Before you move to the cloud ... – DC Velocity
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862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 16
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SYSTEMS INTEGRATION March 18 2011
TECHNOLOGY REVIEW
Before you move to the cloud
Yes its possible to use a cloud-based WMS to run an automated
facility say the experts But there are some important issues to
address first
By James A Cooke
Email Print ShareThis Reprints 0 Comments
When it comes to their software a lot of warehouse and DC managers have
their heads in the clouds these days Rather than buying a traditional
warehouse management system (WMS) and installing it on their corporate
servers theyre opting for cloud-based applications that are hosted by the
vendor or a third-party on an off-site server often far away and delivered
via the Internet
Much of the appeal of cloud-based solutions is their low cost Companies
can avoid a hefty upfront capital outlay for software licenses as well as
ongoing expenses for upgrades and maintenance At present most cloud-
based WMS users are small warehouses that use basic equipment like
forklift trucks bar-code scanners and radio-frequency devices in their
operations
But what if a user wanted to trade in its forklifts and RF devices for say
sorters carousels pick-to-light systems or automated storage and retrieval
systems Would it have to rethink its choice of software Or is it possible to
use a cloud-based WMS to run a facility with sophisticated automated
material handling equipment
Not for the faint of heart
Industry experts say that while they havent seen much activity in this area
yet it is possible to use a cloud-based WMS to manage an automated
facility Our market is still green with respect to integrating material handling
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862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 26
equipment in the cloud but it can be done says Frank Camean president
of the 4Sight Supply Chain Group a supply chain consulting and systems
integration firm
Nonetheless they caution that this type of project isnt for the faint of heart
Along with the usual challenges of getting an automated system up and
running a company would also have to address some issues raised by
remote operation Fragility security and response time are all issues with
cloud-based computing says Steve Martyn chief executive officer for systems integrator Glen Road Systems Inc
In the case of a fast-paced high-throughput warehouse operation for
example one of the top concerns would likely be the potential for delays in
communications With a cloud-based setup information has to travel back
and forth across the Internet making some time lag inevitable But even a
lag of a fraction of a second could be too long for tasks that require split-
second timingmdashlike the transmission of instructions from the WMS to a high-
speed sortation system I have a certain time window to read a bar code
and get that information back to the sorter says Paul Faber director of software and systems integration at the consulting firm Tompkins
Associates
To prevent these kinds of delays a robust warehouse control system (WCS)
is essential the experts interviewed for this story agreed A WCS which
would be installed at the warehouse essentially serves as a local agent for
the remote WMS downloading information on what items need to be put
away or retrieved from inventory and then converting the information into
instructions for the sorters carousels conveyors and so forth that carry out
the tasks Because the WCS processes the data on site it reduces the risk
of delays caused by a disruption in communications
But one software executive cautions that a WCS alone may not be enough
Chad Collins vice president of marketing and strategy at HighJump
Software says pilots of his companys cloud-based WMS indicated that in
some cases a special controller unit might be needed in addition to the
WCS The special controller would sit between the WMS and the WCS
relaying real-time information from the WMS on say items needed for a
shipment to the on-site warehouse control system
A matter of volume
Another consideration for a company considering a move to the cloud is
transaction volume No matter how robust a facilitys WCS may be if its
transaction volume exceeds a certain level a cloud-based WMS might not
be viable because of the risk of slow response time
If youre in a high-volume environment Id be hard pressed to see someone
doing this says Camean Bandwidth and firewall can become a
10 Is USPS playing with fire
Recommendations
Sign Up Create an account olog in to see whatyour friends are
recommending
Mexican truckers seen
ready to roll on USroadways ndash DC Velocity
95 people shared this
Facebook social plugin
Jeff Russ acqu Jason Lor
DC Velocity onFacebook
288 people like DC Velocity
Like
Facebook social plugin
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 36
challenge
Still Camean says he wouldnt rule out the possibility altogether If a
company could devise a way to batch communications from the cloud-based
WMS to the WCS he says this type of setup would work The WMS would
collect instructions regarding which products need to be picked for a
shipment the WCS would then coordinate the activities of the material
handling equipment to carry out the task Let the WCS do everything that
needs to be done and then send word back to the WMS that the actionshave been [completed] he says
Safe and secure
Another issue that inevitably comes up with cloud computing is data
security Its not uncommon for companies to have trepidations about
allowing their critical inventory information and financial records to be stored
on a computer many miles away outside the companys IT domain
It becomes a major concern for the customer where the data exists and
how they access it notes Jerry Koch director of corporate marketing and
product management at Intelligrated a manufacturer of automated material
handling equipment There needs to be a security scheme in place to
provide for [protecting] the information going back and forth [between the
WMS and WCS]
Thats why its so critical to pick the right hosting vendor for the job Camean
advises companies to ask the vendor detailed questions about its data
protection procedures including its processes for data backup and recovery
in the case of disaster He adds that companies should be aware that some
hosting services charge extra for data recovery
Its all about money
Because of their complexity these types of projects will require extensive
testing and debugging before going live the experts say In fact when it
comes time for the pilot they recommend bringing in all of the vendors
involvedmdashthe suppliers of the WMS the WCS and the material handling
equipment as well as the software hosting companymdashin addition to the
warehouses operations and IT personnel
Many folks need to be involved says Camean Its not as simple as
connecting the WMS to the WCS
Given all the complexities it seems fair to ask why any company would
consider using a cloud-based WMS to manage a highly automated facility
According to the experts the decision to go with a cloud solution would
likely be based on IT-related factors not by warehousing or distribution
considerations In other words companies would take this route to avoid
having to invest in hardware and software and more importantly perhaps to
avoid having to maintain an in-house IT support staff
Top 10 Warehouse Mgmt2011 Top 10 WarehouseManagement Software Get The
Cloud ComputingDeploy and scale effortlessly withhosted solutions from Google Ap
QSSI WMSWarehouse Management SoftwaLeading WMS provider
Cloud ServersHigh-availability cloud hostingSecure amp reliable SAS 70 II
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 46
Resources Mentioned In ThisArticle
4SightSupply Chain
Glen Road Systems Inc
HighJump Software
Intelligrated
Tompkins Associates
Related Articles
Eight steps to successful
systems integration
Utz finds creative solution to
fending off snack attacks
Automated system helps
grocery DC make smarter
picks
Middleware quickly closing the
great software divide
Disaster planning for DC
operations
The software provider is managing the technology on your behalf so you
dont have to develop this IT expertise says Collins of Highjump Limited
IT resources would be the driver [for adopting a cloud WMS] adds
Camean You could save a ton on labor and maintenance
Email Print ShareThis Reprints NewsFeeds
Email James A Cooke | More articles by James A Cooke
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
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asked to log in or register
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862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 56
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Want more articles like this Get a FREE subscription to DC Velocity
Feedback What did you think of this article Wed like to hear from you
DC VELOCITY is committed to accuracy and clarity in the delivery of
important and useful logistics and supply chain news and information If you
find anything in DC VELOCITY you feel is inaccurate or warrants further
explanation please contact Editorial Director Peter Bradley All comments
are eligible for publication in the letters section of DC VELOCITY magazine
Please include you name and the name of the company or organization
your work for
SAS Business Intelligence Can You Go Beyond Reporting amp Get Insights w BI
Yes- Get Info
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 26
equipment in the cloud but it can be done says Frank Camean president
of the 4Sight Supply Chain Group a supply chain consulting and systems
integration firm
Nonetheless they caution that this type of project isnt for the faint of heart
Along with the usual challenges of getting an automated system up and
running a company would also have to address some issues raised by
remote operation Fragility security and response time are all issues with
cloud-based computing says Steve Martyn chief executive officer for systems integrator Glen Road Systems Inc
In the case of a fast-paced high-throughput warehouse operation for
example one of the top concerns would likely be the potential for delays in
communications With a cloud-based setup information has to travel back
and forth across the Internet making some time lag inevitable But even a
lag of a fraction of a second could be too long for tasks that require split-
second timingmdashlike the transmission of instructions from the WMS to a high-
speed sortation system I have a certain time window to read a bar code
and get that information back to the sorter says Paul Faber director of software and systems integration at the consulting firm Tompkins
Associates
To prevent these kinds of delays a robust warehouse control system (WCS)
is essential the experts interviewed for this story agreed A WCS which
would be installed at the warehouse essentially serves as a local agent for
the remote WMS downloading information on what items need to be put
away or retrieved from inventory and then converting the information into
instructions for the sorters carousels conveyors and so forth that carry out
the tasks Because the WCS processes the data on site it reduces the risk
of delays caused by a disruption in communications
But one software executive cautions that a WCS alone may not be enough
Chad Collins vice president of marketing and strategy at HighJump
Software says pilots of his companys cloud-based WMS indicated that in
some cases a special controller unit might be needed in addition to the
WCS The special controller would sit between the WMS and the WCS
relaying real-time information from the WMS on say items needed for a
shipment to the on-site warehouse control system
A matter of volume
Another consideration for a company considering a move to the cloud is
transaction volume No matter how robust a facilitys WCS may be if its
transaction volume exceeds a certain level a cloud-based WMS might not
be viable because of the risk of slow response time
If youre in a high-volume environment Id be hard pressed to see someone
doing this says Camean Bandwidth and firewall can become a
10 Is USPS playing with fire
Recommendations
Sign Up Create an account olog in to see whatyour friends are
recommending
Mexican truckers seen
ready to roll on USroadways ndash DC Velocity
95 people shared this
Facebook social plugin
Jeff Russ acqu Jason Lor
DC Velocity onFacebook
288 people like DC Velocity
Like
Facebook social plugin
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 36
challenge
Still Camean says he wouldnt rule out the possibility altogether If a
company could devise a way to batch communications from the cloud-based
WMS to the WCS he says this type of setup would work The WMS would
collect instructions regarding which products need to be picked for a
shipment the WCS would then coordinate the activities of the material
handling equipment to carry out the task Let the WCS do everything that
needs to be done and then send word back to the WMS that the actionshave been [completed] he says
Safe and secure
Another issue that inevitably comes up with cloud computing is data
security Its not uncommon for companies to have trepidations about
allowing their critical inventory information and financial records to be stored
on a computer many miles away outside the companys IT domain
It becomes a major concern for the customer where the data exists and
how they access it notes Jerry Koch director of corporate marketing and
product management at Intelligrated a manufacturer of automated material
handling equipment There needs to be a security scheme in place to
provide for [protecting] the information going back and forth [between the
WMS and WCS]
Thats why its so critical to pick the right hosting vendor for the job Camean
advises companies to ask the vendor detailed questions about its data
protection procedures including its processes for data backup and recovery
in the case of disaster He adds that companies should be aware that some
hosting services charge extra for data recovery
Its all about money
Because of their complexity these types of projects will require extensive
testing and debugging before going live the experts say In fact when it
comes time for the pilot they recommend bringing in all of the vendors
involvedmdashthe suppliers of the WMS the WCS and the material handling
equipment as well as the software hosting companymdashin addition to the
warehouses operations and IT personnel
Many folks need to be involved says Camean Its not as simple as
connecting the WMS to the WCS
Given all the complexities it seems fair to ask why any company would
consider using a cloud-based WMS to manage a highly automated facility
According to the experts the decision to go with a cloud solution would
likely be based on IT-related factors not by warehousing or distribution
considerations In other words companies would take this route to avoid
having to invest in hardware and software and more importantly perhaps to
avoid having to maintain an in-house IT support staff
Top 10 Warehouse Mgmt2011 Top 10 WarehouseManagement Software Get The
Cloud ComputingDeploy and scale effortlessly withhosted solutions from Google Ap
QSSI WMSWarehouse Management SoftwaLeading WMS provider
Cloud ServersHigh-availability cloud hostingSecure amp reliable SAS 70 II
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 46
Resources Mentioned In ThisArticle
4SightSupply Chain
Glen Road Systems Inc
HighJump Software
Intelligrated
Tompkins Associates
Related Articles
Eight steps to successful
systems integration
Utz finds creative solution to
fending off snack attacks
Automated system helps
grocery DC make smarter
picks
Middleware quickly closing the
great software divide
Disaster planning for DC
operations
The software provider is managing the technology on your behalf so you
dont have to develop this IT expertise says Collins of Highjump Limited
IT resources would be the driver [for adopting a cloud WMS] adds
Camean You could save a ton on labor and maintenance
Email Print ShareThis Reprints NewsFeeds
Email James A Cooke | More articles by James A Cooke
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
After you comment click Post If youre not already logged in you will be
asked to log in or register
Showing 0 comments
Sort by Oldest first Subscribe by email Subscribe by RSS
Comments powered by DISQUS
Post as hellipImage
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 56
Home Subscribe News Feeds Archives E-Newsletters Advertising Customer Care ContactAbout Staff List Privacy Policy
Want more articles like this Get a FREE subscription to DC Velocity
Feedback What did you think of this article Wed like to hear from you
DC VELOCITY is committed to accuracy and clarity in the delivery of
important and useful logistics and supply chain news and information If you
find anything in DC VELOCITY you feel is inaccurate or warrants further
explanation please contact Editorial Director Peter Bradley All comments
are eligible for publication in the letters section of DC VELOCITY magazine
Please include you name and the name of the company or organization
your work for
SAS Business Intelligence Can You Go Beyond Reporting amp Get Insights w BI
Yes- Get Info
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 36
challenge
Still Camean says he wouldnt rule out the possibility altogether If a
company could devise a way to batch communications from the cloud-based
WMS to the WCS he says this type of setup would work The WMS would
collect instructions regarding which products need to be picked for a
shipment the WCS would then coordinate the activities of the material
handling equipment to carry out the task Let the WCS do everything that
needs to be done and then send word back to the WMS that the actionshave been [completed] he says
Safe and secure
Another issue that inevitably comes up with cloud computing is data
security Its not uncommon for companies to have trepidations about
allowing their critical inventory information and financial records to be stored
on a computer many miles away outside the companys IT domain
It becomes a major concern for the customer where the data exists and
how they access it notes Jerry Koch director of corporate marketing and
product management at Intelligrated a manufacturer of automated material
handling equipment There needs to be a security scheme in place to
provide for [protecting] the information going back and forth [between the
WMS and WCS]
Thats why its so critical to pick the right hosting vendor for the job Camean
advises companies to ask the vendor detailed questions about its data
protection procedures including its processes for data backup and recovery
in the case of disaster He adds that companies should be aware that some
hosting services charge extra for data recovery
Its all about money
Because of their complexity these types of projects will require extensive
testing and debugging before going live the experts say In fact when it
comes time for the pilot they recommend bringing in all of the vendors
involvedmdashthe suppliers of the WMS the WCS and the material handling
equipment as well as the software hosting companymdashin addition to the
warehouses operations and IT personnel
Many folks need to be involved says Camean Its not as simple as
connecting the WMS to the WCS
Given all the complexities it seems fair to ask why any company would
consider using a cloud-based WMS to manage a highly automated facility
According to the experts the decision to go with a cloud solution would
likely be based on IT-related factors not by warehousing or distribution
considerations In other words companies would take this route to avoid
having to invest in hardware and software and more importantly perhaps to
avoid having to maintain an in-house IT support staff
Top 10 Warehouse Mgmt2011 Top 10 WarehouseManagement Software Get The
Cloud ComputingDeploy and scale effortlessly withhosted solutions from Google Ap
QSSI WMSWarehouse Management SoftwaLeading WMS provider
Cloud ServersHigh-availability cloud hostingSecure amp reliable SAS 70 II
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 46
Resources Mentioned In ThisArticle
4SightSupply Chain
Glen Road Systems Inc
HighJump Software
Intelligrated
Tompkins Associates
Related Articles
Eight steps to successful
systems integration
Utz finds creative solution to
fending off snack attacks
Automated system helps
grocery DC make smarter
picks
Middleware quickly closing the
great software divide
Disaster planning for DC
operations
The software provider is managing the technology on your behalf so you
dont have to develop this IT expertise says Collins of Highjump Limited
IT resources would be the driver [for adopting a cloud WMS] adds
Camean You could save a ton on labor and maintenance
Email Print ShareThis Reprints NewsFeeds
Email James A Cooke | More articles by James A Cooke
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
After you comment click Post If youre not already logged in you will be
asked to log in or register
Showing 0 comments
Sort by Oldest first Subscribe by email Subscribe by RSS
Comments powered by DISQUS
Post as hellipImage
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 56
Home Subscribe News Feeds Archives E-Newsletters Advertising Customer Care ContactAbout Staff List Privacy Policy
Want more articles like this Get a FREE subscription to DC Velocity
Feedback What did you think of this article Wed like to hear from you
DC VELOCITY is committed to accuracy and clarity in the delivery of
important and useful logistics and supply chain news and information If you
find anything in DC VELOCITY you feel is inaccurate or warrants further
explanation please contact Editorial Director Peter Bradley All comments
are eligible for publication in the letters section of DC VELOCITY magazine
Please include you name and the name of the company or organization
your work for
SAS Business Intelligence Can You Go Beyond Reporting amp Get Insights w BI
Yes- Get Info
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 46
Resources Mentioned In ThisArticle
4SightSupply Chain
Glen Road Systems Inc
HighJump Software
Intelligrated
Tompkins Associates
Related Articles
Eight steps to successful
systems integration
Utz finds creative solution to
fending off snack attacks
Automated system helps
grocery DC make smarter
picks
Middleware quickly closing the
great software divide
Disaster planning for DC
operations
The software provider is managing the technology on your behalf so you
dont have to develop this IT expertise says Collins of Highjump Limited
IT resources would be the driver [for adopting a cloud WMS] adds
Camean You could save a ton on labor and maintenance
Email Print ShareThis Reprints NewsFeeds
Email James A Cooke | More articles by James A Cooke
JOIN THE DISCUSSION
After you comment click Post If youre not already logged in you will be
asked to log in or register
Showing 0 comments
Sort by Oldest first Subscribe by email Subscribe by RSS
Comments powered by DISQUS
Post as hellipImage
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 56
Home Subscribe News Feeds Archives E-Newsletters Advertising Customer Care ContactAbout Staff List Privacy Policy
Want more articles like this Get a FREE subscription to DC Velocity
Feedback What did you think of this article Wed like to hear from you
DC VELOCITY is committed to accuracy and clarity in the delivery of
important and useful logistics and supply chain news and information If you
find anything in DC VELOCITY you feel is inaccurate or warrants further
explanation please contact Editorial Director Peter Bradley All comments
are eligible for publication in the letters section of DC VELOCITY magazine
Please include you name and the name of the company or organization
your work for
SAS Business Intelligence Can You Go Beyond Reporting amp Get Insights w BI
Yes- Get Info
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 56
Home Subscribe News Feeds Archives E-Newsletters Advertising Customer Care ContactAbout Staff List Privacy Policy
Want more articles like this Get a FREE subscription to DC Velocity
Feedback What did you think of this article Wed like to hear from you
DC VELOCITY is committed to accuracy and clarity in the delivery of
important and useful logistics and supply chain news and information If you
find anything in DC VELOCITY you feel is inaccurate or warrants further
explanation please contact Editorial Director Peter Bradley All comments
are eligible for publication in the letters section of DC VELOCITY magazine
Please include you name and the name of the company or organization
your work for
SAS Business Intelligence Can You Go Beyond Reporting amp Get Insights w BI
Yes- Get Info
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66
862019 Before you move to the cloud ndash DC Velocity
httpslidepdfcomreaderfullbefore-you-move-to-the-cloud-dc-velocity 66