Future-Proofing Industrial IT: Fritz Winter’s Leap to Flexible Infrastructure
Fritz Winter Eisengießerei, a leading global iron foundry, has recently modernized its IT infrastructure in partnership with Fsas Technologies (a Fujitsu company) and NetApp. This move highlights a growing trend within the industrial sector: the require for adaptable, scalable, and cost-effective IT solutions. The core of this transformation lies in Fsas Technologies’ uSCALE pay-per-use model, combined with PRIMERGY RX2540 M7 servers and NetApp AFF C-250 storage in a MetroCluster configuration.
The Rise of Pay-Per-Use in Industrial Settings
Traditionally, industrial companies have relied on significant upfront investments in IT infrastructure. However, the increasing demands of digitalization, data growth, and the need for high availability are pushing businesses towards more flexible models. The uSCALE model allows Fritz Winter to pay only for the IT resources they actually consume, optimizing costs and avoiding over-provisioning. This approach is gaining traction as companies seek to transform capital expenditure (CAPEX) into operational expenditure (OPEX).
“The foundry industry is facing profound changes. Increasing demands for efficiency, quality, and data utilization make a modern, digital infrastructure indispensable,” notes Santosh Wadwa, Vice President and Head of Platform Business Germany at Fsas Technologies.
High Availability and Data Resilience: A Critical Requirement
For a production-focused operation like Fritz Winter, downtime is not an option. The MetroCluster configuration, replicating data across two locations, ensures business continuity even in the event of a failure at one site. This level of resilience is becoming increasingly vital as industrial companies rely more heavily on data-driven processes, and automation. NetApp BlueXP (and its successor, NetApp Console) further enhances data management with AIOps features, leveraging AI and machine learning to proactively improve performance and security.
The implemented solution provides Fritz Winter with a highly available 24/7 service, optimized cost structures, and maximum scalability for its global IT services.
The Synergy of Hardware and Software
The success of Fritz Winter’s IT modernization isn’t solely about the pay-per-use model. It’s the combination of powerful hardware – PRIMERGY servers and NetApp all-flash storage – with intelligent software like Fsas Infrastructure Manager (ISM). ISM provides centralized management of the IT infrastructure across Fritz Winter’s two data centers, simplifying operations and reducing complexity. This integrated approach is a key differentiator for Fsas Technologies and NetApp.
Looking Ahead: Trends Shaping Industrial IT
Fritz Winter’s investment signals several key trends that will likely shape the future of industrial IT:
- Edge Computing: As industrial companies deploy more sensors and IoT devices, the need to process data closer to the source will drive the adoption of edge computing solutions.
- Hybrid Cloud Strategies: A blend of on-premises infrastructure and public cloud services will become increasingly common, allowing companies to leverage the benefits of both.
- AI-Powered IT Operations (AIOps): Tools like NetApp BlueXP demonstrate the growing importance of AI and machine learning in automating IT tasks, predicting issues, and optimizing performance.
- Data Fabric Architectures: The ability to seamlessly access and manage data across disparate systems will be crucial for unlocking the full potential of industrial data.
- Sustainability Focus: Energy efficiency and resource optimization will become key considerations in IT infrastructure decisions.
Pro Tip:
When evaluating IT modernization options, prioritize solutions that offer flexibility, scalability, and integration capabilities. A phased approach, starting with a pilot project, can help minimize risk and ensure a successful implementation.
Did you know?
The maximum storage capacity of Fritz Winter’s NetApp AFF C250 MetroCluster configuration is approximately 1.5 Petabytes – equivalent to roughly 300 million high-resolution photos!
FAQ
Q: What is the uSCALE model?
A: uSCALE is a pay-per-use IT infrastructure model offered by Fsas Technologies, allowing companies to pay only for the resources they consume.
Q: What is a MetroCluster configuration?
A: A MetroCluster configuration replicates data across two locations, providing high availability and disaster recovery capabilities.
Q: What is AIOps?
A: AIOps uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to automate IT operations, improve performance, and enhance security.
Q: What benefits does this modernization bring to Fritz Winter?
A: Fritz Winter benefits from a highly flexible, scalable, and cost-effective IT infrastructure with 24/7 availability and optimized costs.
Want to learn more about modernizing your industrial IT infrastructure? Explore NetApp’s solutions or discover Fsas Technologies’ offerings.
