SkyEyes leverages Chunghwa Telecom's hicloud, a virtual private cloud platform, as the main infrastructure of its services. This platform offers flexibility, high reliability, and robust data security, meeting the needs of large fleet management and tracking systems for the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage.
Whether for commercial logistics or recreational travel, using GPS combined with digital maps and IT-assisted analysis empowers users to understand vehicle and traffic routes in real time, helping them make the best decisions. Located in central Taiwan, SkyEyes specializes in providing digital positioning system services. By leveraging cloud technology and AI, SkyEyes integrates GIS with GPS to build a comprehensive Internet of Vehicles, offering solutions for business analytics, logistics management, and more.
SkyEyes GPS Technology, a company founded through a technology transfer from the GIS Research Center at Feng Chia University, specializes in integrating GPS satellite positioning with other digital applications. CEO Ching-Yun Mu states, "Our core business is developing various solutions for tracking people, vehicles, and goods. We serve fleets ranging from fewer than five vehicles to large logistics companies with over 4,000 vehicles. With thousands of successful projects, we use satellite positioning to monitor people and vehicles, ensuring efficient route management and helping businesses optimize their operations.
Due to the high maintenance costs during peak times, it is challenging to meet sudden demands.
Different project scales and business service demands require varying IT service architectures in terms of processing efficiency, data security, reliability, and redundancy mechanisms. For example, an energy company using SkyEyes services implemented an in-vehicle information system for 400 transport vehicles in 2000. Initially, they invested heavily in a high-availability dual-host backup infrastructure to meet service-level agreements. However, the system's usage peaked only during specific times of the day, with the rest of the time utilizing just 20% of its capacity. Optimizing resource utilization and minimizing waste became critical concerns for the client as well as a non-negligible challenge for the service provider.
SkyEyes faces challenges not only with uneven daily usage but also with sudden spikes in demand as their services expand. For instance, since 2006, they have supported real-time satellite positioning for the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage. This year, with the event coinciding with the end of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions, the average number of online users reached 30,000, peaking at 120,000—more than three times the usual numbers. This surge far exceeded initial system capacity estimates, causing overloads that required rapid resource expansion to resolve.
To balance the operational costs and profits, SkyEyes adopted hicloud to accommodate the functional requirements of all sizes
To cope with different scales and the sudden surges in demand, SkyEyes adopts Chunghwa Telecom's hicloud services. The flexible and versatile nature of the cloud platform allows them to meet diverse client needs effectively.
CEO Ching-Yun Mu stated that for cloud service providers, the hicloud platform allows Chunghwa Telecom to handle SkyEyes' hardware maintenance. This not only reduces infrastructure costs but also effectively manages other expenses such as software licensing, risk, and maintenance costs. This enables IT staff to focus on system integration and application development, providing more resources to enhance service capacity and launch community-focused digital services. This is why the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage positioning system platform is offered free of charge to the public.
SkyEyes collects a significant amount of satellite positioning data and logistics management business secrets from its clients. To prevent the leakage of this sensitive information, Chunghwa Telecom's hicloud platform provides stringent data security management protocols. Located in Taiwan, its data centers are equipped with comprehensive access control and intrusion detection systems. This setup meets legal requirements for some clients to keep their data within the country, ensuring high standards of corporate data security and addressing critical challenges in SkyEyes' business operations.
Ensuring open communication channels and responding swiftly to sudden demands
From its early days using a client-server architecture as the main server environment to now primarily utilizing a hybrid cloud platform, SkyEyes' service architecture reflects the evolution of IT. Continuously adapting to new technologies to achieve optimal operational performance, SkyEyes transitioned into the cloud era by considering customer needs and evaluating business models, technical support, and data security. Ultimately, they chose Chunghwa Telecom's hicloud CVPC virtual private cloud platform to build the infrastructure for their services.
Reflecting on our collaboration with Chunghwa Telecom, from the early days using 3G mobile networks for vehicle communication to the evolution of our infrastructure and business expansion, including IDC facilities and hicloud services, the reason for our continued partnership is clear. CEO Ching-Yun Mu highlighted how Chunghwa Telecom's high-quality and efficient services have been instrumental in maintaining the reliability of SkyEyes. "Take the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage, for instance. When the system experienced a slowdown due to a sudden surge in access during specific times, which led to complaints from users, we immediately contacted Chunghwa Telecom to upgrade hicloud resources. The streamlined approval process allowed for a swift upgrade, resolving the issue promptly."
SkyEyes has enjoyed a long-standing partnership with Chunghwa Telecom. CEO Ching-Yun Mu expressed strong confidence in Chunghwa Telecom's expertise in transmission technology. Moving forward, SkyEyes plans to leverage other public cloud services from Chunghwa Telecom to meet diverse needs. Additionally, they are also evaluating the use of Chunghwa Telecom's smart cold chain system to partner with logistics companies in creating a fresh food delivery service. This will continue to expand the applications of GPS technology and create new business opportunities in the logistics industry.