Schneider Electric has announced the launch of Monitoring & Dispatch Services, enabling IT solution providers and end users to optimise resources, improve efficiency, and help prevent downtime by leveraging Schneider Electric to manage the operations of distributed IT infrastructure.

By simplifying the management of edge computing sites, the new services are designed to make life easier for IT staff, ensure coverage at any unmanned sites and can provide significant savings over the lifecycle of the infrastructure. Services include remote monitoring, troubleshooting, and on-site, next-business-day remediation, including replacement parts.

“Schneider Electric continues to find new and innovative ways to simplify operating at the edge while increasing uptime, meeting the key challenges of multiple remote sites and limited IT staff,” said Kevin Brown, senior vice president EcoStruxure, Energy Management Business, Schneider Electric.

“With our global footprint and domain expertise in IT infrastructure, we are providing more options to enable our partners and end users to do what they do best and make it easier for an open ecosystem to effectively function.”

IT solution providers can add Monitoring & Dispatch Services to their service offering to quickly and cost-effectively expand their portfolio and value to customers.

Digital transformation requires edge computing and comes with new challenges

Digital transformation depends on edge computing, which places IT infrastructure across distributed networks. Industry analysts agree that as a result, shrinking IT staffs are challenged to manage the complexity.

In a recent report from IDC, analysts comment “edge IT presents organisations with new challenges related to areas such as deployment, integration, network management, security, and cost management.” More than 60% of end user organisations want outside help in managing their edge deployments, according to IDC.

In answer to those challenges, Monitoring & Dispatch Services are powered by analytics from the EcoStruxure IT data lake. This data, along with Schneider Electric’s deep domain expertise, allows the Connected Services Hub and customers to glean insightful, data-driven recommendations to maintain system uptime and shift from being reactive to proactive in maintaining distributed IT infrastructure.

This approach combines 24/7 expert remote monitoring and troubleshooting by Schneider Electric’s engineers with next-business-day, on-site support, including replacement parts, when necessary. Moreover, by employing a proactive approach to service, end users can save up to 40% over the lifecycle management of their distributed IT.

Benefits of Monitoring & Dispatch Services include:

• Optimise resources: By streamlining and standardising operations, the new services eliminate the burden of managing dispersed physical infrastructure deployments without having to hire additional IT staff.
• Improve efficiency and reduce risk: It helps reduce mean time to repair with access to enhanced reports, providing the ability to plan for required maintenance, future upgrades, and expansions.
• Help prevent costly downtime: 24/7 remote monitoring against system instability and unexpected failures.

“Monitoring & Dispatch Services have enabled our IT teams to focus on mission-critical activities that support Ventura County Community College District’s key priorities,” said Dan Watkins, associate vice chancellor, Information Technology, Ventura County Community College District.

“By combining 24/7 monitoring, troubleshooting, on-site support, and any necessary parts; the service reduces our time spent on reactive maintenance, keeps us focused on achieving our commitments and timelines, and helps us gain OpEx efficiencies.”

New services fuel IT solution provider revenue growth

As IT solution providers seek new ways to help their customers address the challenges of managing distributed infrastructure networks, they are extending their offer portfolios to include new services.

Monitoring & Dispatch Services can quickly and cost-effectively be added to a partner’s service portfolio to expand their offerings to include remote monitoring, troubleshooting, and on-site, next-business-day remediation, including replacement parts.

“Thanks to Monitoring & Dispatch Services, we have been able to provide a full package service to our customers to relieve their staff from maintenance duties and give them the peace of mind to dedicate their time to their focused activities,” said Dan Coffman, CEO, UPS Protection, Inc.

Monitoring & Dispatch Services are supported by the open, vendor-agnostic software platform EcoStruxure IT. Schneider Electric’s portfolio of software and services provide the power and flexibility for customers to seamlessly manage critical infrastructure devices on their own, with a partner, or to leverage Schneider Electric’s expert service engineers to manage it on their behalf.

Monitoring & Dispatch Services are available in North America and will be available at the end of June in Australia, Austria, Germany, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. The services will be launched in additional countries throughout the remainder of 2020 and into 2021.