New Cloud-Based Technology For Remote Data Monitoring

The OTT Hydromet Group has launched a new web-based data management service for remote monitoring stations. “Hydromet Cloud represents a step-change in data management,” comments UK Managing Director Nigel Grimsley. “Subscribers to this new service are provided with fast, simple access to both live and historical data, which opens new opportunities for exploiting the value of ‘Big Data’.”

Packed with new features, Hydromet Cloud provides users with easy access to secure data from field monitoring sites at any time and from almost anywhere via hydrometcloud.eu or the Hydromet Cloud mobile App. Typical applications include water quality, hydrology and meteorology.

Data are transmitted from field stations through a variety of methods including satellite, cellular (GPRS/3G/4G) or wired internet connection, and stored/backed-up in the cloud.

Designed for flexibility, the system enables users to create their own dashboard to quickly collate frequently viewed data, which can be displayed as plots, tables or values, and exported in a variety of formats, which enables easy analysis of trends. This facility to create a bespoke display is enhanced by a map view with colour-coded map pins (for alarm status), current data values and colour-coded parameter values highlighting alarm status. Alarms are user-defined for values, rate of change etc. and alarm messages are issued automatically by email, text or push notification on a mobile phone. Separate limits can be set for both warning and critical levels, and users can also create alarm distribution groups for notifications.

A Hydromet Cloud App provides a quick and easy opportunity to view the status of an entire network or an individual monitoring station, with options to send/share data directly from a smartphone or tablet (iOS or Android). It is also possible to create and save ‘My Plots’ to recall common plots of one or more parameters; graphically illustrating recent data values and trends.

Hydromet Cloud provides secure infrastructure to receive, decode, process, display, and store measurement data from nearly any remote monitoring station via a cloud-based data hosting platform. Alternatively, for those wishing to conduct their own data processing, Hydromet Cloud delivers raw data (as it is transmitted by the station) using a dedicated download page, which is updated as soon as the data arrives. The system is fully compatible with the latest OTT and Sutron data logger/communication devices, in addition to a wide variety of OTT, Sutron, and Hydrolab sensors for water quantity and quality measurements, as well as Lufft meteorological sensors, third-party sensors and IP cameras.

Summarising, Nigel says: “We are extremely excited about the opportunities that Hydromet Cloud creates for our customers. This is the first major new product development since the acquisition of Sutron and is a great example of the synergy that has been created by merging the companies’ development teams.

“Our customers know that data serves two purposes: one, to enable the analysis of background trends, and two to quickly and easily facilitate management by exception when alarm conditions arise. Hydromet Cloud achieves both.”