Slovenian Railways Uses IBM Cloud to Build Smarter Railroad System

LJUBLJANA, Slovenia, Aug. 22, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- IBM (NYSE: IBM) announced today that Slovenian Railways has adopted IBM's cloud solution to improve business operations and customer service for the Central European railway. Adopting a new cloud-based centralized IT system will give the company a more holistic view across all of its freight, passenger and logistics operations so it can more effectively maintain and manage the railway traffic across its network.

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Slovenian Railways operates more than 1,200 km of railway track, transports 15.3 million passengers and carries 15.8 million tonnes of cargo each year. An important link in the pan-European transportation corridor, the Railway is modernizing IT infrastructure to handle the growing amount of people and goods it transports. With a diverse range of business, from freight transport services to passenger and commuter rail to infrastructure management, the railway needs a flexible IT environment that can handle the varying requirements of each group as well as separate IT service desks.

With better coordination among the different departments, the company will be able to provide enhanced services to customers, like less waiting time for commuters, fewer train delays, and faster response to customer queries. 

This new solution, based on IBM SmartCloud Control Desk and IBM Endpoint Manager, part of the IBM MobileFirst Management solutions, unites users from the affiliated Slovenian Railways companies under a uniform IT service desk with a single point of contact available across the entire organization. Through this common IT platform, railway officials can automate and manage systems in real-time and help secure mobile devices and other "end points" such as servers. This gives the railway the flexibility to enable employees to use the device of their choice, while ensuring that usage policies are followed and security risks are minimized.

"We aim to offer highest levels of services to our customer and to do so we need the best of technologies," said Jovanovic Dragomir, CIO of Slovenian Railways. "IBM SmartCloud will provide us with a world class, reliable solution to centralize our IT service desk, control cost and leverage mobile solutions. Our employees and customers will benefit from IBM's expertise and the power of the cloud, as we will improve our operations across the entire group."

The centralized, cloud based service desk ensures a more holistic view of the Railways' operations. With the cloud infrastructure, the railways also have better control over their costs, IT equipment purchases and warranties, and compliance requirements. 

"We are excited to work with Slovenian Railways in their efforts to build a smarter railroad system through effective use of technology. IBM has been working with railways across the world to make them more efficient, secure and commuter friendly. We hope this engagement helps create a more positive commuting experience for the customers of Slovenian Railways," said Roman Koritnik, Country Sales Leader of IBM Slovenia. 

The contract was signed in December 2012 and the project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2013. The project has been implemented by IBM and Smartis, an IBM Premier Business Partner.

About IBM Cloud Computing
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About IBM Slovenia
IBM Corporation had been present in the Slovenian market for over 70 years, while IBM Slovenija, d.o.o., was officially established on October 1^st 1992. Today IBM Slovenia offers the Slovenian market an extensive range of IBM products, services and Smarter Planet solutions across all key industries. In 2011, IBM opened IBM Innovation Center Ljubljana that had become a leading ecosystem of innovations and development of advanced business and IT solutions in SEE region. For more information on IBM Slovenia, please visit: http://www.ibm.com/si/sl/

About Slovenian Railways
Slovenian Railways is a wholly state-owned enterprise with six subsidiaries which Slovenian Railways owns outright, or in which it retains a majority stake. Slovenian Railways is an important part of the Slovenian economy and an essential link in the transport chain at the junction of Europe's fifth and tenth trans-continental transport corridors. Slovenian Railways carries out its public service mandate, which consists of: infrastructure maintenance; management of the traffic on the railway lines; the carriage of passengers on domestic and cross-border regional rail services and the transportation of passengers and goods, which is to be carried out under market conditions.

Contact:
Jasmina Premrl
IBM Media Relations
Phone: 386-1-3208-808
Email: [email protected] 

SOURCE IBM