There's been lots of talk about cloud computing going vertical, and a recent example illustrates the point perfectly: Xerox, which has moved aggressively to offer cloud computing, has unveiled a service geared specifically to airlines.
Called AIRS, the service is based on an alliance with AvFinity LLC, an Austin, Texas-based provider of hardware/software messaging systems for airlines. Indeed, the name AIRS refers to the AvFinity Integrated Router Solution, a Cisco Integrated Services Router outfitted with AvFinity's software, which translates information from the proprietary systems that airlines have used into a single format.
Up until now, AvFinity has focused on small, regional airlines like Mesa Air Group and Canadian North, where its software replaces multiple older aviation messaging systems with single systems carrying flight-plan data, weather information, fueling details, and other staples of aviation routine to other carriers and to agencies such as the Federal Aviation Administration, the Transportation Security Administration, and US Customs and Border Protection.
By hooking up with Xerox and putting its AIRS systems to work with that vendor's cloud infrastructure services, AvFinity can scale up, reaching more and bigger airlines. Xerox will get first-mover advantage in a vertical that's been hitherto relatively free of cloud services. (Some telecom providers are reportedly considering getting into aviation information clouds, but information is thin on the ground.)
But there is a big need for cloud services in aviation, Xerox claims. "Airlines can now leapfrog to the cloud to expedite their communications and do so at costs much lower than maintaining existing mainframe systems," said Ken Stephens, Xerox's senior VP of cloud services, in a statement.
Presently, both companies are holding details about the AIRS cloud close to the vest. No customer names are available, though both Xerox and AvFinity plan to officially roll out the service at the 2012 Regional Airline Association conference in Minneapolis May 21 through 24.
The new Xerox/AvFinity offering may not be fully "cooked," but it illustrates the value that cloud services can bring to specific verticals. Not only can legacy systems be consolidated and replaced, but information can be shared faster by more participants and sites. Expect more in this vein.
Agreed, kq4ym, that if Xerox can gain a foothold in a lucrative vertical, it will be well positioned for further cloud buildout.
One thing: Putting this kind of information in a cloud service is actually supposed to save airlines money, given that they would have to employ VARs to do custom work to consolidate information from multiple legacy messaging systems otherwise.
Then again, perhaps these airlines are living with old systems instead of getting new ones.
Xerox seems to be climbing for the airliine pilot services bigtime. And probably a wise move if they can garner big company contracts. The FAA is fast expanding it's digital network providing weather, flight planning and even aircraft avoidance warning to cockpits.
Airplane avionics can now retrieve "live" info including just where other aircraft are in relation to their flightpath, handy if air traffic control messes up.
Xerox looks like it might be interested in handling data storage and communications to aircraft of the data. But, there's probably some secrets involved in just what they really intend. But it should increase safety in the air, and probably bump up ticket prices a few bucks, as this stuff is incredibly expensive.
In future years the prices should come down enough that even small general aviation aircraft can equip themselves and provide a bonanza to any company who manages to gobble up a significant market share.
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