Why choose a cloud platform for the management of the LEZ

In the second part of the webinar given last 24 February, we had the opportunity to talk to Ana Suja, Solutions Architect of Amazon Web Services, who explained the benefits of implementing the Low Emissions Zone (LEZ) platform in the cloud. 

But, why develop the LEZ management platform in the cloud? What are its benefits compared to an on-premise implementation? What is the impact of this solution at environmental and sustainability levels?

We will try to answer these questions starting from the beginning:

Amazon Web Services, also known as AWS, is Amazon's cloud technology business unit. This unit started providing services to Amazon.com and now is one of the most popular cloud platforms worldwide among large companies. It has been recognized by Gartner as the leader of the cloud market for 11 consecutive years.

Which are the main benefits of using the cloud in the implementation of a LEZ?

• Scalability: In order to cover the high demand peaks of the project, scalability allows to continue this growth without affecting the performance and, consequently, the user experience of the platform, for both the management and the citizens. Imagine that, in the morning, there is a lot of traffic in a LEZ. The elasticity of the service is adjusted to this specific demand in order to process all those license plates and any complementary information generated. In addition, it reduces resource consumption in off-peak hours, thus allowing to save.
• Agility: Adaptation to last-minute changes, evolution and any novelties that may arise. This agility also favors innovation without the need for large investments in technology. In the case of the LEZ, it facilitates the agility of its evolution, as it allows testing new functionalities (business intelligence, or even AI, for example) in record time as for the provision of infrastructure.
• High availability: The AWS cloud infrastructure provides a very high service availability. We are talking about numbers very close to 100%, even though this percentage cannot be guaranteed. This allows the systems to work 24/7, 365 days a year.
• Cost reduction: AWS has many clients. This fact allows it to reduce the costs of its services and benefit from scale economies. All this has a direct impact on the total price of the project since, historically, AWS has made more than 80 reductions in the price of its services. Furthermore, the payment for these services is based on the time they are used, unlike on-premise solutions, which require servers, infrastructure or personnel.

Opentrends adapts to the needs and requirements of clients, for example, when building solutions on the cloud or on-premise. However, we strongly recommend the use of the cloud if what you want to obtain are available, scalable, efficient and sustainable over time solutions, especially when the LEZ project means a step towards the Smart and Big Data paradigms for the city. Among the possibilities available, AWS is an excellent option that already works in the LEZ of the Metropolitan Area of ​​Barcelona.

If you are looking for a technological consultancy firm to accompany you in the creation of the Low Emissions Zone, do not hesitate in contacting us. We will contribute all our experience in this field. You can find more information in our brochure about LEZ.