If you're set to fly out of Halifax anytime soon, your journey
may be a lot smoother as the result of a major new technology
deployment at Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA).
It would certainly seem the customer comes first, as flexibility
and convenience for air travelers are key drivers of the project,
according to Michael Healy, vice president, infrastructure and
technology, HIAA.
The new technology is a collaboration between Cisco Systems Inc.
and Hewlett Packard Canada Co. that will support a $90 million
expansion project.
The goal is to unify communications including voice, video, and
wireless, into a single airport-wide system via the Cisco Unified
Communications System.
"This type of deployment is the first of its kind in Atlantic
Canada," said Healy, "As for the benefits this brings, it's
essentially convenience."
He added the airport now has self-service check-in kiosks as
well as an integrated security system.
"This new equipment means more flexibility, and it also means
cost savings," he said. "The implementation is nearly complete,
with the only remaining component being the U.S. Preclearance
facility."
Not only is this deployment a first for Atlantic Canada, it will
also bring "firsts" for East Coast passengers.
"Atlantic Canadians have not had access to U.S. Preclearance in
the past," he said.
The deployment includes 275 Cisco IP (Internet Protocol) phones
for incorporated IP-based capabilities with the use of the Cisco
Intelligent Airport Solution infrastructure.
"We've been involved in many of these airport projects in
Canada," said Brantz Myers, director of enterprise marketing, Cisco
Systems Canada. "As a company we've had a lot of experience in
applying the use of IP to airports.
"To make it happen, we need a good integrator, and HP has done
an excellent job from our perspective in putting it all together,"
he said.
The role that HP Canada played is essentially that of
integrator, said Reg Schade, vice-president and general manager, HP
Services, Hewlett Packard Canada Co.
"Our goal is to marry the business needs of the technology with
the business needs of the customer," said Schade. "Although this
project was a massive undertaking, it was implemented with no major
glitches or roadblocks."
However, where an airport is concerned, there is always the
looming question of security, but IP is a safe and secure means of
communication, according to Myers.
"We're at the end of the beginning of IP communications now," he
said. "IP is no longer being questioned as much as it used to
be."
"The questions we used to get about, is it reliable, is it
secure, not just for voice, but for the whole network, those
questions don't come up nearly as often," Myers said. "Today I
think the market has accepted it as very valid technology, and
(customers) are really embracing it."
It's a sentiment echoed by Lawrence Surtees, vice-president and
principal analyst, communications research at IDC Canada Ltd.
"In terms of where we're at now, there's no longer any question
that IP is safe, and that it's reliable," he said.
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