IBM Cloud Helps the Trains Run on Time in Central Europe

ibm-slovenian

Slovenian Railways has adopted IBM’s cloud solution to improve business operations and customer service for the Central European railway. (Photo: IBM)

Slovenian Railways has adopted IBM’s cloud solution to improve business operations and customer service for the Central European railway. The railway is modernizing its IT infrastructure to handle the growing amount of people and goods it transports. The IBM cloud will enable better coordination among the different departments enhanced services to customers, like less waiting time for commuters, fewer train delays, and faster response to customer queries. The contract was signed in December 2012 and the project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013.

The cloud helps to centralize the operation, giving a more holistic view of the Railways’ operations. It also comes with the typical advantages of cloud such as better control over costs, IT purchases and warranties are less of a headache, all while helping it meet all the necessary compliance requirements.

“We aim to offer highest levels of services to our customer and to do so we need the best of technologies,” said Jovanovič Dragomir, CIO of Slovenian Railways. “IBM SmartCloud will provide us with a world class, reliable solution to centralize our IT service desk, control cost and leverage mobile solutions. Our employees and customers will benefit from IBM’s expertise and the power of the cloud, as we will improve our operations across the entire group.”

Adopting a new cloud-based centralized IT system will give the company a more holistic view across all of its freight, passenger and logistics operations so it can more effectively maintain and manage the railway traffic across its network.

IBM SmartCloud Control Desk and IBM Endpoint Manager, part of the IBM MobileFirst Management solutions, unites users from the affiliated Slovenian Railways companies under a uniform IT service desk with a single point of contact available across the entire organization. Through the common IT platform, it means railway officials can automate and manage systems in real-time and help secure mobile devices and other “end points” such as servers. It also means that employees can bring the device of their choosing with security risks minimized.

With a diverse range of business, from freight transport services to passenger and commuter rail to infrastructure management, the railway needs a flexible IT environment that can handle the varying requirements of each group as well as separate IT service desks

Slovenian Railways operates more than 1,200 km of railway track, transports 15.3 million passengers and carries 15.8 million tonnes of cargo each year.