How Cruise Ships Leverage Cutting-Edge IT Technology for Unforgettable Experiences

Carnival Corporation, the leading data management solution provider in the cruise industry, is delighted to announce the extensive implementation of Azure Native Qumulo Scalable File Service (ANQ) across 11 additional global regions. This revolutionary service empowers companies worldwide to effortlessly provision fully managed, enterprise-scale file systems in the cloud, optimizing data management and enhancing operational efficiency for a seamless cruise experience.

Server Simply, is a leading provider of various solutions based on Azure Stack HCI. We specialize in delivering cutting-edge and reliable solutions that empower our customers to scale their operations, enhance efficiency, and ensure business continuity. Whether your company needs a computing platform for data storage, analytical processing, or deploying cloud services, our team of experienced professionals will assist you in selecting and configuring the optimal Azure Stack HCI-based solution that meets your unique needs.

Unifying Data Fabric with Azure for Streamlined Processes

Carnival Corporation, with its 92 ships sailing from over 700 ports and destinations, generates over 10 million points of data daily across various brands. By adopting Azure's unified data fabric, each brand, including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and P&O Cruises, can simplify its IT infrastructure and optimize data management processes.

"Today, it’s all fragmented. But this approach offers us the chance to do it all through one environment. This can be a great unifying force for us. Having that standardized way of deploying the architecture will be very valuable in terms of having consistent service, consistent maintenance, consistent cybersecurity, and patching all being done in the same way", - Andy Paul, Carnival Corporation’s senior director of maritime innovation, emphasizes the significance of this approach, stating.

How exactly does it work

Azure Edge Solution has revolutionized the cruise industry, empowering leading companies like Carnival Corporation to enhance their connectivity and streamline operational efficiency onboard their cruise ships. By deploying Microsoft's cloud-to-Edge offering, Stack HCI, Carnival Corporation has overcome the challenges of providing reliable connectivity in remote and constantly moving locations, ensuring a seamless experience for both customers and crew members.

Improved Connectivity for Customers

With the deployment of Azure Edge Solution on board its cruise ships, Carnival Corporation has significantly improved connectivity for its customers, especially the increasingly younger demographic. These tech-savvy travelers expect fast and uninterrupted internet access during their voyage. With Azure Edge, they can now enjoy seamless internet browsing, social media access, and real-time communication with friends and family back home, making their cruise experience even more enjoyable.

For example, passengers on the Mediterranean Costa Toscana can effortlessly share stunning vacation photos on social media platforms without any network disruptions, while travelers on Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, journeying as far as Antarctica, can stay connected with loved ones regardless of the remote locations they visit.

Monitoring Vessel Performance

Azure Edge Solution has also proven invaluable in enhancing the effectiveness of monitoring the performance of cruise vessels. With the adoption of Azure IoT Edge, Carnival Corporation can receive real-time data signals from various endpoints on the ships, allowing them to analyze critical performance metrics on board.

For instance, the Neptune software used by the company can now report real-time data signals to Azure IoT Edge, providing Carnival Corporation with valuable insights into fuel consumption, engine efficiency, navigation, and other crucial aspects of vessel operation. This data-driven approach helps optimize fuel usage, identify maintenance needs, and ensure a smoother journey for passengers.

Unifying Data Fabric for Streamlined Processes

Prior to adopting Azure Edge Solution, Carnival Corporation faced the challenge of managing separate IT infrastructures for each brand within its portfolio, leading to fragmented data management processes. However, with the implementation of Azure's unified data fabric, the company now enjoys a standardized and streamlined approach to data management.

For example, each brand, including Princess Cruises, Holland America Line, and P&O Cruises, can now seamlessly share data across the fleet, leading to consistent service, maintenance, cybersecurity, and patching procedures. This unified data fabric not only simplifies operations but also enables better decision-making and efficient resource allocation across the entire cruise fleet.

Empowering Versatile Workloads with Seamless Cloud Integration

Azure Native Qumulo offers a fully managed service that combines the ease of the cloud with Qumulo's rich feature set, scalability, and performance available on-premises. By provisioning an enterprise-grade, cloud-native file system with just a few clicks directly from the Azure portal, customers can migrate on-premises workloads to Azure without the need for application re-architecting. This streamlined approach to unstructured data management simplifies operations on both on-premises and cloud deployments, allowing businesses to maximize the benefits of cloud-based storage.

With the recent expansion of Azure Native Qumulo to 11 new regions, Qumulo takes a significant stride towards their commitment to Scale Anywhere™ and cater to diverse customer needs. Previously, businesses with large-scale file workloads encountered limitations in scaling, feature set, and performance when considering cloud services. Traditional file-based cloud storage solutions also proved costly, making it challenging for companies to manage their cloud spending effectively. However, with the introduction of Azure Native Qumulo, businesses can now effortlessly scale their unstructured data across major regions within the European Union and North America, providing a simple and cost-effective approach to data management in the cloud.

"Enterprise infrastructure owners are increasingly interested in driving efficiency and lowering operational cost through more inclusion of public cloud storage. They need to move workloads from on-prem to the cloud, without having to worry about scalability limitations or functional gaps. With Azure Native Qumulo, we’ve made it simple for customers to scale their unstructured data in any major region across the EU. In fact, within 24 hours of its availability in Germany, we had a customer who was able to use the service in production", - said Brandon Whitelaw, Vice President of Strategic Partnerships, Qumulo.

Conclusion

the widespread availability of Azure Native Qumulo Scalable File Service in these new global regions marks a remarkable achievement for Qumulo and opens new opportunities for businesses to harness the power of scalable cloud storage. With ANQ, companies can seamlessly integrate versatile workloads and experience unparalleled performance and efficiency, enabling them to focus on innovation and growth.