An internationally active manufacturer of drive and energy systems is replacing its historically grown service platform for fleet customers with a scalable end-to-end architecture. Together with the IT service provider doubleSlash Net-Business GmbH, a modern solution has been created that enables data-driven services, remote monitoring and preventive maintenance. Modularity and continuous development form the foundation for future innovations.
As a specialist in the development of IoT solutions, doubleSlash focuses on future-proof software that enables long-term digital value creation. The company is an expert in connecting devices, designing data-driven decision-making and building digital business models.
The challenge: Heterogeneous applications on a historically grown IoT platform
IoT platforms, service platforms and the associated transformation projects are technically and organizationally complex when a wide range of different applications and devices need to be supported and fully integrated. This applies in particular when the highest service requirements worldwide must be met while handling enormous data volumes. In such cases, either an optimized IoT solution capable of meeting these demands or an entirely new approach is required.
This was the decision reached by the industrial company, which set out to completely redevelop its existing service platform. Given the platform’s age, this step was essential, since adding new functions would ultimately have amounted to little more than patchwork. The goal of the development project was to create a powerful, future-proof solution for remote monitoring, preventive maintenance and data-driven optimization of service offerings.
The existing infrastructure had developed organically over time and was limited in performance. The legacy systems were underpowered and prone to disruptions. This impaired the efficiency of operating processes and prevented the implementation of new use cases such as real-time processing of telemetry data.
The new platform needed to support a broad range of product variants, protocols and connectivity devices used both in cabinet-based control systems and in distributed offshore applications. With data volumes of up to one million messages per minute to be expected, the scalability of the architecture plays a decisive role.
Challenges at a Glance
- Legacy systems with limited performance
- Lack of real-time capability and poor expandability
- High complexity due to heterogeneous device types
- Not scalable to one million messages per minute
The solution: Technological realignment of the platform
For the redevelopment of the service and IoT platform, the company, a global player in the power systems sector, partnered with IT service provider doubleSlash. Together with the machinery manufacturer, they created a scalable end-to-end IoT architecture that includes both edge and cloud components.
Key building blocks include the integration of established technologies such as Apache Kafka and Apache Spark, implemented on Microsoft Azure. These components ensure high-performance data integration and transformation, as well as reliable information delivery for downstream applications.
Agile development for sustainable quality
doubleSlash first supported the company in designing the overall system architecture. This was followed by the development project, characterized by the following features:
- Agile software development and automated test management ensured continuous quality assurance throughout the entire development cycle.
- The use of proven cloud technologies ensures high compatibility and long-term future readiness of the solution.
- Edge and backend components enabled secure and efficient data collection, straightforward device provisioning and update capability.
- Automated data transformation converted raw data from diverse machines, protocols and formats into a unified, analyzable schema.
- Structured training and comprehensive documentation ensured a smooth transition into operations.
Organizational transformation with SAFe
Besides the technical dimension, the project also included an organizational component. Parallel to the development of the new platform, the project partners introduced the Scaled Agile Framework (SAFe). This allows companies to coordinate the work of multiple agile teams and to bridge the gap between development and IT operations. SAFe is particularly well suited for large-scale development projects that are implemented incrementally and enable a fast-paced release train.
The agile approach strengthens the focus on customer needs and shortens delivery cycles. At the same time, the platform was designed to support continuous evolution. New features, integrations or use cases can now be implemented without fundamental changes to the system architecture. This openness to future extensions provides a solid basis for long-term competitiveness.
The result: A future-proof foundation for data-driven services
The new service platform offers a robust and resilient data foundation that enables predictive maintenance and continuous product improvement. At the same time, it is significantly more scalable and flexible, allowing it to adapt smoothly to new requirements.
Real-time analytics capabilities and the integration of modern edge technologies lead to a noticeable optimization of operational processes. Looking ahead, the platform provides a reliable basis for developing new data-driven services and integrating them into existing processes. The modernization of the architecture and the retirement of legacy systems have also delivered substantial cost savings.
Summary of results
- Scalable service and IoT platform with modern edge and cloud architecture
- Real-time data processing and predictive maintenance
- Structured agile development with SAFe and quality assurance
- Reduced operating costs and a foundation for new data-driven services
