Microsoft’s pre-configured Azure IoT suite now features new predictive maintenance features, enabling deploying companies to see and react when their systems go down.
Announcing the news at Convergence EMEA last week, the Redmond software giant detailed that the IoT-optimised cloud computing platform and infrastructure suite is now able to address equipment failures through predictive maintenance, thereby boosting business production and efficiency.
The Azure IoT suite launched this September and enablers deploying businesses to, through sensors and big data analytics, monitor assets to improve efficiencies, drive operational performance, and initiate new business models and revenue streams.
“Whether you do business in manufacturing, retail, health or with smart cities, chances are your company uses valuable headcount and budget in reacting to issues in the field,” said Barb Edson, general manager for marketing, cloud and enterprise, in a blog post.
“Imagine this: A world in which you could not only predict equipment failures before they happen, but also systematically address them. That’s the promise of predictive maintenance. When you unlock the power of IoT to capture and analyse data, your business can identify warning signs of potential problems, predict when equipment needs maintenance, and preemptively service that equipment before problems occur.”
Using data from sensors and devices, Azure is able to “quickly assess current conditions, recognise warning signs, deliver alerts and automatically trigger appropriate maintenance processes.”
“With the Microsoft Azure IoT Suite, enterprises can quickly and easily connect, monitor assets and analyse data in real time. The predictive maintenance preconfigured solution in the Azure IoT Suite takes that data and uses rich dashboards and visualisations to provide businesses with a new intelligence that can improve efficiencies and enhance revenue streams,” added Edson.
One of the real-life examples Microsoft gave at the Barcelona conference was Rockwell Automation, which has been transforming the oil and gas industry by extending its systems, which monitor capital assets, and using collected data for predictive and even preventative maintenance.
Microsoft has been busy with its IoT efforts in recent months, launching Azure IoT in September, Azure certified for IoT in November, and then working with a number of industrial device partners, including Adlink Systems, Arduino, e-con Systems, Embedded Systems SIA, Nexcom International, Samsung and Toradex.
The firm is also building its developer presence too with Azure IoT Practice Building Portal, and has partnered with location-based services company Esri, a move which could result in the tracking of vehicle charging ports for electric vehicles.