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The Universität Salzburg, with 16,500 students and around 2,700 employees, faced a significant challenge when the Universities Act 2002 was implemented, granting greater autonomy and self-determination to Austrian universities. This change necessitated a routine replacement of the hardware for the existing DNS server infrastructure. The university's Project Manager, Mr. Thomas Wenniger Dipl. Ing. (FH), sought the expertise of schoeller network control, a technology distributor with experience in networking and infrastructure. The discussions that followed presented options for a comprehensive DNS, DHCP and IP address management (DDI) solution. BlueCat, a leading provider of DDI solutions, was recommended for evaluation. The university had concerns about replacing Microsoft DNS, but the extensive workflow opportunities offered by BlueCat's DDI products for the allocation and management of IP addresses by the IT helpdesk and network administrators sparked interest.

The Laboratory conducts scientific research on highly sensitive technical areas, and as such its network requires a unique architecture. The vast majority of the Laboratory’s workforce is comprised of U.S. citizens, but foreign scientists also work at the lab through cooperative projects and scientific exchange programs. The Laboratory’s network administrators segmented their network to ensure that information was unable to move from the protected enclave of U.S. citizen workers to the enclave used by foreign nationals. This created an administrative headache, however, as the DNS for both areas had to be managed separately under the Microsoft DNS the lab was using. Spreadsheets were used to keep track of IP addresses and host records, but this was hardly a failsafe method – manual errors frequently caused network outages and increased overall operational risk. Split administration also lengthened the time it took network administrators to respond to help desk tickets. With a constant flow of foreign researchers and guests, adding and deleting host records took a great deal of time and energy away from more pressing tasks.

Following Hurricane Katrina, the Mississippi State Department of Health (MSDH) discovered that its emergency warehouse needed drastic improvements due to new federal mandates and the limitations with its current inventory management system. They found that they were greatly lacking in their ability to efficiently respond to public health and healthcare facilities’ needs, and to appropriately manage inventory to prevent asset loss. During disasters, the greatest challenge MSDH faces is the ability to rapidly and safely provide antibiotics, antivirals, chemical antidotes, antitoxins, life support pharmaceuticals, vaccines, intravenous administration supplies, airway maintenance supplies, masks and medical/surgical items to communities in Mississippi.

The IT Network Division of Santa Barbara County, California, was tasked with monitoring all IT asset warranties while keeping track of all purchased and consumed assets across 250 locations. The existing asset tracking system, a customized Access database, was incomplete and difficult to use. It only performed basic tracking and organizing, and lacked the ability to generate different views or lists unless customized by a programmer. The division needed a user-friendly, customizable solution that could efficiently track assets, manage warranties, and generate estimates for new assets.

Tunaskin Aquatic Apparel, a company that designs clothing for aquatic sports, was in need of a powerful inventory management solution that could keep up with their comprehensive operations. The company manufactures, wholesales, and also operates brick-and-mortar stores and an online platform. They were looking for a system that could grow with them and help manage all these aspects of their business. They wanted to have a system in place that could help them track their finished goods and know the right times to restock.

Miakomo, a manufacturer of respirators, facemasks, and filters, faced a significant challenge in keeping up with the high volume of sales triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company needed a solution to increase their manufacturing efficiency. They decided to implement Fishbowl software, a tool familiar to one of their co-founders, Chandler McFarland. The implementation process involved integrating ShipStation, Shopify, and QuickBooks Online with Fishbowl, deciding on the necessary manufacturing tools in Fishbowl to align with their processes, handling their fulfillment process and integrating with their third-party logistics (3PL) warehouse, and scheduling training for their personnel.

Mary’s Medicinals, a leading manufacturer and wholesaler of cannabis-based nutraceutical products, was facing challenges with their inventory management. They had to manually count inventory each week, which was causing problems when it came to accurately forecasting material and production needs. The company needed a tool that could automate this process and provide accurate forecasts. Additionally, they needed to track the potency of the cannabis oil they used in their products, not just its volume.

Prince Michel Vineyard & Winery, one of Virginia’s oldest and largest wine producers, was facing significant challenges with its existing systems. The company was using QuickBooks, which was inadequate for their needs, particularly in managing multiple warehouses and bill of materials. The company was also facing procedural problems, such as all manufacturing inventories being expensed upon purchase, then looped back to cost of manufacture at a later date. This practice, along with other workarounds and estimates, resulted in meaningful financial statements but only months after the year was over. The company was also struggling with inventory accuracy, stockouts, and the inability to produce timely, accurate cost-to-manufacture information in-house.

Modern farmers are under constant pressure to improve crop yields and productivity due to increasing weather extremes, dwindling resources, and a growing population. To address this challenge, Sicily-based Smartisland aims to create and distribute new technological solutions that contribute to a more efficient and sustainable agri-food chain. Their crop monitoring system lets agri-food companies across supply chains harness sensor data to save on water and chemical resources, prevent crop diseases, and telematically control their farms wherever they are. However, to deliver actionable crop insights to customers, Smartisland needed a versatile communication platform capable of enabling and managing connectivity even in rural areas.

Blackbird, a company that provides solutions for manufacturers to digitalize their production lines, was facing challenges with their existing telecom provider. They were in need of a better connectivity provider that specializes in M2M communication, facilitates reliable and secure data collection, provides real-time data about device location and connectivity, is available globally, provides flexible IoT data plans, and offers mobile connectivity. The company was also looking for a technology that can be easily integrated into existing production lines and is reliable enough to allow customers to monitor critical business processes uninterrupted.

With the increasing traffic on German highways and a nationwide goal of reducing fatal traffic accidents to a minimum, federal states require modern technology to regulate, redirect and analyze traffic. Traffic jam warning systems play a vital role, as they can inform drivers about congestions at an early stage and thus prevent rear-end collisions. Speed limits at construction sites may cause congestions, however, they are crucial to the safety of construction workers on site. To counter road congestions during the holiday season, federal states needed real-time data on traffic participation. In Germany, highway projects are assigned through tendering. Network availability measurements are a required procedure for connected traffic solutions.

The EU Energy Efficiency Directive (EED) requires the installation and remote reading of heat cost allocators by October 2020. Monthly consumption data must be provided to the end-user by 2022. With 60% of German buildings being more than 30 years old with outdated water and heating systems as well as siloed metering solutions, there is no visibility on utility consumption, causing inefficiency and low sustainability. metr’s m-gate is capable of cross-vendor communication with the sensors and systems on site. Common protocols are M-Bus and Wireless M-Bus, a unidirectional communication from sensors to gateway, where the meters constantly send data. metr experiences a maximum reach of 4-5 building storeys with the Wireless M-Bus technology, which requires the installation of repeaters for larger infrastructure. As the m-gate is installed in the basement, metr changed from indoor to outdoor antennas to mitigate signal loss due to the concrete walls.

Enerhub, an Italian Charge Point Operator (CPO) and e-Mobility Service Provider (EMSP), aims to simplify the provision of EV charging service for businesses while offering EV drivers the widest possible network of charging infrastructures. For Enerhub to deliver a continuous charging service with maximum operational time, secure and reliable communications between the charging stations and its service management portal are a prerequisite. Equally important is the ability to commission, manage, and maintain charge points efficiently and conveniently from the central office via a remote access tunnel. The Bologna-based e-mobility company found all it was looking for in EMnify.

Y.Share, founded in 2016, aims to help public and private fleet managers achieve their ecological, economic, and safety goals with innovative vehicle sharing and management solutions. Reliable connectivity is the foundation of Y.Share’s solution to monitor fleet operations and manage vehicle access in real-time. However, even when using the strongest network signals, issues are not always ruled out. Having a versatile tool for troubleshooting and counteracting when this occurs is business-critical. For agile, high-growth companies like Y.Share, connectivity management tasks pertain to not only technical and operations teams but also other non-technical teams when the situation calls for it.

Retailers serving today’s consumers need to provide real-time and personalized shopper engagement. However, many retailers are still using legacy Point-of-Sale (PoS) systems that are not equipped to provide this level of service. These systems often communicate CRM and sales data to the back office in hourly or daily batches, making any real-time interaction with customers at the front-end impossible. This is a significant problem for retailers who want to stay competitive in the modern retail landscape.

Climate change and associated severe weather, pests, and diseases could reduce global yields by 30 percent by 2050. Ensuring food security for the growing world population requires innovative farming practices that improve crop productivity while keeping the environmental footprint to a minimum. Toronto-based Ukko Agro seeks to tackle this challenge. IoT applications in agriculture are not necessarily new, but the complexity involved has been a big challenge. Various components, from hardware, to connectivity, to software need to be set up, integrated, and managed effectively, which is a daunting endeavor for farmers and agricultural companies alike.

ZEUS Scooters, a micromobility company, was looking for a reliable IoT communication partner to enhance the efficiency of their e-scooter operations. Cellular connectivity is crucial for ZEUS's business to operate scooters remotely and collect vital data points like origins and destinations, alongside the duration and distance of the trip. Network coverage, quality, and reliability issues can prevent customers from connecting to scooters, resulting in missed trips. ZEUS Scooters had tried alternative telecommunications solutions but was not satisfied with the network coverage and reliability.

Ressolar, an Italian company with a history in the energy sector dating back to 1952, set out to deliver a network of smart charging infrastructure for electric vehicles. As the first charge point operator (CPO) in the province of Bergamo and the third in Lombardy, Ressolar knew that stable and uninterrupted charge point communication is crucial for efficient and seamless user service. To connect its fast-growing charging network throughout Italy, the company needed a reliable partner. Before EMnify, Ressolar used the SIM cards of an Italian mobile network operator. However, they needed a solution that could meet their requirements for competitive and flexible pricing, and a cellular IoT expert team that could assist with quickly and efficiently resolving any problems.

Electric vehicles are foreseen to be the future of urban mobility, especially as the new EU emission target comes into force in 2021, which limits the emission for average passenger cars to 95g CO2/km. However, the lack of charging infrastructure has been a major hurdle in the mass-market adoption of electric vehicles. Governmental plans to roll out fast public charging stations aim to alleviate the current shortage. But with 80% of all charging happening over a longer period – at home or work, equivalent private charging infrastructure is critical in the transition to electromobility. Businesses often do not see the appeal of implementing on-premises EV charging stations, due to the significant costs and complexity involved.

oee.ai, a product of IFP Software GmbH, needed a reliable IoT communication solution for their sensors stationed in factories. These sensors are used to analyze the productivity of well-known German and international manufacturers like Müller, Zentis, and Volkswagen. The company had previously used a B2B platform of a well-known network operator, but found it offered limited overview on SIM activity, poor network availability, and insufficient customer support. Network issues and dead spots of certain networks hindered reliable device communication, and the company wanted to be operator independent to ensure the device is always online.

Symestic, a German company founded in 1999, aims to help global manufacturers increase operational efficiency with a cloud-based Manufacturing Execution System (MES) platform that is affordable, scalable, and easy to implement. However, to transmit machine data from their IoT edge gateways (known as Symestic IoT boxes) to the MES application, the company needed an IoT communication solution that goes beyond a normal SIM card. They required a solution that would provide full transparency and control to provide a robust MES solution to worldwide production plants, including those of large German manufacturers like BITO, Brita, and Erlenbacher.

ev.energy is a company that develops a smart charging management software that optimizes charge schedules based on drivers‘ energy tariffs and the estimated carbon intensity of the grid. The company works with the world’s leading charge point manufacturers, automotive and energy companies to deliver a complete smart charging solution to end users. However, they needed a robust IoT communication solution that works globally and securely integrates into their software. They were previously on a contract with a European network operator but decided to switch due to various challenges.

Kairos, a company founded by several bus companies in response to serious cost pressure on French school bus operators, was looking for a solution to provide efficient fleet management at a low cost. The company faced substantial cost pressures as they had to work with minimal operating margins due to government funding. Most fleet management solutions were not tailored to meet the specific demands of school bus operators – they were often too expensive and too complicated, thereby counterproductive to cost efficiency. Kairos was looking for a solution that could provide real-time bus tracking for full control over the fleet, effortless driver wage management, and flexibility and adaptability to the needs of fleet managers.

Mainova AG, one of the largest regional energy suppliers in Germany, was facing a challenge in the competitive landscape of cogeneration using gas fuel. In Germany, electricity sells on a daily basis and purchases are mainly driven by the price of fuel. Other less costly fuel sources, such as solar, wind, coal and nuclear take precedence, leading Mainova to take an innovative step to drive production efficiency. Mainova was interested in lowering its minimum part load, reducing fuel costs, and improving maximum power output — all while maintaining emissions compliance.

E.ON, a leading power and gas company in the UK, was facing economic challenges due to high gas prices, low power demand, and low power sale prices. Many gas-fired combined cycle power plants in Europe, including those operated by E.ON, were unable to be economically dispatched. These plants, which previously ran for over 4,000 hours per year, were now seeing fewer than 1,000 hours of profitable operation. This was often only possible in real-time power markets and only when spark spreads were high, such as when intermittent renewable power (like wind) needed to be quickly replaced. To operate successfully in this time-sensitive environment, E.ON needed combined cycle plant starts that were fast, reliable, and low-cost, similar to what is possible with simple cycle plants.

Platte River Power Authority, a not-for-profit wholesale electricity generation and transmission provider in Colorado, faced a challenge. The company's 668 MW Rawhide Energy Station consists of a primary coal-fired unit with four GE 7EA gas turbines as peaking and backup units. Additional power sources include coal, hydro, and wind. Platte River required a backup for its primary unit as well as a backup for any other operating sources. Additionally, they wanted a hedge against short-term market pricing fluctuations, while maintaining strict emissions controls.

The city of Haverhill, Massachusetts, operates both Water and Wastewater Divisions, providing drinking water to 58,000 residents and businesses, and producing two billion gallons of water on average each year. The facilities are 32-years-old, however, the control strategies they have in place today have put them well ahead of other facilities of similar size and operation. The Water Division is also responsible for monitoring, water maintenance, and water treatment, which includes protecting water resources. The city of Haverhill is currently supplied with water from Kenoza Lake, Millvale Reservoir, Round Pond, and Crystal Lake. The Wastewater Division maintains the wastewater treatment plant, which provides both primary and secondary treatment for the city’s wastewater. Within the Wastewater Division there are two groups—one monitoring wastewater collection, and the other overseeing wastewater treatment, which includes bringing water and routing wastewater into various facilities from multiple points across the city.

Bruce Power operates the world’s largest nuclear generating facility and provides Ontario, Canada with roughly 30% of its electricity. The company’s site in Tiverton, Ontario is home to eight CANDU reactors — each capable of producing up to 800 megawatts. With the nuclear power industry struggling to balance rapidly increasing demand with the costs and safety measures required to support an aging equipment base, Bruce Power identified scheduled maintenance activities as a source for efficiency gains — enabling increased availability. Specifically, the company had more scheduled maintenance activities than capacity, resulting in delays.

The Grommet, a product-launch platform, was facing a challenge in increasing membership signups. They were looking for ways to improve their Google Display Network (GDN) creatives using cross-channel findings. The company wanted to leverage the value propositions of The Grommet to provide browsers more reasons to sign up. They developed and highlighted a registration wall to show users that if they signed up, they would get coupons, daily updates on launches, and the ability to earn $10.

Salt River Project (SRP) provides generation, transmission and distribution services, as well as metering and billing services to over 1 million customers in the Phoenix metro area. They operate 12 power plants, including coal, nuclear, natural gas and renewable sources (hydroelectric, solar, wind, and geothermal). SRP was looking for a solution that would allow them to integrate data across multiple plants for outage management, to optimize maintenance strategies and to understand where production issues might occur next. They also wanted to identify opportunities to extend monitoring across their transmission and distribution-critical assets. With today’s complex business environment, increased public scrutiny and regulatory oversight, SRP wanted a smarter approach to sustained reliability for the most efficient power production possible. To obtain that level of availability, SRP needed a means to readily analyze the data of their generation assets in a cohesive and consolidated manner.