Can superhuman vision help make someone a better IT manager? Can X-ray eyes improve the way you administer your cabling infrastructure? CommScope says the answer is a resounding “Yes!” and has demonstrated augmented reality (AR) capabilities with its imVision® automated infrastructure management solution so customers soon will “see” what’s going on in their local area networks.
The software-based imVision already enables IT managers to monitor and control every aspect of their network infrastructure—from tracking down a stranded switch port to troubleshooting a connectivity issue in a matter of minutes versus hours or days. Located in a data centre or IT closet, imVision can remotely show where ports are located and how they are connected back to the main location.
Even with this information, however, users may not be able to physically see the port information or actual connection if it is behind ceiling tiles or walls. That’s what the new AR capabilities in imVision will enable, speeding up troubleshooting and provisioning.
“What started as an application for gamers and entertainment has now entered the business world and organisations are beginning to see the value that AR can bring to various industries,” said Ernie Pickens, senior vice president of Enterprise Solutions, CommScope. “Coupling AR with intelligent infrastructure to ‘see’ cables and connections behind walls and in ceilings is just the first of many uses where we believe customers will find value.”
CommScope believes that there are endless advantages to bringing the power of AR to imVision. As part of a recent technology assessment, CommScope collaborated with Joinpad to develop several functional AR prototypes based on use cases that are typically performed during cabling administration tasks. The tasks covered implementation of moves/adds/changes, troubleshooting cabling connectivity, and maintenance work on cabling infrastructure in the ceiling. The prototype applications, which work on mobile devices and on smart glasses, enable users to experience the benefits of AR technology first-hand.
Plus, there are many practical applications to using AR as “40% of organisations using or piloting AR find that the technology (AR) exceeds their expectations,” according to Gartner in their report Top 10 Strategic Technology Trends for 2018. CommScope will continue to work with customers to identify more ways that AR can help efficiently and effectively manage the physical infrastructure.
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