With an energy industry shaken by oil prices that have remained low due to oversupply, related support industries like satellite providers are looking to diversify their offerings beyond oil and gas. One example is Uplogix customer, RigNet. In an interview with Via Satellite magazine, CEO Steven Pickett outlined additional markets where RigNet can leverage its existing capabilities.
RigNet is a global provider of digital technology solutions serving remote locations like energy facilities and maritime vessels. Pickett said they are looking at industries not that different from a technology perspective.
“We are assessing these verticals and entering a small number of them in a more focused way. The markets we are focused on include maritime, which is one of the largest initiatives we have focused on the last couple of years, and the mining industry,” said Pickett. “In addition, we are continuing to explore other verticals. We plan to make some decisions, in the coming quarter, about other verticals we will turn our attention to.”
What Uplogix can do for satellite providers
RigNet selected Uplogix about ten years ago to meet their rigorous network support and automation requirements. Uplogix Local Managers (LMs) serve as on-site, virtual network assistants and are deployed at RigNet’s teleport and POP locations to manage
their internal infrastructure, as well as at end-customer locations to automate problem diagnosis and recovery, perform routine network maintenance and configuration, and ensure network availability, even when the primary connection is down.
If a customer’s main broadband satellite link goes down due to mis-configuration or other unforeseen circumstances, the LM at the disconnected remote location automatically dials out to a low earth orbit (LEO) satellite via an integrated external modem to re-establish an alternate, out-of-band network connection to ensure constant management connectivity and availability.
RigNet’s staff uses the Uplogix Control Center to centrally manage all satellite and terrestrial network equipment from a single screen via the web-based portal. From the Control Center, administrators can schedule and coordinate all network maintenance and management operations. In addition, the Control Center serves as the central repository and reporting interface for all data collection and audit logs provided by the appliances deployed at RigNet’s customer locations.
