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By Kennet
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2
forms. The resource could be a server, a network, or software as long as the intended user can quickly
and easily gain access over the Internet. Typically, these resources are provided by a vendor on a
subscription or rental basis without any capital expenditures necessary on the part of the client. NIST
further specifies three service models for cloud computing:2
⢠Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
⢠Platform as a Service (PaaS)
⢠Software as a Service (SaaS)
The first two models are only used by computer professionals and are beyond the scope of this paper.
For the purposes of this paper, wherever the term cloud computing is used, the SaaS model is assumed.
What is Software as a Service (SaaS)?
With the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, the client pays a subscription to use software. All other
tasks associated with maintaining the software are handled by the provider. These tasks include
software updates, data backups, server maintenance, etc. The SaaS model is the most commonly
encountered by nonâcomputer professionals and offers the most benefits and cost savings.
The term âcloudâ comes from the idea that the user does not see or touch the physical equipment that
powers a cloudâcomputing system. So, what is a cloudâcomputing system made of? Today, large server
farms power many webâbased software systems. A server farm is multiple connected servers that
function as a large âsuper computer.â The server farm can instantly scale by powering up or down
servers as needed without interruption to service. Multiple software systems can run on a single farm.
As more computing power is needed more servers are added to the farm without downtime. During
lowâuse periods like nights or weekends, many of the servers in the farm can be powered off to
conserve energy. This also allows maintenance activities to take place without impact to the user. As
demand increases, more servers are brought online to meet the usersâ needs.
Cloud computing is one of the few computer innovations to start at the consumer level and then
migrate to enterprises.2
âMost IT innovations start in the enterprise and go to customer. This one is going to enterprise
from consumer.â â Geoffrey Moore, TCG Advisors.2
Some of the oldest, most wellâknown, cloud computing systems are consumer products. Google Gmail,
Facebook, Windows Live Hotmail, and YouTube are all examples of cloud computing, more specifically
SaaS, in the consumer market. Hotmail, one of the first Webâbased email systems, officially launched
July 4, 1996, symbolizing freedom from clientâISP based email and the ability to access a userâs inbox
from anywhere in the world.6 By February of 2009, Hotmail reported over 30 million users worldwide.6
Today, both private and public institutions are making a similar switch. The City of Los Angeles now uses
Google Apps, an integrated email and document system by Google, for its 30,000 employees.4 Los
Angeles joins the ranks of many other notable institutions using Google Apps for their email, including
the University of Notre Dame, Motorola Mobile Devices Division, and Arizona State University. A host of
cloudâbased business systems are available on the market. There are cloudâbased alternatives to most
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any traditional clientâserver software systems. Salesforce.com, a Customer Relationship Management
(CRM) system using the SaaS model, has become one of the most popular CRM systems available today.
According to Gartner, a leading IT research firm, 30% of new customer service and support application
investments will be through the SaaS model.3 It is likely that other business systems will follow the same
evolution.
Advantages of Cloud Computing
The most noticeable and immediate benefit of cloud computing is the elimination of capital costs.
Without onâsite servers and expanded IT infrastructure, the upâfront capital investment is often zero
dollars. This is a huge advantage when making a business case for a cloudâbased system.
In addition, the ongoing operating costs are also reduced greatly. There are a wide range of savings
estimates, some of which are much more optimistic than others, spanning from 39% to 90% operating
savings.4 There are many wellâdocumented cases demonstrating a combined implementation and
operating cost savings in the 20% to 40% range.7 An analysis by the City of Los Angeles in its move to
Google Apps found fiveâyear costs were reduced by 23.6%, saving over $5.4 million.4
These operating cost reductions are a direct result of increased efficiencies. In many companies, servers
run at 15% to 20% of their capacity.5 A cloudâprovider can easily consolidate the usage of a system from
many companies to a set of servers that is sized to match the workload. A cloud provider can also
control the load on their servers even as demand fluctuates. By sharing fewer computing resources
among a larger group of users, operational efficiency is increased. In addition, the manpower to
maintain the systems is utilized more efficiently. With traditional clientâserver systems, maintenance
and support activities may require 5% to 10% of one IT personâs time. A cloud provider can utilize almost
100% of their IT personâs time, which creates an increase in manpower utilization and efficiency.
Granted, with a traditional system, the IT person would have other tasks to perform when they are not
supporting the system. With cloud computing, multiâtasking is reduced and the IT department is free to
focus on more important activities.
In addition to the obvious and direct cost savings, there are other indirect savings and benefits
associated with cloud computing. For example, most cloud computing vendors perform maintenance
upgrades routinely with zero downtime. This means that users receive the benefits of new features and
enhancements without interruption to operations. In addition, cloud providers have many failâsafes in
place for power, network, and servers. Because of this, many providers guarantee a level of uptime that
is difficult to achieve with a single, clientâowned server. All of this adds up to more productivity for the
users.
Another benefit of cloud computing is ubiquity. A cloud system is available from anywhere that has an
Internet connection. Some systems are even available via mobile phone or iPod. Because the same, high
security standards are imposed no matter where the users are connecting from, there is little risk of
exposing the system and data to attack or theft.
Other risks are also minimized by using the cloud. Costs and performance are predictable because
pricing and Service Level Agreements (SLAâs) are written into the contract. There will not be any
unforeseen costs associated with hardware failure or data recovery services. The vendor bears the
burden of these costs and is better protected against these hazards in general. Even if a hard drive fails,
the system will failover to a redundant data drive. The cloud provider would then hotâswap a new hardâ
4
drive without impact to the customer. All of this is driven by the vendorâs need to meet their contractual
obligations.
How Cloud Computing Applies to the Predictive Maintenance Industry
Drawing on the NIST definition, a fourth model can be defined specifically for the Predictive
Maintenance (PdM) industry: Expertise as a Service (EaaS).
In this model, expert diagnostic knowledge is delivered via the cloud. For the PdM industry, those
reaping the most cloud computing benefits are combining EaaS with SaaS.
To do this, vendors are providing the hardware and software needed for their solution via the Internet
(SaaS) and then leveraging their own setup to also deliver diagnostic expertise (EaaS) on a much larger
scale than ever possible. This combination is enabling vendors to maximize the benefit and efficiency of
their cloud based PdM program by delivering highlyâskilled diagnostic knowledge to a wide audience
without any physical travel by analysts. This combination of models lets maintenance staff and analysts
access the PdM software over the Web and then perform whatever tasks are relevant to them. While
the analyst accesses the software to review data to detect faults, the plant manager accesses it to see
the analystâs recommendations and assess the health of his entire fleet based on the latest data.
The success of any PdM program rests on the ability of an analyst to make the correct interpretation of
volumes of vibration data. In general, it takes about two years for a new analyst to hone his or her skills
to be reasonably proficient at diagnosing machine faults. It is common for inâhouse analyst positions to
have high turnover as proficient analyst are promoted or seek better job opportunities. As a
replacement is trained, there is a twoâyear cycle in which the diagnostic accuracy of the predictive
maintenance program suffers. In addition, it is well documented that todayâs highly skilled analysts are
retiring at a steady rate and there are few replacements coming up the ranks from the next generation.
Cloudâbased PdM programs enable plants to access highly skilled analysts provided by the vendor. It
brings the data to the analyst rather than the analyst to the machine. Plants need only train their
maintenance staff to collect vibration data and upload it to the vendorâs secure cloudâbased system.
While there is a slight learning curve, anyone familiar with the machines can be taught to collect and
upload data with just a few days or weeks of training. The analyst can then view this data via the
Internet, thus eliminating the need for costly travel. It also enables one analyst to serve multiple
customers since all customer data can be reviewed securely from a centralized Webâbased system.
Further, the analyst can review and diagnose from anywhere in the world, as long as there is an Internet
connection.
Another huge benefit to the EaaS model relates to delivering the right skills for the problem at hand. An
inâhouse analystâs skills are limited to the types of equipment and problems with which he or she has
had experience. By delivering expertise via the cloud, a vendor with a stable of analysts can deliver the
person with the expertise that matches the customerâs need.
Revolutionizing PdM
The predictive maintenance industry stands to gain more from the cloud revolution than most any other
industry. To date, PdM systems have been primarily isolated to individual laptop and desktop
5
computers. PdM was completely left behind in the clientâserver boom of the 90s. By moving to the
cloud, PdM systems will reap all of the cloud advantages previously outlined in addition to all of the
clientâserver advantages that these systems have yet to achieve. The move to the cloud will also be
easier than for other industries since PdM has not made a large investment in traditional clientâserver
systems.
Besides the general benefits outlined earlier, moving PdM to the cloud will revolutionize the industry in
several critical areas:
⢠Centralization. Data is leveraged more efficiently. If a person needs to determine which
plant in a fleet is at the highest risk for downtime, it can be done quickly because the data is
on a single system. The person does not need to talk to several other people or access many
different systems to know the health of the fleet.
⢠Collaboration. Multiple people can share the same information. Several experts can be
called upon to examine a potential problem. By working together and drawing upon a larger
set of experience, these experts can determine the best possible course of action for their
customers.
⢠Communication. Because email alerts, text messages, and even automated phone calls are
possible, the profile of PdM within an organization is raised.
⢠Transparency. More people in your organization are exposed to the PdM process and can
clearly see the benefits. This raises the value of the program, making PdM a âneedâ instead
of a âwant.â
⢠Integration. With so many people needing information from the PdM program, automated
data exchange between business systems becomes a reality.
⢠Participation. The door will be opened for others to gather data, contribute knowledge,
report observations, and feedback findings to the system. Instead of a oneâway process,
PdM becomes an interactive, ongoing process with many other departments feeding data
back to the system.
All of this may sound like predictions of a distant future. Many might question whether all of this is even
possible. If so, then the future is here. Cloudâbased PdM systems have been quietly growing for more
than seven years. Today, more than 50 companies (many Fortune 500) already rely on cloudâbased PdM
services. In fact, there are already many success stories from migrating PdM to the cloud.
Case History 1: Equipment in Danger saved by âThe Cloudâ
A vibration analyst was asked to perform a vibration analysis on a centrifugal compressor. The
compressor was alarming on the Stage 2 vibration sensor that is part of the control system. With a
traditional vibration service program, the vibration analyst would travel to the site, gather the vibration
data, analyze the data and then issue a report. In this case, it would have taken the analyst a minimum
of eight hours to physically get to the plant.
Luckily, th
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istory 2: V
er at a larg
g program. T
the technic
n for each m
ician contact
for immedia
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was impleme
net access (a
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self and uplo
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two highly s
associated oi
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riginal reque
art of the m
sis would ha
acationi
e power pla
he plant use
ian to a pot
achine. The t
s the assigne
te action. U
ay on vacat
nted using c
nd credentia
ibration mon
ting system,
ad it to a se
r maintenanc
tralized, secu
for a closer l
gnostic tools
killed analyst
l pump. Beca
able to quic
st. A travel
achine, a day
ve been very
ng Analy
nt was gat
d data collec
ential proble
echnician re
d vibration a
sually this w
ion. Luckily, a
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6
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: Cloud
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7
computing,
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hresholds we
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utomate
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ta on the pu
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to monitor
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peller and c
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by this vend
not only is d
e data and d
s a false ala
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ing, the softw
uld have had
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nfamiliar pu
stem that ha
mp and send
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system. The
the equipme
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to wait until
distracted by
Detect
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system ale
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tion revealed
gs were not
e rebuild wa
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t the machin
eline data fo
and the tech
would have
he returned
the machine
Anoma
endor. This
peration for
to âthe cloud
nd started u
rted mainten
roblems.
the rebuild e
several mis
secured, and
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8
With traditional predictive maintenance practices, it may have been several weeks before any health
data was gathered on this machine. It would have been much more difficult to find a root cause at a
later date. Even worse, the pump could have failed without knowing why and be sent back to the same
vendor for a second rebuild; likely with the same result.
Because cloud computing was already implemented for the millâs predictive maintenance program, the
problem was identified, diagnosed, and the root cause was discovered within hours.
Closing - The Future of PdM Has Arrived
As illustrated in the three case histories, the cloud is already opening up many possibilities in the world
of PdM. The benefits are quickly realized by companies who choose to leverage this technology.
Organizations that make the move to the cloud will undoubtedly gain the same benefits and discover
more possibilities on their own. Leading organizations are already using this technology to drive a wedge
between them and their competition.
Â
Š 2011 â Azima DLI â All rights reserved.
About the authors:
Kenneth Piety, Ph.D., VP of Technology
Kenneth Piety is the vice president of technology at Azima DLI, a machine condition monitoring company
that has fully embraced the cloud. He coâfounded Computational Systems Inc. (CSI) and was a key
contributor there for nearly 20 years. Ken holds more than 30 patents related to predictive and proactive
maintenance technologies. He has worked for General Electric, Technology for Energy Corporation, and the
Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Ken holds a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from the University of Tennessee.
David Geswein, BS, M.E., Director of Portal Operations
David Geswein is the director of portal operations for Azima DLI. In various roles with Azima DLI he has
helped build and maintain the largest cloudâbased PdM programs in the world. Prior to joining Azima DLI,
David was a Reliability and Performance Engineer for Duke Energy. He is a Vibration Institute certified
Category IV Vibration analyst and holds a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University.
References:
1 (October 7, 2009) The NIST Definition of Cloud Computing. National Institute of Standards and
Technology (NIST) Web site. Retrieved from: http://csrc.nist.gov/groups/SNS/cloudâcomputing/ on August
22, 2010.
9
2 (April 13, 2010) Google ready to get down to business. CloudTweaks.com â The Cloud Computing
Community. Retrieved from: http://www.cloudtweaks.com/2010/04/googleâreadyâtoâgetâdownâtoâ
business/ on September 17, 2010.
3 (November 20, 2008) Gartner Says That 30 Percent of New Customer Service and Support Application
Investments Will Be Through the SaaS Model by 2012. Gartner Web site. Retrieved from:
http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=808112 on September 17, 2010.
4 (April 7, 2010) Saving Money Through Cloud Computing. Retrieved from
http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/Files/rc/papers/2010/0407_cloud_computing_west/0407_cloud_co
mputing_west.pdf on September 21, 2010.
5 (March 25, 2005) Faster Guide: Server Consolidation. [email protected]. Retrieved from
http://searchdatacenter.techtarget.com/definition/serverâconsolidation on September 21, 2010.
6 Wikipedia â Hotmail. Retrieved from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hotmail on October 5, 2010.
7 (April 16, 2009) Cloud Computing Savings â Real or Imaginary. Retrieved from
http://blog.appirio.com/2009/04/cloudâcomputingâsavingsârealâor.html on October 5, 2010.
Cloud Computing - Another Buzzword or Leveraging Technology?
Cloud Computing is opening up many possibilities in the world of Predictive Maintenance (PdM). The benefits are quickly realized by companies who choose to leverage this technology.