British Antarctic Survey : Managing remote data in the Antarctic to monitor the impact of global warming

To ensure continued leadership in polar exploration, BAS were transforming enterprise-wide systems and processes. They needed a system where users could access, create and process data in remote areas with poor connectivity.

As part of a five-year, multimillion-dollar joint US-UK research program, BAS has sent land-based teams, ships and aircraft to the region — one of the most remote in the world — to better understand how climate change is accelerating the glacier’s rapid retreat. The stakes are enormous. If the glacier were to collapse, worldwide flooding would occur. In addition, the entire West Antarctica Ice Sheet could give way centuries later. Having a robust way to manage data remotely is mission critical.

We were appointed to develop and deliver their strategy for enterprise asset management, unifying asset maintenance, stock inventory and other functions. We migrated data to the new system and created new applications to handle cargo, crew and other information.

BAS saw our ability to improve data processing and sharing in outlying regions as unparalleled. We delivered an application-agnostic, highly configurable tool designed specifically for the marine industry. The session-based data replication we deployed to seamlessly and quickly synchronize data means there is minimal disruption to operations. If connectivity is lost, users can access a local version of the data. Then, when connectivity is regained, the solutio quickly replicates data from the point the link was disrupted.

‘With the IBM Maximo system, we can enable a smarter, more resilient way of operating to help us protect our people and assets in Antarctica.’

Steve Marshall, Head of Risk and Assurance, British Antarctic Survey