RigNet selects Uplogix’s Envoy to manage remote network locations
Houston-based RigNet, a leading provider of managed communications services to the upstream oil and gas industry, has selected Uplogix to provide network management appliances designed to reduce the dependence on network administrators to physically maintain, troubleshoot and configure distributed network devices.
RigNet will use Uplogix’s Envoy, a 24/7 virtual network administrator, to improve automation and expand the manageability of network support services for its clients, including E&P companies, drilling contractors, and service companies. Addressing the communications challenges faced by remote drilling rigs and production facilities, RigNet uses the latest in VSAT, microwave, fiber, and VoIP technologies to provide plug-and-play solutions for broadband data, voice and video communications with quality, reliability, security and scalability equal to those of more traditional land-based services.
Uplogix says Envoy addresses 95% of the issues that regularly cause service outages and degradations in distributed network environments, such as configuration errors, device failures, and telecom faults. It adds that Envoy’s automation capabilities help reduce the time and expense involved in manual network maintenance by as much as 50%, and those involved in network technical support by at least 25%.
Provides lower MTTR
Envoy can prevent, automatically resolve, or improve the mean-time-to-recover (MTTR) factor of 95% of the most common network service interruptions, said the company, and on average can reduce network outages by 25%.
Barry Cox, Uplogix’s CEO, says rising network support costs are a serious concern for all large organizations, but even more so for those in the oil and gas industry, where locations are often isolated, making them more difficult and costly to support.
Normally, he adds, the MTTR from a network outage or disruption requires recognition of the problem, identification of its source, determination of a solution, and then execution of the solution, with three of those steps requiring the physical assistance of IT support. Envoy, however, automates each of them, shortening MTTR significantly.
“By reducing the burden on RigNet’s IT administrators to physically manage the company’s network devices, Envoy will help them to improve network availability and decrease IT costs,” says Cox, adding that this would help put RigNet in position to accelerate the growth of its global network without having to incur significant labor costs.
Security response improved
Another Envoy benefit, says Cox, is that it provides the capabilities to authenticate, authorize, and audit all network operations. Therefore, it can rapidly identify and respond to security attacks from both known and unknown sources without sacrificing network performance and availability.•
For more information about Envoy, contact Uplogix at 8601 RR 2222, Suite 1-235, Austin, Texas, 78730; telephone: 877.857.7077; fax: 512.857.7002; or Web site: www.uplogix.com
