It is very easy for us to focus exclusively on the ‘back-end’ of the Internet; networks and infrastructure, platforms and exchanges. But it is extremely important – and often inspiring – to look beyond what we give our customers to what our customers are bringing to the world.  At the beginning of this month EvoSwitch hosted a very successful customer event, OpenCloud Live, where some of our most innovative customers explained to us what our infrastructure enables them to do, and this blog is dedicated to our customers who are bringing the next generation of the internet to life.  

Eric Boonstra, Managing Director, EvoSwitch

Bringing IoT to a street near you

IoT will deploy billions of devices over the next few years. Organisations in virtually every industry will use these devices to drive efficiency, reduce costs, generate new revenue, understand customers and improve the environment. Our customer smartsensors.me told us how they have been out on the streets of the Netherlands installing a new device with more than 10 different sensors, and integrating the ‘big data’ from thousands of these devices with cloud-based analytics. Their technology will revolutionize approaches to urban and infrastructure planning and high-end production, and help create everything from smart cities, roads and industries to smarter homes and health.

Mobile apps for mental health

Focusing on individual health, our customer Parnassia Groep explained how their data-driven healthcare applications are improving peoples’ lives. Nearly 100,000 people a month use their apps, which have proved effective in everything from stopping people hearing voices by playing word games to providing therapy and support for tackling alcohol and drug addiction and self-harm. As predicted by Moore’s Law, processor power is driving us headlong towards the creation of Artificial Intelligence (AI), and it is inspiring to see this processing power helping to overcome their problems.

And many more

During the event, we also heard from Microsoft on the benefits of technological disruption, and from AMS-IX, with whom we pioneered our own OpenCloud platform. And, throughout this year we have worked with many other customers to tell their stories of internet-driven innovation.  Another pioneer in the healthcare sector is CAM, who run their own highly successful Platform as a Service (PaaS) for healthcare apps. And customers like Blueprint IT, Yisp, PhoenixNAP, and Greenhost, are providing the next generation of connectivity, hosting and cloud services.

And these customers are just the tip of the iceberg. So, as we approach the holiday season, I would like to congratulate all our customers on their achievements in 2016 and wish them the best of luck in creating new and innovative products and services that will make the world a better place in 2017.

 

Eric Boonstra is the Managing Director of EvoSwitch.  His focus on attracting international customers to EvoSwitch has been helped by his multi-sectoral experience, which includes a degree in Law and senior management roles in Siemens, Staples and ABN Amro.  View full bio

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