The world has endured a series of disruptive events, and the pandemic has taught valuable lessons that warrant permanent changes in the business landscape. Powerful technologies like cloud applications have become one of the most prominent forces driving business continuity which enable remote work and e-commerce. 

Active approaches regarding the nature of cloud applications driving business continuity have taken an uprise – instilling a glimmer of hope and confidence in the uncertain economy. Employing a Terminal Operating System (TOS) which inherits pure cloud characteristics, has made large-scale remote work possible. As a result, virtual environments have fended off staff layoffs and even help employees cut on expenses typically invested in commuting, laundry, eating out etc. Native-cloud applications award a dual benefit for employers as well, as they can continue to commit and secure supply chains. However, working from home, let alone, adopting a true cloud TOS is still a very new concept in the maritime and container industry. Aside from the most obvious advantage of a true cloud TOS offering work from anywhere at any time, it has fueled business survival by highlighting new and more efficient routes to working. 

Cloud computing has taken prevalence in most sectors as companies across the globe leverage its capabilities to navigate through uncharted waters and progress forward. A breakdown of ways it has developed a better alternative for conducting business involves:

• Shortening the project lifecycle

The timeframe of business remodelling from initiation stages to closure typically concludes over six to eight months. However, given the pandemic enforcing several challenges upon businesses, COVID-19 proved enterprises can pivot with accelerated speeds and adapt to changes over just a matter of weeks. It has challenged numerous leaders to re-evaluate their workflows and think about the speed of adjustment to save on their project budget.

Businesses with established cloud infrastructures supporting a smaller scale of remote work were able to transition into a larger scale with more ease compared to companies which lacked the facilities to accommodate the unprecedented changes. As a result, there is a more substantial focus on automating processes and inducing agility in processes by going cloud. 

• Communication

Accessing data in real-time is equally vital as maintaining information flow between all layers of management. Operational transparency and visibility go hand in hand with communication. Cloud tools like Zoom and Microsoft Teams have emerged to facilitate meetings and conferences in a period where face-to-face interaction is considered dangerous. In a bid to move forward and ensure communication channels strengthen operational visibility, terminal executives need to employ software infrastructures that are purely in the cloud.

• Learning to predict the future

An established cloud infrastructure presents a foundation for proactivity – a massive benefactor in this rapidly changing environment. If manufacturers, ports, and terminals alike knew about shortages in PPE and spike in blanked sailings, would they have increased production in advance to meet demands? Operating on the cloud can offer powerful benefits due to its ability to process external data such as news feeds from multiple countries and analyse trends on a real-time basis. Pure real-time data will facilitate a dynamic response to significant events in the future and overall better decision-making.

• Facilitating long-term outcomes

Thousands of businesses that once relied on direct face-to-face sales or methods of operating have now invested in building a cloud platform. Realizing the advantages of working from home and extending reach to a worldwide audience has convinced industries to evolve into e-commerce businesses. As a result of employing cloud-native applications to power e-commerce and typical operations, it will help drive a significant rate of sales going forward. The container handling industry and maritime industry have experienced a considerable reformation in the past few months as evaluative factors now prioritize agility, cost-efficiency, environmentally sustainable, responsive to change, etc.

The world has experienced the highest level of change since the global economic crisis. At the same time, resilience and perseverance performed in the initial stages of the crisis played a tribute to the quality of the organization. So far, we have seen businesses achieve incredible outcomes, reinforced in their ability to adopt innovative technologies quickly, and leverage its power.

A key takeaway of staying viable in this continually changing environment requires businesses practising agility and being swift when reacting to unanticipated circumstances. Therefore, having the cloud foundation as a platform of stability builds confidence in the ability that we will have to continue to meet challenges, now and in the future.

The likelihood of returning to former business practices grows more elusive as the pandemic proceeds to strain consumer behaviour. At least until a vaccine develops, online commerce will subsist as one of the most significant drivers of the global economy. Meanwhile, business models which rely on offering services must proactively adapt to changing markets and new government regulations. As a result, many affected industry stakeholders have converged with innovative technologies like cloud solutions.

Service-oriented businesses bear the most impact due to the nature of operations which cannot transform into a digital workspace. Consequently, the ongoing crisis exposes deep flaws embedded in rigid system infrastructures which require reconfiguring to ensure business continuity. Supply chain visibility and operational transparency have crumbled at the weight of the pandemic, creating congestion and bottlenecks at a rate unforeseen. Consequently, ports and terminals operating under an inflexible Terminal Operating System (TOS) may have encountered warehouse clogs, disorderly truck management, limited yard space, and exhausted more resources than anticipated. Therefore, a new mindset embracing technologies is critical for this day and age, especially moving forward.

During this unprecedented period, cloud solutions combined with the internet have proven to be the most exceptional facilitator, allowing both operations and individuals to continue communicating and working. Video conferencing, as well as collaboration tools, have paved a new avenue which may transcend well into the future and become standard business practices to save on resources and free up capital spent on travel. Two-thirds of respondents participating in Deloitte 2020 survey, continued working during the peak of the pandemic due to IT infrastructures supporting a virtual workforce. Similarly, expenses usually invested in commuting, clothes, and dry cleaning dramatically reduced, which built an employee appetite to proceed to work from home. Therefore, a TOS operating purely in the cloud can add substantial value and flexibility that is necessary for unpredictable times.

Cloud technology is also taking industry prevalence for increasing visibility within global supply chains. Economies spanning across nations are at risk of collapse amidst this pandemic, particularly with ports and terminals operating manually. Autonomy has been highly encouraged by governments to strengthen information and communication flow which has highlighted the cost-benefit and opportunistic functionality offered with a true cloud TOS. Information and communication are core business components and implementing a system governed on a cloud architecture will grant operators the flexibility to work from anywhere at any time, adhering to recent physical distancing restrictions on-premises.

COVID-19 has taught nations across the globe valuable lessons. Countries at the frontline have tested their strategies while others trailing behind have learned from their leads and refined their approach to obstruct the same mistakes from occurring. The one priority that remains unanimous in every country’s decision is protecting the health and well-being of individuals. With many isolated at home, port and terminal operations are at a standstill. As a result, Cloud TOS solutions are true testaments reminding the economy it can still operate despite the events of COVID-19 shackling industries.

Given the infectious nature of the virus, Cloud TOS’ offering flexibility to work from anywhere is no longer a novel idea. Terminal operators could consider it as a viable alternative to contain the spread but also sustain the supply chain. The speed and scale of the outbreak could expedite the use of Cloud TOS in the future and lead an increase in automation equipment adoption. Practice preventative measures with the Cloud TOS since it offers:

• Linh hoạt – The Cloud TOS offers a safe and secure environment for TOS users to work from home. Cloud TOS features and functionality are exactly as on-premise TOS except on-site presence is not a requirement. Contact is limited to zero because planning, monitoring and control decisions can be made on a workspace from any web-enabled device.
• Tự động hóa – Automated CHEs interfaced with the cloud TOS will further reduce the need for human interaction. The combination will exist as a powerful solution that can jumpstart and strengthen all inactive nodes of the supply chain. Now is the time to consider moving onto the cloud and get serious about investing in automation.
• Massive Savings – Inconsistent numbers of imports and exports, scarce resources, and yard space not used to its full capacity are strong reasons to adopt a Cloud TOS. Operating on a pay-per-use model offers terminal operators the flexibility to plan for what is needed. Therefore, the structure of the payment model only calculates charges according to the number of TEUs currently in the yard.
• No up-front investments – Implementing new TOS infrastructure changes are attached to misconceptions of a costly investment. The Cloud TOS, on the contrary, requires no up-front investments, completely free of charge right from deployment. Moving TOS capabilities into the cloud can save ports and terminals that may struggle to make it out from the pandemic.

It’s a crucial time to start instilling safe practices for healthy wellbeing and sustainable economy. When a catastrophe of this magnitude brings immediate attention and forces restructuring, it’s not entirely impossible or too late to leverage control before it entirely implodes.

Reference: Huynh, L 2019, ‘Cloud Technology – are you really in control?’, World Port Development, June 2019, pp. 38-41.

Technological advancement is a perpetual trend that precipitates a revolution and heavily influences the way industries operate. Strenuous and mundane everyday tasks have become the central concern acting as a catalyst for innovation. Cloud computing is an epitome of one of the greatest creations of the Internet that made its impact dating back to over a decade. However, its growing nature to delve into new fields and open new opportunities for industries significantly attributes to its relevance and current prominence.

Nowadays, cloud computing is commonly known as the paradigm for hosting and delivering services over the Internet. The semantics of cloud computing removes the necessity for users to plan for provisioning which inherently enables organizations to start from the small but develops upon resources according to an increase in service demand.

Due to its consumer-driven and versatile composition, it has procured a strong reception by entrepreneurs, innovators, technology evangelists, and technologically connected users, facilitating its ubiquitous prevalence in organizations. More recently, a Terminal Operating System (TOS) that is entirely on the cloud is no longer a premature idea but a large reality catapulting the Container Handling Industry into a frenzy. Although the cloud technology can bestow a plethora of benefits for ports and marine terminals, it is imperative to outline the exact business objectives and implications that require attention to depict the most suitable and feasible TOS.

Cloud computing architecture offers solutions to various business implications by utilizing its diverse components in a service model to leverage the power of cloud resources. There are mainly three cloud computing service models which distinguish as:

• Software as a Service (SaaS)

It is the most common practice of cloud computing duly for its ability to provide on-demand services hosted and maintained over the Internet, without having to install the software locally. These services are usually prebuilt, functionally dependent, vertically integrated, and universally available applications. SaaS services have a large marketplace where products can be leased and utilized by various users for different purposes. For instance, a true TOS Cloud is a direct embodiment of a SaaS.

• Platform as a Service (PaaS)

PaaS involves providing software and product development tools, including operating system support and software development frameworks where cloud consumers can build and deploy their applications for a specific use. PaaS services are typically readily accessible as they have been already deployed and configured. By implementing a PaaS environment, the cloud consumer does not have to set up and maintain any infrastructure. Giants like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and Google Cloud Platform are the largest providers for a PaaS in the market.

• Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

IaaS provides infrastructure and hardware usually to facilitate virtual machines running in the cloud with associated storage, processing capability, other relevant services, and network connectivity. In the IaaS environment, IT resources can be accessed and managed via cloud service-based interfaces and tools. IaaS services are essentially virtual machines that cloud consumers can utilize on a cloud platform. Some examples are Amazon EC2 which is available through AWS, and Google Compute Engine which is generated on the Google Cloud Console.

However, the shift from complex data machines towards online operations has instigated a stark trajectory in SaaS, accounting for 59% of all cloud workflows in 2018. Trailing behind, IaaS declined from 44% to 28%, while only 13% of workloads delivered as PaaS. Outpacing other cloud models, SaaS is projected to become the underlying foundation running operations for 73% of organizations by 2020.

In a global industry valued at billions, it is critical to be educated of the pervasive technologies that circulate the market and understand its potential; whether it can drive greater performance and reduce costs or become a massive flop. Cloud technology has become an integral asset for organizations as it engenders a spectrum of benefits. Container terminals should leverage their capabilities to derive the following benefits:

• Cost Savings

The most common economic rationale for investing in cloud computing architecture resources is the drastic reduction or elimination in upfront IT investments. All infrastructure such as servers, storage, and applications are managed by the service provider which enables organizations to start small and increase their IT resource allocation accordingly, whenever they require. As a result, capital expenditure becomes non-existent. True cloud software is ‘pay-as-you-go,’ a flexible payment structure also facilitating massive savings as it is calculated based on the capacity used that month which can vary henceforth. Overall, marine terminals strive to reduce risk and prefer a much more tangible relationship between a software’s benefit and its costs. By adopting a complete TOS with a true cloud architecture, terminals can easily meet that objective.

• Flexibility and Elasticity

Marine terminals confront large issues by focusing too much attention on their current computer and data-storage solutions, which can inhibit opportunities for terminal growth and enhanced efficiency. By implementing a cloud infrastructure, it counteracts these issues and offers marine terminals more flexibility overall. If a terminal were to require extra bandwidth, cloud-based services could meet their demand instantly, rather than having the terminal operators undergo a complex and expensive upgrade in their current IT solution, which leads back to the cost savings benefit. Mobility is another characteristic contributing to its flexible nature, as terminal operators are granted access to data and information from any location via any Internet-enabled device. Cloud computing operates on an abstract infrastructure so applications are not locked into devices or locations, and they can be easily moved if needed.

• Quality Control and Manageability

Cloud computing provides enhanced and simplified methods of managing as well as maintaining IT capabilities by centralizing administration of resources; vendor managed infrastructure and SLA backed agreements. In a cloud-based system, all files are stored in one centralized system in a single format. By doing so, everyone can access the same information with the provision of a consistent stream of data while avoiding any human error and have access to clear records of any revisions or updates. Many marine terminals which have yet to adopt cloud-computing services face the risk of data and information losses because of their current software and hardware malfunctioning – differentiating from the conventional on-premise solution for terminals, a cloud-based TOS stores all the information and data in one location safely, mitigating this threat of data and information loss.

• Khả năng mở rộng

If a TOS truly manifests a cloud infrastructure, it should hold the ability to scale resources to accommodate to terminals processing fluctuations in container moves or number of TEUs (Twenty-Food Equivalent unit) seamlessly and automatically in peak periods. The ability for marine terminals to scale is expedited by the flexibility and elasticity of cloud computing, as it provides pools of resources, tools, and technologies that are always readily available for terminals to leverage.

As technology advances to introduce innovative and new trends to the market, it is only a matter of time before it becomes liable to scrutiny as its benefits along with its drawbacks unravel. On the contrary, cloud technology per se is one of the most significant Internet breakthroughs that have proven until this day that it is no longer a trend but has become the natural solution to run operations for any organization of any size due to its numerous capabilities. Cloud computing architecture thrives in any environment, as its flexible framework makes it operable across all industries. However, aside from its notable benefits, there are potential risks that must be considered:

• Security Vulnerabilities

Even though cloud computing services implement very rigid security standards, migrating business data and information to the cloud means that the responsibility for data security is shared with the TOS provider. Due to this, there is an underlying conception that cloud services are easy to access, facilitating nefarious users to scan, identify, and exploit loopholes within a system. However, the likelihood of this happening is extremely low. Adopting an on-premise TOS solution invites more security vulnerabilities since enterprises only have very few personnel who deals with all the IT software and hardware maintenance on the field whereas, in the cloud, there are many levels of security. The physical storage of data resides in cloud servers which are managed in highly protected data center facilities. Stringent protocols are implemented in these cloud campuses to fend off infiltration. It is also important to note that trained professionals with strong expertise maintain these facilities, offering greater coverage of security than on-premise TOS solutions.

• Vendor Lock-In

When a terminal decides to implement a cloud-based TOS, all their information and data is stored into one cloud service used by its TOS provider. Vendor lock-in refers to the issue that arises when a terminal wishes to move their information and data to a different cloud service provider. TOS providers may experience difficulty when migrating information since different TOS Cloud may utilize different formats. For example, a terminal may be currently using a TOS that operates on a Microsoft Azure infrastructure, and it may not work properly if they decide to migrate to AWS EC2. However, the incompatibility issue is alleviated if the TOS Cloud truly adheres to cloud computing characteristics as it should not form binding data and be flexible for transfer.

• Limited Control

Cloud services heed the most control as they provide the foundational platform for TOS providers to build their infrastructure and application. TOS providers can control the frontend infrastructure; information, data, and applications that operate on the platform but will have limited control of the backend infrastructure. Though this is not at all considered a detriment to any parties involved, and instead derives a beneficial relationship where responsibility is divided according to its capabilities such that cloud providers facilitate data storage, and the TOS provider  offers its functionalities on the cloud to terminals. Arguably, a paradox is also rendered from cloud computing as mentioned before; its increased mobility inherently attributes to greater control over terminal data.

The only real threat that requires imminent attention when acquiring a cloud-based TOS is when planning and management are executed poorly. Only organizations which fail to align its IT strategy with its business objectives, experience the drawbacks of cloud computing. Failure to effectively depict precisely the areas of inefficiency in a terminal makes it challenging to select the correct TOS which will render maximum advantages from cloud computing.

A few existing businesses fear their data and information is exposed to security vulnerabilities if they decide to adopt a cloud infrastructure. This factor remains as the most significant deterrent, preventing organizations from operating at its maximum potential level of efficiency. Cloud computing is portrayed as a liability when organizations make uninformed decisions which creates a rippling effect, accumulating into more significant and threatening issues. For instance, if a terminal adopts a TOS with forged cloud infrastructure in conjunction with not scaling resources correctly, expenses escalate while revenues dramatically drop. Investing in a multi-vendor strategy is also another poor management decision that incurs unnecessary costs to deviate from vendor lock-in.

Conventionally, the selection of a TOS has been contingent on the efficiency of the products powering applications and data as well as the volume of discounts incorporated into enterprise agreements. However, marine terminals confront the predicament of determining the optimal architect system to run their terminal operations. The notion to diverge computing workloads between different vendors  is instigated by the risk of service disruption and data lock-in. The well-established GPS application Waze is an epitome of this, where it simultaneously runs its applications across Google Cloud Platform and Amazon Web Services to strengthen their survival of a potential DNS DDOS attack, regional failure, or even a global failure of an entire cloud provider. Though, employing a multi-vendor strategy is not financially viable as committing resources to various cloud platforms is costly and resource intensive, enforcing additional staff training. Therefore, marine terminals must define and evaluate their business objectives to ensure there is a strong alignment with the cloud architecture they plan to implement.

Being reactive to the new and growing trends in technology allows terminals to seek better alternatives to manage their resources so they can persist in prospering both financially and operationally. More recently, the wave of a TOS Cloud has motivated ports and marine terminals to restructure their operations by moving to a cloud infrastructure. However, a terminal must conduct thorough research and take correct precautionary measures to find the best solution which will spawn an increase in ROI, lower expenses, and induce an overall increase in operational efficiency.

Marine terminals most importantly must expand their trust boundaries to refrain from becoming obsolete in an extremely valuable industry. Therefore, they must move from any redundant technologies and assess the most viable TOS Cloud solution in the market. Only then can they propel their productivity levels, cater to their current implications, and deliver the best results without jeopardizing their resources or growth.

About RBS:

Realtime Business Solutions (RBS) specializes in highly specific state-of-the-art TOS solutions and have worked exclusively in the Container Handling Industry for the past 25 years. Over this period. RBS has carried out the installation of the RBS TOPS software to many Container Handling operations around the globe.

RBS most recent products include TOPS Expert Enterprise and Cloud. At RBS, we are the first to create and implement a full TOS Cloud that incorporates technologies of automation, optimization, and real-time control and planning, all in one system. For more information, please visit our website www.rbs-tops.com.

Cloud computing has become one of the most prominent methods in delivering enterprise applications and essentially become the most sought-after strategy for organizations to extend their infrastructure or launch their innovations. It has assisted countless enterprises in building their IT practices over recent years and has become an integral architecture supporting vital operations. More specifically, Cloud service providers offer an infrastructure platform for organizations or developers to run their applications through the Internet.

Every enterprise across all industries was riveted by this ground-breaking technology when Amazon was the first to launch Amazon Elastic Compute Cloud back in August 2006. Several years elapsed till Microsoft, Google, IBM, and other companies entered the market as new Cloud service providers. The constant race to surmount AWS instigates a rise in incorporating more features and functionalities. Cloud services are continually enhanced to respond to dynamic customer demands, offering an expansive range of capabilities.

What started purely as an “operating system for the internet” has unlocked many gateways into what we now know as Infrastructure as a service (IaaS), Software as a service (SaaS), and Platform as a service (PaaS). However, there is a substantial growth particularly in SaaS architecture in comparison to other Cloud segments as enterprises are leveraging its benefits to operate its business structure and expand on a global scale. The compound growth rate is expected to reach 18% by 2020. A current practice of SaaS is devised by RBS in their TOPS Expert Cloud – a limited to none stand-alone system that is fully operational in the Cloud.

These days, without a doubt, leading providers akin to AWS and Microsoft, thrive as a result of the continuous delivery of the Internet of Things (IoT) as well as Artificial Intelligence (AI) working in parallel to facilitate this disruption in the IT industry. The positively upward trend in SaaS and PaaS depicts that the powerful Cloud technology is here to stay and will persist to earn its implementation into more enterprises in the upcoming future.

Amid the growing wave of technological innovation, cloud architecture has become widely renowned for its power to leverage resources off-premise on any device, virtually anywhere in the world. However, a manifold of benefits rendered from using a cloud-based software is left overlooked due to misconceptions about adopting a cloud architecture. Some common myths regarding cloud software are:

Costly Investment

MYTH: There is an underlying myth that adopting a Cloud infrastructure will be a costly investment due to transforming the business structure and implementation process.

• Quite frankly, deploying a true cloud architecture system into a terminal will do the opposite. The most common economic rationale for investing in cloud architecture resources is the elimination of up-front IT investments. The removal or reduction in up-front financial investments enables terminals to start small and increase their IT resource allocation accordingly, whenever they require.</p>
• As a result, it is integral for every terminal to consider the Return on Investment (ROI) which can be highly enhanced if the cloud TOS provider follows a ‘pay-as-you-go’ model like the. This feature provides enterprises with the ability to release any unnecessary cloud computing resources that are no longer needed.
• If the software is truly and completely on the cloud, then on-premise IT infrastructure and applications are no longer required, enabling terminals to save massive amounts in capital costs.

Reduced Control and Manageability

MYTH: Having less control over own data is a popular myth which stems from the presumption that IT infrastructure is no longer managed locally but instead, is now managed, monitored, and maintained on the web by the service provider.

• However, greater control and manageability can arguably counteract this misconception as cloud software in conjunction with IoT, facilitates mobility since stakeholders are warranted access to data and information from any location with any device.
• Although terminal operators and personnel will only be able to control the front-end infrastructure, the information, data, and applications operating the platform, allows terminals to focus their resources on other areas to engender growth or implement advancements.
• As opposed to investing large amounts in upgrading existing solutions on-premise which can also be extremely time consuming and costly, cloud-based services, if entirely on the cloud, can meet this demand instantly and seamlessly.

Security Vulnerability

MYTH: Cloud architecture weakening the security structure of a TOS protecting the data and information belonging to a terminal persists as a myth.

• Cloud software providers, as well as cloud service providers, must follow strict regulation and comply with the industry requirements such as the ISO Standards.
• These policies are heavily enforced to both cloud software providers and cloud service providers which ensures that a safe and protected environment is created for maintaining Big Data in a terminal.
• Many terminals which have yet to adopt a TOS completely on the cloud are more likely to face the risk of data and information losses because of their current software and hardware malfunctioning. Due to cloud-based services storing all information and data in one location safely, it mitigates this risk of data and information loss.

Terminals that realize the real benefits of cloud technology can leverage greater opportunities which allow for a higher ROI, increased control and manageability of data, and can operate as a safer system. However, some enterprise customers are more inclined to deter from these opportunities derived from cloud software because they are only looking at all the reasons not to. Don’t fret and make more by doing less with a complete TOS that is entirely on the Cloud.