Ciena Customer Insights featuring Skyline Technology Solutions

1 00:00:13,054 --> 00:00:18,143 The way we are empowering our customers to achieve their AI ambitions is making sure 2 00:00:18,143 --> 00:00:22,814 that they've got the access to the data that AI now unlocks for them. 3 00:00:22,897 --> 00:00:26,693 Almost all of our customers are incorporating an AI strategy 4 00:00:26,693 --> 00:00:30,155 or multiple AI strategies into their service delivery models. 5 00:00:30,238 --> 00:00:34,200 The importance of that is to make sure that they can utilize AI 6 00:00:34,242 --> 00:00:37,203 to make better informed, data-driven decisions. 7 00:00:38,204 --> 00:00:40,874 The historical challenge has not been a lack of data. 8 00:00:40,874 --> 00:00:42,876 It's been a large amount of time 9 00:00:42,876 --> 00:00:45,670 that it takes them to aggregate and analyze that data. 10 00:00:45,670 --> 00:00:48,882 So what we're trying to empower is the ability to aggregate 11 00:00:48,882 --> 00:00:53,303 all of that data and pull it back for AI to do the analysis for them. 12 00:00:53,678 --> 00:00:56,389 Because once they're able to pull that data 13 00:00:56,389 --> 00:00:59,726 back at scale, they're able to do that analysis. 14 00:01:00,060 --> 00:01:03,146 They can make both real time, data-driven decisions, 15 00:01:03,146 --> 00:01:07,901 but also, make long term decisions about changes that they want to make to 16 00:01:07,901 --> 00:01:12,489 how they provide services or how they structure their transportation 17 00:01:12,489 --> 00:01:16,076 systems, for the good of their citizens, the good of their states. 18 00:01:20,163 --> 00:01:25,043 The industry trend that's driving the transportation side is the 19 00:01:25,043 --> 00:01:29,172 underlying technology that we talk about in intelligent transportation systems, 20 00:01:29,172 --> 00:01:33,510 which includes autonomous or connected vehicles, electrification, 21 00:01:33,718 --> 00:01:37,430 smart infrastructure, as well as sustainability mandates. 22 00:01:37,847 --> 00:01:42,894 So in that space, there's a demand, just like we talked about in states and counties. 23 00:01:42,894 --> 00:01:45,897 There's a demand for more bandwidth scalability. 24 00:01:46,106 --> 00:01:49,484 But the transportation space is traditionally more siloed 25 00:01:49,609 --> 00:01:51,569 in terms of their network infrastructure. 26 00:01:51,569 --> 00:01:55,532 So they're going to have to do more to overhaul how their networks 27 00:01:55,532 --> 00:02:01,162 connect across counties or across states, to enable them to be able to aggregate 28 00:02:01,162 --> 00:02:04,165 and pull together the data that they need, 29 00:02:04,749 --> 00:02:09,045 so that they can make the best and smartest transportation management decisions. 30 00:02:13,049 --> 00:02:16,177 In state and counties, the industry trend that will have 31 00:02:16,177 --> 00:02:19,222 the biggest impact is the digital transformation that we're seeing. 32 00:02:19,556 --> 00:02:22,684 That's early on in its early days. 33 00:02:22,892 --> 00:02:26,980 But that digital transformation is going to require additional scalability 34 00:02:27,188 --> 00:02:28,398 and bandwidth. 35 00:02:28,398 --> 00:02:32,986 Our county customers are looking at not only what they need today, 36 00:02:33,194 --> 00:02:37,448 but they're looking out for the next 5 to 10 years and planning for the scale 37 00:02:37,574 --> 00:02:38,700 that's required. 38 00:02:38,700 --> 00:02:42,328 In the county space and also on the state space, but more so on the county side, 39 00:02:42,328 --> 00:02:46,249 there's a concern about making sure that they're supporting education, 40 00:02:46,249 --> 00:02:50,420 public safety, government services and helping with economic development. 41 00:02:50,879 --> 00:02:54,257 The quality of schools, government services and community 42 00:02:54,257 --> 00:02:57,760 safety help counties to attract both residents, and businesses. 43 00:02:58,011 --> 00:03:03,224 And this is resulting in counties looking at how they can create more scale 44 00:03:03,433 --> 00:03:06,519 with more control and while containing costs. 45 00:03:07,103 --> 00:03:10,857 So we see a trend where we think that both states and again, 46 00:03:10,857 --> 00:03:15,153 specifically counties will be looking at leveraging and expanding their own fiber 47 00:03:15,403 --> 00:03:19,490 and network infrastructure, which will require Ciena solutions. 48 00:03:22,911 --> 00:03:23,745 Governments need to 49 00:03:23,745 --> 00:03:27,582 modernize their digital infrastructure, to enhance public safety, 50 00:03:27,874 --> 00:03:32,295 to provide better government services, and to be cost effective. 51 00:03:32,712 --> 00:03:35,423 In the public safety space, emergency services, 52 00:03:35,423 --> 00:03:38,426 law enforcement and other public safety agencies. 53 00:03:38,635 --> 00:03:42,180 They require real time communication capabilities. 54 00:03:42,388 --> 00:03:46,351 And there's a lot of data, in those real time communication capabilities. 55 00:03:46,601 --> 00:03:49,103 The modernized infrastructure that they need ensures 56 00:03:49,103 --> 00:03:52,607 that first responders can communicate effectively during emergencies 57 00:03:52,899 --> 00:03:55,610 and have access to critical data when needed. 58 00:03:55,610 --> 00:03:59,030 An example of that is Skyline’s video sharing solution 59 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,701 called our SITCH platform, which requires large scale of data, 60 00:04:03,993 --> 00:04:06,996 in this case video, to be readily accessible, 61 00:04:07,247 --> 00:04:11,125 as needed by law enforcement and emergency response services. 62 00:04:11,251 --> 00:04:15,129 On the second item that's the driver here was, 63 00:04:16,130 --> 00:04:19,968 better citizen services and matching expectations for citizens. 64 00:04:20,551 --> 00:04:23,763 As citizens today in a digital world, expect 65 00:04:23,763 --> 00:04:28,184 the services that are delivered to them to be easy to use, to be accessible, 66 00:04:28,726 --> 00:04:31,980 and for them to be able to interact 67 00:04:31,980 --> 00:04:35,066 with the services that they need from governments in that digital world. 68 00:04:35,358 --> 00:04:38,361 So those expectations are increasing. 69 00:04:38,569 --> 00:04:41,572 And then when you turn to cost effectiveness, 70 00:04:41,572 --> 00:04:44,367 we're looking at the technical debt 71 00:04:44,367 --> 00:04:47,578 and the need to upgrade legacy systems. 72 00:04:47,787 --> 00:04:50,999 And while modernization requires some upfront investment, 73 00:04:51,332 --> 00:04:54,502 those updated systems are typically more cost effective. 74 00:04:54,836 --> 00:04:59,090 They're easier to maintain and operate than the aging legacy systems 75 00:04:59,090 --> 00:05:00,508 that they currently have in place. 76 00:05:04,387 --> 00:05:06,139 Skyline believes that the biggest challenges 77 00:05:06,139 --> 00:05:10,059 facing governmental departments of IT at the state and local level 78 00:05:10,476 --> 00:05:13,646 is that they're focused on cost effective solutions to expand their fiber network 79 00:05:13,646 --> 00:05:16,649 infrastructure and to stay ahead of demand for data and bandwidth. 80 00:05:16,941 --> 00:05:19,944 They recognize the need for more flexibility and control 81 00:05:20,111 --> 00:05:21,487 in their fiber infrastructure 82 00:05:21,487 --> 00:05:25,241 as a way of implementing long term, sustainable scale and reliability. 83 00:05:25,700 --> 00:05:28,161 They are balancing that need against budget challenges, 84 00:05:28,161 --> 00:05:31,789 which means they need to identify the tangible returns on the investments 85 00:05:32,081 --> 00:05:35,084 as measured by improved services, cost efficiencies 86 00:05:35,084 --> 00:05:38,087 and savings, reliability and scalability. 87 00:05:38,212 --> 00:05:41,883 Operational management and infrastructure sustainability have become a priority 88 00:05:41,883 --> 00:05:45,386 for our customers because of the digital transformation and criticality 89 00:05:45,386 --> 00:05:48,389 of the reliable data and services that they support. 90 00:05:48,389 --> 00:05:52,101 Skyline and Ciena share their perspective that we are providing solutions 91 00:05:52,101 --> 00:05:56,898 for our customers that are not only scalable and reliable, but also sustainable. 92 00:06:00,318 --> 00:06:01,819 Skyline chooses to work with 93 00:06:01,819 --> 00:06:05,156 Ciena for one primary reason, confidence. 94 00:06:05,656 --> 00:06:10,870 Confidence in Ciena's solutions abilities to deliver successful outcomes for our customers. 95 00:06:11,329 --> 00:06:15,291 Skyline has partnered with Ciena for over 20 years in the design, implementation 96 00:06:15,458 --> 00:06:18,461 and operation of large scale programs for our customers. 97 00:06:19,128 --> 00:06:22,131 This has in turn enabled our customers confidently digitize 98 00:06:22,131 --> 00:06:23,758 more of their capabilities. 99 00:06:23,758 --> 00:06:26,260 As more of our customers see the value and long term 100 00:06:26,260 --> 00:06:29,180 strategic benefits in investing in fiber optic infrastructure, 101 00:06:29,180 --> 00:06:33,434 we rely on Ciena's continued commitment to cutting edge optical network solutions 102 00:06:33,684 --> 00:06:37,230 and capabilities to help us position solutions that not only meet 103 00:06:37,230 --> 00:06:41,150 the immediate needs of our customers, but also permit scalability in place 104 00:06:41,442 --> 00:06:44,445 through continued evolution at an incredible value point. 105 00:06:44,862 --> 00:06:48,408 By leveraging the wide portfolio of products and solutions ranging 106 00:06:48,408 --> 00:06:52,120 from coherent DWM line systems and Metro Ethernet services. 107 00:06:52,578 --> 00:06:55,706 With its inherent cost efficiency and multi-tenancy capabilities, 108 00:06:56,249 --> 00:06:59,252 this provides a co-creation of strategic value 109 00:06:59,710 --> 00:07:01,379 for those solutions with our customers.