Tips for selecting the right software for maximum savings

A multitude of different technologies exist in today’s market, all with varying degrees of functionality, security, and price point. Selecting the right software is key for maximizing on the cost-saving benefits of Cloud technology while maintaining the full efficacy of your mechanical integrity program. Let’s take a closer look.

The Challenge

The elusive, overarching goal of any AIM program is to optimize the mechanical integrity of your equipment at the lowest possible expenditure. By now, owner operators of plants and facilities are well versed in the ways that Cloud computing can be leveraged to achieve this. For starters, it helps to substantially mitigate IT costs. By leveraging the cloud, you can eliminate expenditure on staffing an entire IT department, upfront capital investment on expensive hardware, purchasing and maintaining local equipment and licenses, etc. If you’re a smaller operator, or if you’re just at the beginning of your asset integrity management journey, these expenses might be even more of an impeding factor.

Cloud-based AIM also offers peace of mind, since the data will not be susceptible to physical damage – be it power surge, natural disaster, fire, etc. Unprecedented flexibility is achieved with the ability to work from anywhere with internet access at any time.

Indeed, the cost saving opportunities of the Cloud in theory are well known and accepted throughout the industry. But what about in practice?

Just because an AIM software labels itself “cloud-based,” does that make it so? Will it truly be able to manage all of the varying asset types of your plants or facilities in the same robust fashion? Will your data be as secure? What about the overarching AIM functionality, modules, user-friendliness? When searching for a cloud-based AIM software, it’s important to still factor in the AIM side of the equation.

The challenge, then, is not whether or not to leverage the Cloud. The challenge is finding a software that allows you to leverage the cloud without compromising on anything else – to leverage the cloud while maintaining (or even enhancing) the efficacy of your mechanical integrity program, the performance of your assets, and the security of your data.

The first thing to consider when vetting an AIM software for this purpose is security. There is a history of hesitance in the industry around the idea of the cloud. Early concerns about data security when the technology first emerged have left people with the impression that it is a less safe or less secure means of hosting asset data. With the right software, this simply isn’t a concern.

First, leverage a software that uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2, the current industry standard for secure connections. This ensures that the inherent security of your data is as robust and on par with (in some cases, better than) what you can expect from a local infrastructure.

Next, ensure that the AIM software provider has built-in security controls in place, so you don’t have to invest extra time and effort in protecting your data. There should be fewer vulnerabilities to third-party access, no risks of physical access and better overall resiliency to threats. Additionally, the technology behind the cloud should be current and evolving automatically – unlike the manual process of updating and maintaining an array of local hardware.

Perhaps as important as the software itself is the company that supplies it. After all, they will be your partner on this journey. Consider a provider that utilizes a reputable cloud source with intermediate security levels. Don’t be afraid to ask questions about the cloud providers they use, why they were selected, etc. and ensure that you are confident in the answers they provide.

Ensure that the software encompasses all of the standard AIM functionality to get the most of your asset data (e.g. risk based inspection (RBI) methodology, integrity operating windows, corrosion control documents, inspection scheduling, etc.). A good cloud-based AIM software should satisfy all these requirements: