Case Study: How SLNet was able to help Port of Waterford

In our first in a series of case studies, we explain how SLNet was able to help Port of Waterford run more efficiently and securely.

Case Study Details

  • Name

Port of Waterford

  • Sector

Shipping/Transportation

  • Profile

The Port of Waterford is one of the busiest ports in Ireland and the closest Irish lift-on lift-off and bulk port to mainland Europe.

  • Situation

POW needs a simple to use and reliable solution to help assist the cranes to transfer information securely.

  • Requirements

An easy-to-use telnet solution that is quick and reliable.

 

Overview

The Port of Waterford is a modern efficient port and the closest Irish lift-on lift-off and bulk port to mainland Europe. The docks are also capable of accommodating vessels up to 32,000 tons dwt.

The Port is active in bulk handling, breakbulk/project cargoes and container handling (Lo-Lo). Bulk and break-bulk volumes in 2018 exceeded 1.7 million tonnes with container handling standing at 44k TEU. The bulk side of the business is predominately importing and focussed on agri-inputs. The container operation supports a wide range of imports and regional exporters from the food, pharmaceutical and other sectors. The annual value of goods through the Port was estimated at €1.7 billion in 2017 with just under 1,000 jobs in, or supported by businesses in, the port zone.

Challenged Faced

The cranes in use in Waterford Port are necessarily remote from the main infrastructure and systems. It was essential that they can be provided with up to the second information on container and cargo movements. The solution needs to be able to work across large distances and must be performant, reliable and scalable. The operator interaction was required to be efficient, intuitive and non-distracting while providing critical information at a glance and real-time updates back to the main systems.

 

How SLNet helped

SLNet assists with Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) by helping the process run more smoothly and increasing efficiency and profitability.

All cranes in use are fitted with ruggedised vehicle mounted computers. SLNet provides the communication layer between these computers and the MS windows hosted backend business systems.

In this scenario, SLNet facilitates millisecond scale remote communication between the cranes and the backend ERP systems and is a critical link in the communications chain. SLNet provides the required scale, responsiveness and ease of deployment and management for this critical aspect of the Port of Waterford’s day to day operations. Only the backend is fitted with SLNet, the cranes themselves run a terminal emulator.

Testimonial

“Over the 20 years, we have been using SLNet, it has proven to be a reliable and critical element of our container management system, allowing our rugged computers to connect to the back-end database system and keep systems up to date.”

Noel Collins – IT Director for Port of Waterford

 

Benefits

Reliability

Clients want a software that they can trust. They want peace of mind that the software is working correctly in the background ensuring they don’t use revenue loss.

“Tech issues with software can be a major problem in a large busy port. Having a reliable technology like SLNet means we know there aren’t going to be connections issues in the middle of a busy work day.”

Ease of Use

Simple to navigate and too easy to train new employees. SLNet is a plug and play technology with very little maintenance required.

“The simplicity of SLNet’s interface means it is easy to use and not much time is needed for training new employees.”

Easy to Install

Quick and simple installation means you will be ready to use on the same day. Our support team is always on hand to assist with any installation requirements.

“We found the installation process for SLNet to be straight forward and requires very little maintenance.”

Compatibility

While SLNet is mostly known for working with SAP & Windows servers, our technology is designed to work with a variety of different client’s servers.

“SLNet works seamlessly with  the latest SQL Server version which we are currently using.”

Learn More

To download a copy of the case study, click on the link below

Port of Waterford Case Study pdf

Or to find out more of how using SLNet can benefit your organisation, check out our range of SLNet products:

SeattleLab introduce SLNet 6.3, our 64-bit version

64-bit

As part of its ongoing development plan for SLNet, SeattleLab is proud to announce the release of SLNet 6.3, our first fully 64-bit version. With all the new functionality provided in  SLNet 6.2, this version removes all the 32-bit components to offer a full 64-bit conformant product. For more details, click the Read More button below – including details on how to download this version.

https://seattlelab.com/product/slnet-v6-3/

SLNet 6.3 has been tested on Windows 2016 and Windows 2019 and provides a continued upgrade path.

One of the newest features to come out of the Windows 2019 release is the 64-bit compatibility. This is now the standard of all Microsoft’s newest solutions. With more processing power than ever before, WS2019 is newer, faster and more secure than any version that has come before it.

With many of our clients updating their software to Windows Server 2019 and 64-bit compatibility, we here at SeattleLab didn’t want to be left behind. So we began developing the most up to date version of SLNet we have ever seen and that is where SLNet 6.3 was born.

SeattleLab would recommend that if your infrastructure is fully 64-bit compatible, then all new users should consider SLNet 6.3.
To obtain the new release of SLNet please head over to the ‘Buy’ section of our website.

 

Read More

Launch of new and improved SeattleLab Website

SeattleLab are pleased to announce the launch of the new SeattleLab website where you can discover solutions to many of your communication and security needs. For example, SeattleLab provides secure, high performance Telnet communications software for Windows servers and RF devices, specialising in fast paced commercial applications which are used by thousands of organisations around the world.

Our goal with the new website is to improve the information and support that we provide about our products and to demonstrate how your organisation can benefit from using them. We have enhanced the website with new menus, content, and styling for an improved ease of use by visitors and enabled it to be interactive on any device that you use. The goal is to continue to enhance the website with up-to-date information about our organisation and our products to demonstrate how these solutions will further enhance your business and our reputation.

Above all, we are aiming to ensure that the information is not static or out-of-date. We have integrated the website with several platforms to ensure that the content is dynamically updated. Our News section provides all the latest information about new product versions and enhancements. Our ChatBot feature enables you to communicate directly to our support team and our Social Media platform integrates the site directly to our Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Linkedin accounts so visitors to the site can benefit from improved communication with frequent updates.

Just in time to coincide with the new releases of SLNet, the new SeattleLab website offers up-to-date information about the different versions of SLNet, helps you find a reseller or consultant around the world or lets you buy SLNet direct from the site. Our solutions section provides information on how some of our customers currently use SLNet within warehouses, retail, healthcare, food processing and with SAP.
We always welcome feedback so contact us at info@seattlelab.co.uk or talk to us on our ChatBot