Technology Category
- Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) - Public Cloud
- Sensors - Autonomous Driving Sensors
Applicable Industries
- Automotive
- Cities & Municipalities
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Quality Assurance
Use Cases
- Vehicle Performance Monitoring
- Vehicle-to-Infrastructure
Services
- Cloud Planning, Design & Implementation Services
- System Integration
The Customer
Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA)
About The Customer
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) is an executive agency of the UK government. DVSA's priorities include helping everyone through a lifetime of safe driving, helping everyone keep their vehicle safe to drive, and protecting everyone from unsafe drivers and vehicles. The agency employs 4,600 people in more than 500 locations, helping everyone stay safe on Britain's roads. DVSA carries out 1.9 million driving tests a year, regulates 40,000 driving instructors and 38,000 MOT garages. It also carries out 1 million annual tests to ensure lorries, buses, and coaches are safe to drive, and 278,000 roadside checks on drivers and vehicles, and monitors vehicle recalls.
The Challenge
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA), an executive agency of the UK government, was facing a significant challenge in its digital transformation journey. The agency was transitioning away from long-term contracts, minimizing vendor lock-in, and moving towards open source and cloud solutions. This shift was aimed at improving efficiency, adding flexibility, and gaining value for money. However, the agency was encountering issues with its connectivity. DVSA was connecting to the cloud via virtual private networks (VPNs), but the VPN firewall ran out of capacity, necessitating an alternative solution. The challenge was to find a solution that would provide fast, reliable connectivity, essential for the agency's digital transformation.
The Solution
To address the connectivity issue, DVSA chose Equinix Fabric, a solution that directly, securely, and dynamically connects distributed infrastructure and digital ecosystems globally via software-defined interconnection. Available across more than 30 Equinix International Business Exchange (IBX) data center locations, ECX Fabric is designed for rapid scalability, real-time agility, and customized connectivity through a self-service portal or API. With every major cloud and IT service provider having a presence in IBX data centers, DVSA could easily connect staff to Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure, and other cloud providers via Equinix Fiber Connects. Switching from one cloud provider to another to save costs or enable additional services takes only minutes. DVSA's cloud connections run via its own MPLS network, without crossing the public internet, bringing its services and controls closer to citizens, employees, and partners at the digital edge.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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