Microsoft's Connected Field Service: Azure & Dynamics 365 make it practical, but start with the data

Microsoft continues to evolve its Connected Field Service architecture, which builds on Dynamics 365 and various Azure resources. And while Microsoft touts its marquee IoT and field service wins like Rolls Royce, partners are also working hard to get the message out that the same approach can yield great results for smaller teams - without blowing up budgets.

As EVP of Microsoft Cloud and Enterprise Scott Guthrie proudly described, global manufacturer of airplane engines Rolls Royce has used Microsoft cloud technology to shift from selling the engines to selling end-to-end engine service, "a more valuable proposition." The engine is the cheap part.

Be impressed, but don't be dazzled says eBECS Business Development Director Richard Hughes; "You don't need the budget that Rolls Royce has to get value. Smaller companies would be surprised how economically they can get value out of their systems," the same technology is already at work in much smaller companies. eBECS was a finalist for Microsoft's World Wide Microsoft IOT Partner of the Year.

Smaller manufacturers who have invested in new equipment over the last five years likely have built-in sensors or sensor connectivity. With it, "They can see when is the last time it was serviced, what's the temperature it's running at, what's the oil level," says Hughes. "And for a very small amount of money, they can unlock that data."

For its size, Rolls Royce uses a Microsoft stack that is ...