a result.
Based on this initial success, SIS is already talking to AllCloud about expanding the partnership and doing more work to build out the complete product offering based on the initial model. Ultimately, this will help SIS better serve customers with a more valuable and highly differentiated solution that provides hands-on access to testing results in real-time. In doing so, the new portal will aid SIS in continuing to win customers and growing their revenue in a highly competitive market.
The SIS team reports they are confident in their partnership with AllCloud, not only to help them achieve this type of success going forward, but also to continue expanding upon what they can offer to their customers to keep up the strong pace of innovation.
“While the race track was certainly an entertaining demonstration, the functions developed jointly with AllCloud have become the core toolkit that forms the basis of PDN,” says Hibma. “Their knowledge and expertise allowed us to bring PDN to market. We couldn’t have done it without them.”
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AllCloud – AWS Partner Spotlight
AllCloud is an AWS Premier Tier Services Partner and MSP that accelerates innovation and helps organizations fully unlock the value received from cloud technology.