Collaboration Asimo Networks and AFIBER in the high-tech industry

Asimo Networks, an expert in network services, and Afiber, specializing in providing private fiber optic networks, have recently begun to work closely together. Asimo and Afiber are combining their services with a focus on the industrial sector – a sector in which Asimo serves a large number of customers.

The starting point of the collaboration is a recently completed project in which Afiber provides connections to Asimo Networks to the NorthC data centers in Rotterdam Zestienhoven and Amsterdam. This enables Asimo to deliver their leading network services in the two largest air and seaport areas of the Netherlands.

This sector is currently characterized by numerous innovation projects. These include automation within production environments, challenges in the oil and gas industry, and the constant growth of data volumes in the pharmaceutical and chemical industry.

There is also a continuous stream of innovation in high-tech industries, a trend known as ‘Industry 4.0’. These developments are driven by new automation techniques such as Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML), as well as by a new generation of robots that are part of the Internet of Things (IoT) concept.

Daniël van Wijnen, CTO and owner Asimo Networks
“The rapid evolution of new technological applications means that Operational Technology (OT) is placing ever higher demands on a network. It is absolutely undesirable for your OT and Information Technology (IT) to share the same network. These applications have different requirements for the network and are increasingly integrated.”

Innovation is driven in part by an increasingly competitive market where data-driven operations are becoming more and more central, and automation and process flexibility are more important than ever. As you become more dependent on data and the degree of automation in your processes increases, so does the need for reliability in your application hosting and network. Examples of production systems that use Artificial Intelligence and Robotics, SCADA systems, and real-time Infrastructure include:

1. Automated Warehouse Management Systems
   With AI-driven robotics, goods can be efficiently stored, tracked, and shipped, resulting in significant operational efficiency. SCADA systems are also used for accurate inventory and real-time monitoring of goods. To make these systems work effectively, a low-latency fiber optic network is necessary to ensure fast, reliable data transfer.
2. Production Automation
   In production environments, AI and robotics make it possible to perform repetitive tasks with a high degree of accuracy. SCADA systems are used for process control and real-time monitoring of machine statuses. Low-latency fiber optic networks are essential for making quick decisions and maximizing system uptime.
3. Predictive Maintenance
   AI can help predict potential machine and equipment failures through data analysis, preventing costly downtime. Systems can be used to collect real-time data from various sensors on the equipment. A low-latency network is necessary to enable real-time monitoring and quick response to potential problems.
4. Energy Management
   In industrial energy applications, AI is used to optimize energy production and consumption, while SCADA systems collect real-time data about power supply. A low-latency network is vital to ensure that any disruptions are quickly detected and rectified.
5. Logistics and Supply Chain Management
   AI and robotics are used to plan optimal routes, predict demand, and automate the loading and unloading of goods. SCADA systems are used for vehicle tracking and monitoring the condition of the goods. Here too, a low-latency fiber optic network is essential to enable real-time tracking and quick decision making.

It is clear that in these environments, low latency networks – enabled by the latest generation of fiber optic networks – are an indispensable part of achieving efficient, reliable, and secure operations, both on the local area network (LAN) and on the wide area network (WAN) between the various industrial production and storage locations and connections with data centers.

Dennis de Vries, VP of Strategic Alliances at Afiber
“When adopting autonomous vehicles in your production or distribution environment, it is crucial to have very short, but above all predictable and stable, latency between the application and the vehicle. You do not achieve this by hosting your application in a cloud environment abroad and accessing it via a VPN tunnel whose route can vary. For optimal returns, you need to think this through more carefully.”

For the hosting of Operational Technology, locations closer to home are increasingly being sought. This is where NorthC Datacenters comes into the picture. With a nationwide network of regional data centers in the Netherlands, NorthC is an ideal provider for industrial companies to host their mission-critical applications nearby. NorthC is an existing partner of both Asimo and Afiber.