NOC Center and Data Lakes

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Most commercial fleets or large transportation companies use multiple tools to track their operations, energy usage, and business activities. To centralize this information, companies connect software systems within a centralized cloud system that gathers all data. These systems, known as data lakes or NOCs (Network Operations Centers), display key KPIs to operators and maintenance staff.

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What are data lakes and NOCs?

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A data lake is a centralized system that allows companies to store big amounts of structured and unstructured data in its native format. Unlike traditional databases that impose strict schemas, data lakes support flexible storage, enabling businesses to gather information from various sources, such as logs, IoT devices, and more. This data can then be analyzed using big data processing tools, machine learning models, and analytics platforms. The key advantage of a data lake is its ability to accommodate large volumes of diverse data, enabling deeper insights through advanced data exploration and analytics over time.

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A Network Operations Center (NOC) is a centralized facility where IT technicians monitor, manage, and maintain an organization's network infrastructure, ensuring optimal performance and uptime. The NOC team oversees a range of activities, such as tracking network traffic, detecting potential security threats, managing software updates, and troubleshooting issues in real-time. Using specialized tools and dashboards, NOC personnel can identify and resolve network problems before they impact users. This continuous monitoring and proactive management helps ensure that networks remain reliable, secure, and efficient, supporting the seamless operation of business-critical systems.

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How can fleets use data lakes and NOCs in EV charging?

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When electrifying fleets, companies need to integratecharging data and electric vehicle data into these existing systems to ensureoptimal visibility and centralized data storage. The simplest approach istypically to use an existing API, Pub/Sub, or streaming services to push datafrom the new EV systems into the data center.

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The type of data can vary, but we mostly see those core data structures

• Charging session data
• Metering data (energy, power, SoC, voltage, etc.)
• Load profiles and other time series data
• Alerts and error codes
• OCPP stream and data
• Firmware files
• Vehicle telematics data
• Route and trip data
• Tickets and O&M activities
• User information and activities
• General system logs

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To further enhance operational efficiency, fleet operators can build additional visualizations on top of these data centers. This can include BI tools that provide complex graphs and visualize key indicators about the health of EV chargers, vehicles, and other aspects of fleet operations.

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While data integrations like this are often standardized in the IT industry, it is crucial for IT managers to analyze the security and reliability of the software tools being used. Charging Management Systems (CMS) and vehicle telematics software systems require a minimum uptime of 99.995% and encryption to protect from third-party access. Since these systems connect to your central data warehouse, it is essential to verify they meet these standards.

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