Microsoft empowers government’s one step at a time with data analytics
Cities are facing growing challenges today as more of the world’s population migrates to urban centers, increasing the demand for services. Fortunately, technology is providing the tools to help cities meet these challenges without having to invest in major upgrades. To do this, governments must realize the potential of Big Data and leverage the infrastructure and information that their cities already have in place.
Organizations—whether commercial enterprises, governments, or public agencies—already are using sensors and systems to monitor, manage, and automate traffic control, HVAC, video surveillance, physical access, and many other functions. These systems and “things” are being connected to create an “ Internet of Your Things” that generates large amounts of potentially valuable data. Unlocking that value requires correlating and analyzing that data.
Microsoft tools provide governments around the world with the visibility that they need to draw value from their data through its end-to-end data analytics services.
- The cities of Paris and Helsinki are modernizing transportation systems through the Internet of Things. Paris created an intelligent car-sharing service that is transforming the Paris commute. By combining data from more than 2,300 cars as well as charging stations and registration kiosks, Autolib’ is harnessing streams of data and gaining insights that predict customer behavior and optimize car utilization. By 2023, the Autolib’ fleet is expected to have replaced more than 25,000 privately owned cars, reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 75 million metric tons. The Helsinki Bus Transportation Co. is capturing track traffic, driver performance, and gas usage data to realize a five percent savings in fuel. The data warehouse solution is unique in that it combines data across all buses and routes, giving a system-wide view rather than focusing on individual vehicles.
- On the other side of the world, officials in New Orleans, Louisiana, have implemented a technology solution from Microsoft and Motorola Solutions to streamline emergency communications, creating a unified intelligent system from first responder applications for disparate police, fire and medical services, the 9-1-1 call system, mobile terminals and tablets, and a data warehouse. Using server and database technology, applications and multimedia capabilities, the Orleans Parish Communication District transformed its emergency services to shorten response times, improve safety and eliminate manual processes that were prone to error.
- At Carnegie Mellon University, researchers are using Microsoft Azure and the PI System from Microsoft Global Independent Software Vendor partner OSIsoft to reduce building maintenance and energy costs by up to 20 percent. Now CMU has added Azure Machine Learning, a platform-as-a-service offering, to achieve better fault detection, diagnosis, and more efficient operations. Discussions are underway to implement the solution campus-wide, and cities including Pittsburg and San Diego already are looking to this important work as they undergo their own transformations to smart building management.
The Internet of Things (IOT) is here today in the devices, sensors, cloud services, and data you already are using. Working with Big Data and IOT is nothing new for Microsoft, and our solutions can help you by beginning with what matters most to your organization—the Internet of Your Things—to gain efficiencies in managing your resources and providing services to citizens.
