Server Co-location Case Study: INIT Innovations in Transport

It is a great success story when businesses can make a difference to the local community by working together, increasing relations between local companies for the greater good of the area. Recently, CWCS Managed Hosting and INIT Innovations for Transportation Ltd have combined to provide new technology for Nottingham City Transport (NCT).

INIT Innovations in Transportation

For over 25 years, INIT Innovations in Transportation Ltd have been a leading supplier of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) and Electronic Ticketing Systems for public transport. Their state-of-the-art technology has provided solutions for more than 400 successful projects worldwide from their major subsidiaries in Germany, the USA, Canada, Australia, United Arab Emirates and in the UK.

INIT Innovations in Transportation Ltd is providing Nottingham City Transport with various solutions including fleet management systems and real-time passenger information systems to improve their service and enhance the passenger experience on NCT transport services. CWCS Managed Hosting is providing the data centre services, including power, network connectivity, security and redundancy to host the server infrastructure to make all these upgrades in technology possible. There are many tasks that await INIT when undertaking large and complex projects. One is the need to power the server infrastructure and to provide the network security and reliability in order to make such a huge project successful.

CWCS Managed Hosting

INIT chose CWCS Managed Hosting to provide them with server co-location, so that the responsibility of network, power and security is supported by a local hosting company they can trust, in order for INIT to concentrate on their core business.

CWCS Managed Hosting is a Nottingham based company which specialises in web hosting, dedicated servers, colocation and managed hosting services with over 10 years experience in the web hosting industry. They have two private data centres in Nottingham, supported by experienced 2nd and 3rd tier technical engineers.

Both CWCS data centres include the latest fire suppression and air conditioning systems, lightening protection and water detection systems, various uninterruptable power supplies and a backup generator, ensuring 100% uptime so that their network is always online and always available. Security is paramount to CWCS and they have taken measures to ensure that their data centres are the safest environment to collocate servers. Equipped with the latest in access control and intruder protection systems, the CWCS data centres are linked to the RedGuard system, which notifies the Police automatically in the event of a security breach.

There are five levels of security from entering the building to the data centre, all restricted by pin number access, key and motion sensors. There is also a state-of-the-art CCTV system monitoring and recording activity in the data centres at all times.

With all these enhanced features of their data centres, CWCS is able to provide INIT a solution which gives them the peace of mind knowing that their servers are in the safest possible place.

The Solution

In the meantime, INIT has installed their Intermodal Transport Control (advanced fleet management system) and Real Time Passenger Information systems for Nottingham City Transport. The whole project includes more than 330 NCT buses which are currently being fitted with PC-based on-board computers to assist the driver and control the on-board audio announcements and passenger information displays.

The system also feeds back information to the NCT control centre where INIT’s fleet management system will monitor vehicle positions and allows the dispatchers to initiate transport dispatching measures to ensure the service is working to its full capacity.

The real-time passenger information system calculates up-to-date arrival information which is then shown via information displays at bus stops and in the future also via internet and mobile phones. Also, high-end multimedia TFT screens have been fitted in 18 vehicles to inform passengers about local travel information, news, up-coming stops and possible transfers.

This is a great example of how two local companies can help support the people of Nottingham by providing infrastructure to the local public in the face of government cut backs. This system will lead to a more efficient service for Nottingham City Transport and will help to keep the city and local businesses flowing.