Interxion: A Digital Realty Company is part of Digital Realty, one of the largest providers of data center services worldwide. In order to consolidate data such as server locations, competitors, submarine cables or server capacities from the company's own database in one map, we developed a customized visual for the Power BI analytics application.
Using a custom map visual to analyze data more effectively
Interxion: A Digital Realty Company is part of the data center service provider Digital Realty that operates nearly 300 data centers in over 20 countries and is a long-standing partner of major companies in the technology, finance and telecommunications industries. In order to guarantee their customers direct access to important target groups, consistent standards and service levels as well as the highest security, the location of the data centers is a key factor for success. Local infrastructure, access to network connections and power supply are just some of the data that Interxion takes into account.
For data analysis, Interxion uses Microsoft's Power BI analysis tool. However, when it came to merging various data sources and visualizing the data in a map, the limitations of the existing map modules quickly became apparent. Interxion then turned to us for the development of a customized module. As experts in data analytics and location intelligence, we were able to exceed the requirements and gladly accepted the task.
A map module entirely customized for the company's needs
Working closely with Interxion, we developed a map module with a Mapbox map that met Interxion's individual requirements. To this end, we involved all stakeholders - from the data owner to the end user - in the development. We developed a custom map visual for Microsoft Power BI, which can be easily combined with the other standard visuals of the analysis tool in a dashboard. The display options go beyond the standard functions: complex info windows show and combine exactly the data that the user has requested. Various filter options allow the necessary scope for customization by the end user. Networks such as cable runs are adequately mapped as line networks and data centers are displayed as 3D buildings.
This gives Interxion a much more meaningful representation of its data. Since the map module was created according to the company's CI specifications, the application can also be used as a basis for Interxion's customer presentations, saving the company time and costs in creating presentations.
Added value for data analysis and data quality
The map visual for Interxion makes it clear that the development of customized widgets in analysis tools offers great added value for data analysis. Complex data or special features such as submarine cable routes and network connections cannot always be adequately represented in standard map modules and sometimes have to be created expensively as image files and renderings for presentations. With our application, Interxion can display various data from heterogeneous data sources exactly according to its needs within one map and analyze its data more effectively. The process of consolidating different data sources and verifying the data also added value: Interxion increased the quality of its database.
