Rackspace Technology Collaborates with Blackline Safety to Expand Core Infrastructure to Support Rapid Growth and Industrial Contact Tracing Solution

Rhea-AI Summary

Rackspace Technology (NASDAQ: RXT) announced a collaboration with Blackline Safety Corp. to enhance software innovation and platform improvements. Blackline, a leader in gas detection and connected safety solutions, is leveraging Rackspace's expertise to upgrade its data streaming and processing infrastructure. This partnership aims to expedite the deployment of industrial contact tracing solutions while improving data integrity and client insights. The collaboration is anticipated to support Blackline's growth trajectory and address safety needs amid the ongoing pandemic.

Positive

• Collaboration with Blackline Safety to enhance data processing and software innovation.
• Implementation of a modern AWS infrastructure improves scalability and real-time data processing.
• Increased data integrity and quality insights for Blackline clients, aiding informed decision-making.
• Support for the launch of an interactive industrial contact tracing infrastructure.

Negative

• None.

SAN ANTONIO, April 01, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) --  Rackspace Technology^TM (NASDAQ: RXT), a leading end-to-end, multicloud technology solutions company, announced today its collaboration with Blackline Safety Corp. (TSX.V: BLN), a global leader of gas detection and connected safety solutions, to help drive critical software innovation and platform improvements that will support its expanding customer base and employee contact tracing solution.

Blackline Safety provides wearable safety technology, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software, data science services and data analytics to leading enterprises around the world. In early 2020, as the COVID-19 pandemic started to take hold, Blackline saw an urgent need to support its customers’ ongoing safety needs with new industrial close contact tracing capabilities. The company engaged with Onica, a Rackspace Technology company and an Amazon Web Services (AWS) Premier Consulting Partner, to help support the rapid development and deployment of their close contact tracing and reporting solution.

Blackline Safety has experienced rapid growth since the launch of its first G7 cloud-connected safety wearables in 2017. End customers' desire to leverage the data collected by their Blackline Safety solutions drove the creation of the Blackline Vision data science team as well as a suite of data-driven tools and services.

As part of a larger effort to upgrade its data streaming and processing infrastructure, Blackline needed a partner with Big Data expertise that could help re-architect aspects of its current platform to enable faster scaling and real-time data processing from a growing number of products in the field. They also required additional resources to build out a data lake that could support new industrial contact tracing reports and visualizations.

“In this period of accelerated growth, it was becoming difficult to balance critical software innovation with the need to grow our team while simultaneously managing critical improvements to our platform,” said John Moura, director, Software Development and Operations, Blackline Safety. “We knew that investing in our cloud infrastructure would support our next phase of growth, but it was critical to select the right partner with deep experience and a proven track record. We found that partner with Rackspace Technology.”

Rackspace Technology worked with Blackline Safety to migrate from its conventional data ingestion and database storage system to a modern infrastructure on AWS, which was better equipped to support Blackline’s future growth and innovation. Rackspace Technology also implemented a solution using Amazon Kinesis and Amazon EMR to collect high-volume data streamed from Blackline’s portfolio of G7 devices in the field via integrated cellular and satellite connectivity.

With this new infrastructure in place, data is ingested and routed using a number of tools to preserve its integrity. The data is then enriched, transmitted and assembled in Amazon Redshift with the support of Delta Lake. The immediate impact of this collaboration enabled the deployment of higher data rate reporting from connected wearables, helping Blackline Safety clients make informed, data-driven decisions about their businesses.

An additional achievement of the collaboration was support for the launch of the Blackline Vision team’s highly visual and interactive industrial contact tracing infrastructure. The solution provides automated visualizations that highlight close interactions between employees over designated periods of time using secure data from their Blackline Safety wearable devices. The teams successfully ensured information is strictly maintained for each client organization, only providing access to designated users through strict user access controls, supporting the safe and informed return to work initiatives.

“We’re proud of our work with Blackline Safety to improve its operations and contribute to a solution that protects workers, combating COVID-19’s spread,” said Jeff Deverter, CTO, Solutions at Rackspace Technology. “Rackspace Technology was the ideal collaborator to help Blackline Safety migrate from its conventional data ingestion and database storage to a contemporary infrastructure on AWS. This new architecture has increased the quality of insights Blackline is able to deliver to clients and immediately supports Blackline’s explosive growth and unlocks future innovation for the company.”

About Rackspace Technology
Rackspace Technology is a leading end-to-end multicloud technology services company. We can design, build and operate our customers’ cloud environments across all major technology platforms, irrespective of technology stack or deployment model. We partner with our customers at every stage of their cloud journey, enabling them to modernize applications, build new products and adopt innovative technologies.

About Blackline Safety
Blackline Safety is a global connected safety leader that helps to ensure every worker gets their job done and returns home safe each day. Blackline provides wearable safety technology, personal and area gas monitoring, cloud-connected software and data analytics to meet demanding safety challenges and increase productivity of organizations in more than 100 countries. Blackline Safety wearables provide a lifeline to tens of thousands of men and women, having reported over 140 billion data-points and initiated over five million emergency responses. Armed with cellular and satellite connectivity, we ensure that help is never too far away. For more information, visit www.BlacklineSafety.com and connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Instagram.

Media Contact
Natalie Silva
Rackspace Technology Corporate Communications
publicrelations@rackspace.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/574c4954-1a15-4684-ba59-a7126d9d0591

FAQ

What is Rackspace Technology's recent collaboration about?

Rackspace Technology is collaborating with Blackline Safety to enhance software innovation and improve their data processing infrastructure supporting safety solutions.

How will the partnership with Blackline Safety affect Rackspace Technology's growth?

The partnership is expected to support Rackspace's growth by leveraging its expertise to help Blackline scale its operations and enhance its safety solutions.

What is the stock symbol for Rackspace Technology?

The stock symbol for Rackspace Technology is RXT.

What improvements are being made through Rackspace's collaboration with Blackline Safety?

Improvements include migrating to a modern AWS infrastructure for better data ingestion and processing, enhancing client insights and safety solutions.