PLM on Amazon Web Services Cloud

Recently Saratech technical team members participated in a multi-day seminar hosted by Siemens PLM, where we studied the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud technologies and installed fully operational Siemens Teamcenter PLM application services into the AWS cloud.

Amazon Web Services provides the scalable hosting services and secure communications technologies necessary to deploy a Teamcenter PLM system from small companies to large enterprises, with both the world-wide access and the direct to Teamcenter client capabilities needed to meet today’s requirements for modern multiple site corporate environments.

Teamcenter on AWS is not only a far more scalable deployment option, but is often more secure and more manageable than equivalent on-premises physical server installations, with the same end user experience as when using local servers.

Siemens PLM - Teamcenter on the Cloud website:http://www.plm.automation.siemens.com/en_us/products/teamcenter/cloud-plm.shtml

Not Just Another Deployment Platform

Several key factors differentiate Teamcenter on the cloud from on-premises installations.  IT managers love the speed and zero capital cost of cloud deployments, while being able to provide equal or better security.  Engineering managers love the ability to scale up their data management capabilities by adjusting storage or performance options.

Flexiblility

The inherent flexibility of a cloud deployment over physical assets becomes apparent when comparing the implementation of a new PLM system.  Using pre-configured server systems which can be brought online within minutes, instead of managing a weeks to months long procurement cycle, gives the management team the ability to massively decrease deployment response times.

Scaleable

Adjusting cloud server capabilities is a matter of a few minutes at a management console, instead of a long purchase then installation cycle for hardware upgrades.  Adding new systems is as simple as purchasing new cloud server “instances”, which can be simply copied from existing pre-configured servers and brought online in just minutes.

Cost Effective

Cloud based servers are leased by time used, so can be deployed only as needed, and turned off when unneeded.  Lease rates are incredibly low for the hardware performance offered, so as good or even better performance than could be afforded for on-premises installations become viable.

More cloud computing economics information available at:https://aws.amazon.com/economics

Move Away from CAPEX Assets

As Amazon cloud services are leasing services, they fall into operational expenses, requiring no capital expenditures.  Due to this many organizations become able to very quickly gather approval and deploy PLM based cloud services within weeks rather than the months required previously.

Secure!

Amazon Web Services provides “world class” protection for all their data centers, with no physical access allowed by customers, remote locations, armed security, etc., all of which would generally be additional costs to maintain for a physical PLM installation.

Access to Teamcenter on AWS is provided using either VPN technologies that most organizations already have installed for remote access, or a direct connection.  VPN is a proven secure technology for remote site to site communications using the Internet, while Direct Connection is available at additional cost.

More cloud services security information available at:https://aws.amazon.com/security/

More Secure than on Premises

A quote from an IT Manager with NASA JPL – “Our information is more secure on Amazon’s cloud than in our data center”.

Disaster Recovery is Built In

Using Amazon Web Services for PLM deployments provides a high availability environment for often less cost than a less available on-premises system.  As AWS sites are located around the US and the world, selecting an AWS site close by provides both isolation from local disasters, and quick recovery from any local infrastructure failures.

Saratech to Provide Teamcenter on the Cloud!

Over the next few weeks and months the Saratech technical team will be deploying Teamcenter demonstration and evaluation environments on the Amazon cloud.  We’ll be hosting Teamcenter on cloud demonstrations, and providing cloud deployment options to all new and current Teamcenter customers shortly!