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by DRONELIFE Staff Author Ian M. Crosby
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Leading vertiport provider Skyports Infrastructure has commissioned cloud-led digital transformation Managed Services Provider (MSP) Node4 to offer the IT network components and data evaluation capabilities required for vertiport operations. The agreement will see Node4 support Skyports Infrastructure through the development of a world SD-WAN capability. Expected to go live at its first UK location later within the yr, SD-WAN will eventually cover additional UK sites and extend to Skyports Infrastructure facilities within the USA, Dubai and France. SD-WAN will provide the enabling technology and connectivity for Skyports Infrastructure’s global vertiport operations.
SD-WAN will allow for faster deployment at each of the corporate’s vertiport facilities while centralizing and streamlining distant operations, letting Skyports Infrastructure monitor and manage a network of vertiports in near real-time. SD-WAN will offer reliable availability and performance, along with centralized management and robust network security.
“Everyone at Node4 is very easy to work with. The team are approachable and versatile — all the time offering to go above and beyond for us. Node4 also provides invaluable guidance to construct Skyports Infrastructure’s in-house expertise.” said Dan Lambeth, Site Reliability Engineer at Skyports Infrastructure. “We’ve got a protracted technology journey ahead of us, but with the support of key technology partners resembling Node4 and the insight they supply, the journey shall be smooth. Trying to the subsequent 12 to 24 months of technology development, we’re in a superb position to proceed at pace with our vertiport technology product.”
Skyports Infrastructure’s IT team may also profit from Node4’s extensive cloud-based knowledge. Node4 has previously assisted Skyports Infrastructure in constructing and configuring several Azure landing zones for the event of custom vertiport IT systems and software, and can now enable the event of the vital APIs to permit vertiport partners and operators to attach, collaborate and share data easily. Node4 is moreover assisting Skyports Infrastructure with a large-scale, cloud-based data warehousing project designed to store, capture and facilitate evaluation of aircraft telemetry and journey data, including weather and optimal route information.
“We’re delighted to be playing a pivotal role in helping Skyports Infrastructure realise its mission of creating electric air taxi travel a reality – and supporting the event and operation of its vertiports,” said Node4 CCO Iain Shearman. “Network infrastructure solutions, together with our Azure and Database experience, have the potential to bring about such a reimagining of urban travel. I can’t wait to see how this project develops and, who knows, to take one among the primary eVTOL flights from a Skyports Infrastructure vertiport within the not-too-distant future!”
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