Onnec: Infrastructure - The Backbone for Next-Gen Logistics
The logistics industry is at an inflection point. With 9% of manufacturers already running semi-autonomous or fully autonomous systems and another 10% planning adoption within three years, the pressure on operations leaders is clear: build infrastructure that sustains real-time, error-free throughput - at scale.
Anjna McGettrick, Head of Strategy Implementation and Execution at Onnec, puts it plainly: physical networks, edge computing and the right partners are now strategic. They determine uptime, speed, and your ability to scale consistently across sites.
Why infrastructure is mission-critical
Logistics is more than moving goods. It's a high-velocity, data-heavy operation where delays compound quickly. Cloud alone won't solve that. You need an IT foundation that is scalable, low-latency and designed for automation, AI and robotics to run without friction.
Legacy systems resist integration. The answer is a reworked stack: cloud-native platforms for orchestration, edge computing for local decisioning and high-performance warehouse networks that never become the bottleneck.
Automation, AI and robotics are enabling faster operations - and adoption is accelerating across manufacturing.
Real-time operations require low-latency by design
High transaction volumes are standard. AGVs, robotic picking and vision systems all generate dense traffic. Adding more cloud capacity won't fix a slow physical layer. Latency and jitter kill throughput and trigger cascading retries, mispicks, and stale inventory states.
The physical network is a strategic risk area. One weak link - poor cabling, noisy links, underpowered switches - can drag down the entire site. Treat it like production equipment, not an afterthought.
Why the physical layer decides warehouse performance
Warehouses are tough RF environments: long aisles, metal racking, and dense device clusters. Wi-Fi design matters, but structured cabling is the foundation that ensures predictable performance for automation and AI workloads. It also supports power delivery and thermal considerations for AI compute at the edge.
Set standards up front and enforce them. Poor installs lead to degraded performance, constant troubleshooting and unplanned downtime. Bring infrastructure partners in early so designs map to operational goals, not just technical checkboxes.
- Adopt sitewide cabling standards (e.g., fiber backbones, Cat6A for 10G where needed) and certify every link.
- Engineer for Power over Ethernet requirements (PoE/PoE++) and thermal load near AI/edge racks.
- Plan redundant paths, diverse routes and clean patching to simplify maintenance windows.
- Document label schemes, test reports and change control as part of handover, not after go-live.
Edge computing: the on-site engine for AI and autonomy
Edge computing moves processing closer to where data is generated. That lowers latency, reduces backhaul costs and enables time-sensitive tasks like robotic picking, vision QA and AGV fleet coordination. It also supports data residency and compliance by keeping sensitive streams local.
Think of edge sites as "AI factories." Models are deployed and refined on-site, while real-time analytics enable predictive maintenance by monitoring sensor data continuously. With a resilient edge design, operations continue during WAN or cloud outages - a direct boost to throughput and service levels.
- Define latency budgets for critical workflows (e.g., pick confirmation, conveyor control, vision inference).
- Standardize an edge reference design: compute, storage, GPU/accelerator options, and network segmentation.
- Instrument everything: health checks, telemetry, and alerting tied to operational KPIs (throughput, dock-to-stock time).
For time-sensitive traffic patterns, explore Time-Sensitive Networking concepts from IEEE 802.1 to improve determinism in industrial networks. IEEE TSN overview
Scaling globally: standards plus partnerships
Rolling out consistent performance across multiple countries is hard. Local regulations, site constraints and supply chain variability create drift from your standards. Strategic partners close skill gaps, accelerate deployment and keep every site aligned to the blueprint.
Look for partners with proven multi-country rollout capability, established supply chains and rapid staffing and training programs. In a labor-constrained sector, this shortens timelines and reduces rework.
- One global standard, local execution: materials, labeling, test thresholds and documentation.
- Clear SLAs for design, install, certification and incident response across regions.
- Integrated training for site teams and a multilingual runbook for operations and change control.
- Pre-staged spares and RMA processes to minimize downtime.
To keep data flowing cleanly between partners and systems, align on open identification and data standards such as GS1.
Future-proofing: what operations leaders can do now
- Baseline audit: map physical cabling, switch fabric, wireless heatmaps and application flows.
- Define latency and availability targets for each critical workflow; design to those numbers.
- Prioritize cabling upgrades that remove the noisiest or highest-loss paths first.
- Build an edge reference design and pilot it in one high-throughput zone before scaling.
- Create a resilience plan: on-site failover, offline modes, spare parts, and tested runbooks.
- Stand up a partner RFP focused on multi-country deployment, compliance and training.
- Upskill teams on AI-enabled operations, data flows and edge management.
If you are building team capability around AI in operations, review practical role-based learning paths: AI courses by job.
The bottom line
AI and automation deliver results only if the infrastructure can support them at scale. High-performance cabling, low-latency networks, resilient edge sites and strong partnerships turn plans into sustained operational gains. Treat infrastructure as a strategic asset, and you set the pace for speed, accuracy and growth.
Source insight: Anjna McGettrick, Head of Strategy Implementation and Execution at Onnec.
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