Intelligent CIO Africa Issue 09 | Page 14

LATEST INTELLIGENCE UNLOCK THE POWER OF A CONNECTED AND EFFICIENT BUILDING PRESENTED BY Download White Paper here T he design and function of the business workspace are undergoing seismic changes as the result of evolutions in technology, the workforce, and workplace design. Taken individually, these forces present challenges for the enterprise; but, when looked at in aggregate, they create new opportunities to reduce costs and improve efficiencies. Remote powering technologies have evolved to accommodate a more diverse universe of devices—bringing wireless, automation and energy efficiency solutions to the network. At the same time, the workforce has become more mobile and collaborative, requiring network connectivity regardless of where employees are, what they’re doing, or what device they’re using. As a result, the workplace itself is becoming more open and flexible. For those responsible for designing and maintaining today’s intelligent buildings, these changes mean rethinking the building’s infrastructure. In addition to the 14 INTELLIGENTCIO growing number and diversity of personal and distributed devices that are part of the connectivity landscape, building networks are increasingly deploying the infrastructure to enable Internet of Things applications. This is driving a growing mix of wired and wireless technologies, including Ethernet, Power over Ethernet, Wi-Fi, and LTE—as well as broadening the definition of infrastructure to include granular data collection through emerging sensor-based technologies. This dictates an infrastructure that can support a variety of applications, meet bandwidth needs exceeding 1 gigabit per second (Gbps), and adapt quickly and easily as new technology and applications emerge. In today’s increasingly connected enterprise, the distinction between facility management systems and the IT systems upon which organizations depend is becoming blurred. The result is a smarter, integrated digital infrastructure that is less of a fixed cost and more of a strategic asset. www.intelligentcio.com