To be competitive the modern mine site needs to use the power of technology to innovate, improve safety and keep expensive downtime to a minimum. At the heart of reducing costs and improving efficiency lies the IT infrastructure on a mine site. So much is dependant on it, from health and safety to data collection and machinery operations. Many mine management teams are choosing to outsource their IT to trusted professionals – a mining MSP (managed service provider).
Working like an an offsite IT department, the mining MSP optimises and monitors the IT and telecoms environment at head office and on the mine site itself. There are plenty of benefits to this setup, not least of which is it takes away the stress of staying on top of technology. Your MSP ensures you’re always using the latest and most suitable version of your IT stack, keeping you up-to-date and cybersecure.
Today we’re going to take a deeper look into how an MSP can improve your mining IT and give productivity on your mine site a boost.
Fast Network and Improved Communications
Fully optimised connectivity around the mine site is essential. Most advanced tools and equipment rely on the ‘Internet of Things’ for generating data and operating to their maximum capacity. It’s one thing to have the equipment on your site, but to fully realise its benefits you need it to connect to a fast network that allows for high-volume data processing.
A Managed Service Provider will advise on and implement the best method of creating a network around your mine site. Remoteness is a hurdle, but one that can be overcome with the leveraging of technology such as SD-WAN.
Other positive effects of a fast network include:
- Improved communications with team members around the mine site;
- Enhanced agility thanks to faster responsiveness between departments;
- Greater collaboration opportunities between head office and other field operations;
- Shorter lag times create a less stressful work environment and improved staff satisfaction;
- Greater opportunities for automation.
Less Downtime on the Mine Site
As a mining company, whether you’re based in Moranbah or Mount Isa or any of the remote mining areas in Australia, you know how costly any downtime is.
With 24/7 remote IT monitoring and support, as well as on-site technology support when required, MSP’s can intercept and rectify issues before they develop. By taking a pro-active approach to maintenance and monitoring, network or operational downtime is drastically reduced.
Ultimately your Managed Service Provider wants what you want – a hassle-free IT environment on your mine site with no incidents. They’ll work hard to achieve that because it keeps you as the client happy and places less pressure on their own resources.
Improved Cybersecurity and Data Backups
It’s the function of your mining managed IT services provider to keep your network and appliances as secure as possible. Your data is especially crucial to the functionality and profitability of your mine and needs to be vigorously protected.
Cybersecurity is an ongoing issue for corporations across all industries, but the high cost of downtime makes it extremely prevalent in mining. Your company doesn’t want to be exposed to a hack, so needs to stay up-to-date with what the threats are and how to mitigate them.
A mining MSP will take this headache away from you. They’ll keep your security systems updated and ensure your IT environment is compliant with the latest standards and regulations. The stress of staying cyber safe is taken out of your hands, freeing you up to focus on big-picture concepts.
Safer Mining Operations
If ever there’s a linchpin to mine site operations, it’s safety. Mining companies do everything in their power to keep risks low and ensure their staff members are protected.
Machines on-site like drills, trucks, trains and processing plants now collect huge amounts of data that can be deployed to improve safety. A healthy network and IT system is essential for storing and communicating this data and improving safety on site.
Clear communications between different departments also enhances safety, as issues are reported and dealt with in real time.
Integrated Technology
There’s a lot of tech on a mine site, and it all needs monitoring, updating and maintaining. Your mining MSP can provide an umbrella service to oversee the management of technology on your site.
Rather than dealing with multiple vendors you have one port-of-call in your IT service provider. This streamlines operations significantly and ensures compatibility between the different kinds of technology utilised on site.
Informed Decision Making
The healthy IT environment your mining company now enjoys leads to better data storage, processing and analytics. Combined with enhanced communications and improved collaboration methods, there’s a platform for better and more informed decision making. Decisions that not only contribute to business effectiveness and productivity, but also to on-site safety.
Mining Managed IT Services are Cost Effective
If you’re a member of a proactive mine site management team, you’ll love the reduced costs an MSP offers when compared to an on-site IT department. You’ll be able to adopt a fixed-price SLA, your monthly spend is a predictable part of your budget, and there’s no chance of bill shock!
Firstly, your labour spend is down. You’ve got a team of managed IT services experts focused on your business, and you don’t carry the cost of training, sick leave, holidays and so on. Staff turnover is also reduced, because you won’t have to search for qualified IT candidates.
The amount you spend on your IT is also directly proportional to your usage. MSP’s offer scalable packages that can be increased or decreased as required. This means your mining company isn’t paying for IT resources you’re not using.
Have you got any questions about how managed IT services can improve productivity for your mining company? Smile IT has built a reputation on bringing high-speed connectivity to remote mine sites, improving communication channels to head office and enhancing operational efficiency. We have strategic partnerships with global leaders like Rajant and Ubiquiti in order to bring you the best-in-class products to boost the tech infrastructure on your mine site.
If we can do the same for you, or you would like to enjoy all the benefits mentioned above, please get in touch here or give us a ring on 1300 766 720. A member of the Smile team would love to chat!
When he’s not writing tech articles or turning IT startups into established and consistent managed service providers, Peter Drummond can be found kitesurfing on the Gold Coast or hanging out with his family!