Right now we're witnessing the mad migration of information over to The Cloud, as tech-savvy consumers realise the benefits of distributed network computing. We know businesses have discovered the capabilities of cloud technology, but now so too have whole cities. Smaller cities around the globe are fast-becoming "cloud cities", harnessing the power of the cloud to save money and improve their infrastructure.
Right now we're witnessing the mad migration of information over to The Cloud, as tech-savvy consumers realise the benefits of distributed network computing. We know businesses have discovered the capabilities of cloud technology, but now so too have whole cities. Smaller cities around the globe are fast-becoming "cloud cities", harnessing the power of the cloud to save money and improve their infrastructure.
Citizens are now able to interact with their local government and its various agencies in ways that have never before been possible. Here are three of the best cities, making use of the sort of smart technology we love to implement at National Technologies Group.
Honolulu
In 2004, Honololu evaluated its IT and network systems to be underfunded and out of date, but now just ten years later, it's being recognised as one of the top digital cities in the US. Hawaii's capital, with its population of 337,000, has been undergone a complete IT overhaul thanks to a cloud project deployed by IBM.
Citizens in Honolulu are now able to use an app to take photographs of urban problems such as abandoned vehicles or broken street lights, and directly upload them to notify city personnel. Each photo contains geo-positioning data which allows for city workers to pinpoint and fix the problem.
The city has drastically reduced its software and server costs through cloud usage, and is now making financial data available to its citizens for the first time. Figures are released in real time, and are publically accessible online as part of a new commitment to government transparency.
Sunderland
In Sunderland, a city of 280,000 residents in the UK, they're taking The Cloud pretty seriously. The council believes cloud implementation is the foundation for deeper transformation of the city, and has invested in city-wide cloud infrastructure.
Sunderland is using the cloud to reduce redundancy and IT costs, as well as to personalise services for its populace. Council has reached out to local businesses, offering them access to scalable cloud services that put excess computing capacity to work. This also earns the city income as they profit from licensing these services to local business, while they, in turn, save money.
Edmonton
The Canadian city of Edmonton, with a population of around 800,000 people, has rolled out city-wide cloud technology that is changing the way residents interact with their local government. Edmonton is starting with their own city employees, adopting a cloud model that allows their workers access to email, and all the collaboration tools and services they require, inside and outside the city network. Mobility is just one of the benefits of the cloud.
Like Honolulu, Edmonton has created specific apps for residents. Problems like burned out street lights or animals on the loose can be reported instantly without the need to file a report or make a phone call. The cloud solution even allows for people to reserve tee times for golf courses run by the municipality. For Edmonton, the cloud reduces service costs and allows for tasks to be handled more efficiently with less manpower.
Inspired? If you're interested in leveraging cloud technologies to transform your business, let's talk. We can help you with that.
