Transformation Starts: A Next-Generation Network Management System To Run Your Business at A Higher Level

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Transformation starts

A next-generation Network
Management System to run your
business at a higher level
THE NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED
ALERT The Power to Drive Results Withstand Any Challenge

A Vibrant Customer Experience


One Pulse, Any Network
Customer Support

Deeper Insights, Better Decisions Automate Business Growth

Transforming Every
Aspect of Your Business
There’s a place at the heart of your business where day Network Management System (NMS) that transforms your iDirect Pulse provides the information and tools needed to systems, such as billing and provisioning, for more seamless
after day your success is earned. It’s where key events network operations, enabling higher levels of performance. deliver high quality results – whether that’s building a new operations that boost performance.
are managed, critical data is analyzed, and important mobility network using a desktop in the NOC or conducting
decisions are made. Decisions that impact profitability, iDirect Pulse provides all the functionality you expect on-site analysis over a tablet device at a customer site. And Reaching outward to your customers, the tailored services
growth and customer satisfaction. That place is your in an NMS – configuration, monitoring, reporting, and this NMS offers deeper visibility into network activity, pulling and flexible permissions mean iDirect Pulse supports multiple
Network Operations Center (NOC). analysis. But more importantly, it can improve every aspect together rich sets of analytics to enable better decision- business models and is accessible by a wide range of users.
of your operations. making and rapid troubleshooting. And you can leverage the API to develop portals and apps
Running a NOC can be anything but simple. There are that create a rich customer experience.
multiple networks to monitor, individual tasks to manage Inside the NOC, iDirect Pulse enables integrated management Beyond the NOC, iDirect Pulse ensures your teleport will
and systems to integrate. And network operations impact and enterprise scalability of every iDirect Velocity™ and always be online, through a multi-site distributed architecture Ultimately, this gives you what it takes to run your operations today
your entire business – how you serve customers, manage Evolution® network, no matter how large or complex. That that provides critical redundancy and data backup support. and grow into the future. With iDirect Pulse, the ultimate goal isn’t
profitability and pursue new revenue opportunities. That’s greatly simplifies your operations so you can continue to And the extensibility obtainable through the Web service simply a better NMS. It’s the total transformation of your business,
why you need iDirect Pulse®. This is a next-generation grow while delivering superior customer support. API means you can link the NMS into your other business wherever your people, operations and systems need to reach.
One Pulse,
“When I was newly hired, my trainer quickly oriented me with the
iDirect Pulse management system. Whether tracking a mobility network
for an airline we serviced or checking the QoS for thousands of ground

Any Network terminals, I was impressed that the distributed architecture sustained
such a variety of iDirect satellite networks over dozens of beams.”
– Network Engineer
One NMS able to scale to support
any size and type of iDirect network V ICE
SER ERMINICAE PLAN
L

Satellite networks are highly diverse and challenging to manage, whether you’re T RV Element Domains
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participating in a global service or operating your own regional infrastructure. Networks can

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To make complex networks easier

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to operate and scale, iDirect Pulse

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involve thousands of customer sites, spread over a range of satellites and beams, with both
is designed around an innovative

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fixed and mobile terminals. Success means bringing all of that into a single view controlled by a hierarchical model aligned with
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common NMS. With iDirect Pulse®, you can manage any type of iDirect Velocity™ and Evolution® TW common organizational functions.
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network, no matter how large or complex. If you own the NMS and all the associated network OU UP

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infrastructure, you can use one installation of iDirect Pulse to operate many networks at the S T R R IE R E A M
U P C A R S T R IE R
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same time. That means you can expand your business effortlessly, managing large-scale global DO CA T ER
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networks with world-class service and operational support.
ORT O TE NA
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Virtualized Modular Architecture Highly Scalable System

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iDirect Pulse uses Network Function Virtualization (NFV) technology The underlying architecture of iDirect Pulse is designed
IC
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to simplify deployment and improve IT management. Virtualization to grow as the network grows, expanding to match
PH HUBCLAINRD
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enables a multi-site distributed architecture that broadens flexibility the scope and complexity of the business. The NMS is
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and enhances resiliency. This virtualized design facilitates the able to manage many networks on one system, permit NMRVER
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upgrade process while minimizing disruption to operations. simultaneous access by hundreds of staff, and handle CH PP VER
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communication for over 100,000 remotes. The NMS scales SI
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iDirect Pulse is composed of subsystems that interact to fulfill a through the power of distributed processing, where
complete NMS model. Each of these modules provides functionality adding multi-core processors boosts performance, so the
for a specific aspect, such as configuration management or stats service provider can focus on expansion without worry
management. This “building block” model extends to how the NMS about encountering system limitations.
is deployed, where a primary core exists at the NOC site and each
teleport is added by installing a new instance of the NMS. All the Enhanced Mobility Model
iDirect Pulse instances communicate with each other, exchanging data With iDirect Pulse, you can manage a mobility network Organized Around Workflows
and command updates, to maintain consistency across the system. as easily as a fixed network. Each individual remote is In order to simplify setup and operation of complex The domains are aligned with common
configured once, but assigned to as many networks networks, iDirect Pulse employs an innovative organizational functions to facilitate proper workflow.
As a result, iDirect Pulse is configurable to support a range of and beams as necessary to achieve a particular service hierarchical model in which configurable elements You can build the physical infrastructure such as
system deployments. This ranges from a single site installation offering. As the remote moves from one geographic area are grouped into logically related collections, which hubs and line cards, add the satellite and beam
of iDirect Pulse operating a small network, to complex global to another, the NMS is able to identify and track that are called Element Domains. The five primary domains transport layer, form in-route groups and define
operations requiring management of multiple NOCs and remote, maintaining communication access dynamically. are Physical, Transport, Network, Service, and Terminal. networks, set up the various customer service plans,
teleports where a dedicated instance of iDirect Pulse is running This simplifies deployment of mobile networks and Together, the components covered by these domains and then provision and configure the terminals
at each physical location. consolidates reporting. form a complete, operational satellite network. within the system.
The Power to
Drive Results
“I make it a point to visit important customer
sites during major installations, but I still need
to have full visibility of all my operations when I’m
thousands of miles away. I can access all of iDirect
Pulse’s tools and show terminal information to my
customers right here on my tablet. But the best part
is watching my staff deliver results to customers,
quickly deploying and easily managing large
communication networks.”
– NOC Manager
The right tools and information
so people can work more effectively
iDirect - Pulse Platform

Global
Advanced
Search
Search...

Configuration Monitoring Troubleshooting Reporting NMS Management Quicklinks admin

Running a satellite network is a time and people intensive operation – and one that is inherently tied Iconography Mega
with Status
Browse Terminal Elements
Menus
to the functionality of an NMS. With iDirect Pulse®, we’ve simplified all this complexity. A logically organized Search... Element Type: All Performance: All Config/Update:All Group Actions Tree List

menu. Web-based tools accessible from anywhere. Helpful shortcuts that save time. Features like these 2-j Ponyrovskij:

20 de Noviembre : Veinte de Noviembre


Alarm

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Hierarchy

Hierarchy
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Actions

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create a positive user experience for employees who configure, monitor, and report on satellite networks 20 Nukakata

20th Mile: Chailiang


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on a daily basis. In order to design the NMS interface, our team analyzed common user tasks and workflows
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Alarm Event Hierarchy Report Actions

feedback from live deployments. We saw how people needed device flexibility to access iDirect Pulse while Amazon: Grant 6227-7889 Alarm Event Hierarchy Report Actions

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on travel or at a customer site. The result is a full-featured, uniquely designed interface that truly meets the Abzanovskiy

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needs of your company inside or outside of the NOC. Ain El Hadid

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Simplified User Interface Configuration Rollback Group QoS Organizational Chart Remote Update Manager
The iDirect Pulse user interface follows a philosophy of Modifying a setting might produce unexpected or Both iDirect Velocity™ and Evolution® offer sophisticated Updating thousands of remotes can be a labor intensive and
simplicity – less clutter provides better clarity. The structure detrimental service outcomes, which may not be recognized Quality of Service engines based upon hierarchical bandwidth error prone process, so iDirect Pulse offers an Update Manager
breaks content into smaller, manageable blocks where the until later. iDirect Pulse stores a historical record of all allocation across groups and subgroups. The resulting Group tool to automate software updates. The tool delivers the
most frequently used items and information are prominently changes, logging the time and details of each activity. QoS structure can be challenging to understand, especially appropriate configuration information to a group of network
displayed, but more advanced features are hidden until The Activity Log Configurator allows an authorized user to
in large networks. So iDirect Pulse introduces a Group QoS elements — providing option files, software and firmware
needed. This reduces system complexity and helps prioritize search, retrieve and review the log to trace the origin of any
Organizational Chart to visualize all the relationships in a simple packages, OS images, and licenses as required. It then queries
the user’s attention so that they spend time only on the items problems and assess corrective action.
and interactive way. Users can pan across the chart and zoom in and tracks the status for those elements as it sends commands
that are most likely to be useful at that moment.
or out, with more levels and detail revealed the deeper the user applying the configurations in an orderly process.
Configuration Rollback offers a simple method to undo
zooms. You instantly gain a more intuitive grasp of Group QoS
Streamlined Configuration previous changes. With one click, an automated process
and the division of bandwidth between customers and sites. Device Independence
Since a service provider’s terminals often share common checks all interdependencies, then creates a new version of

characteristics, why waste effort configuring each new the element that reverts to the earlier configuration. Today’s workforce shouldn’t be constrained by an office or a
item from the ground up? iDirect Pulse streamlines the thick-client application. iDirect Pulse can be accessed from
configuration of any system element through the use Advanced Global Search anywhere on smart devices, offering immediate visibility and
of profiles that maintains a permanent linkage to all the The search box is the primary navigation tool within iDirect control of your network. A NOC manager can keep an eye on
devices built upon them. Anytime a change is made to the Pulse and the fastest way to locate a particular terminal, the critical state of his networks, evening and weekends, while
profile, all those devices are also updated. Profiles make it line card or other element. This is particularly useful when a traveling across the world. An on-call service specialist can
easier to setup and manage groups of terminals and the technician is searching for an item in response to a support offer proactive customer service late at night from her home.
related service plans. Because of the various profile linkages, call, but only has partial identification for the equipment A technician can pull up the NMS on his tablet while visiting a
the NMS includes an Impact Analysis tool to understand if or site in question. Various filters make it easy to refine the customer site. All of this contributes to better responsiveness
applying a particular change to a single terminal might affect search results, narrowing the list to a specific type of element
and higher quality customer care.
other related terminals. or by operational and configuration status.
Organizational Chart View
Deeper Insight,
“I work with Diego on one of our largest accounts, and when he
noticed that a few sites were exhibiting consistently lower MODCODs,
I was able to look into the details right away. We have to deal with

Better Decisions rapidly shifting demands, changing weather patterns and other
incidents, but iDirect Pulse reporting and fault management helped
us catch the issue before it turned into a major problem.”
– Service Management Specialist
Key Information Panel Customizable Reporting

Improve management through deep


reporting of network statistics
Satellite capacity is a critical asset that needs to be managed as efficiently as possible.
That’s why iDirect Pulse® is equipped with extensive metrics and powerful visibility tools
that enable you to peer deeply into your network. With iDirect Pulse, you view the real-time
status of every remote and study historical trends across your entire network. You can uncover
unused bandwidth and leverage that bandwidth to sell additional service. You can identify how Real-Time Monitoring Location Tracker

customers are using capacity to anticipate shortfalls and recommend increased service levels.
And you can preemptively identify and resolve performance degradation before they escalate.
It’s all about making the right decision with the right data in hand.

Key Information Panel iDirect Pulse provides notification of system variances


Clicking on a terminal icon produces a pop-up Key Information collected from NMS processes, hub processes,
Panel that summarizes the most relevant information about that network components, and external systems. Users
object, including status, location, IP address, position on map, can monitor these events through a real-time
Customizable Reporting Location Tracker
weather at the site, and vital statistics. Uniting all this information listing, with the significance of the events ranging
iDirect Pulse enables operators to conduct long-term The larger the network, the more difficult it is to be aware of
in one place gives convenient, once glance understanding about from informational messages to critical warnings.
trending analysis through assessment of historic statistics every remote location. And this is compounded in mobile
a remote’s function and status without running detailed reports. An analytical view groups the events by severity
and events. Metrics are saved for periods as long as networks where terminals are continuously moving. The
and displays on bar and pie charts, offering a quick
a year, although the length of time can be increased iDirect Pulse Location Tracker displays real-time tracking of
Real-Time Monitoring assessment of the health of a network based on the
through extended storage and archival methods. terminals worldwide through a powerful graphical mapping
Visibility of system operations is critical to maintain service events being triggered.
system. The exact location and heading of every terminal can
quality by preemptively identifying network challenges. That’s
The flexible report builder only requires a few details be checked at regular intervals.
why iDirect Pulse provides a rich set of functionality that offers Alarms signal a condition that could possibly result
to run a search on the archived data and users can
real-time views of the health of servers and remotes, as well in a future interruption in service if not handled in a
save these parameters as a Quicklink on the menu bar Clicking on a mobile terminal icon provides a quick snapshot
as access to hundreds of variables continuously generated by timely fashion. A system administrator can customize
so they can automatically run a standard set of daily of the health, status, and exact coordinates. Satellite beam
iDirect Velocity™ and Evolution®. the metric thresholds that trigger an alarm to focus
reports. Retrieved statistics are viewable in a variety footprints can be overlaid to provide a correlation of remote
attention on truly important variables. An alarm
of forms, such as analytical views and trends using status as it moves across the patterns. The Location Tracker
Statistical tools provide network operators with detailed maintains a record of the current state of the problem,
pie charts, bar graphs, and line charts. Users can also allows for additional overlays from external data sources,
performance data about the satellite network. Users can tracking if has been acknowledged by a technician
choose to output CSV files for conducting their own such as weather, radar, roadmap, and imagery to provide
stream charts displaying key indicators such as bandwidth and any ticketing number to make it easier to
analysis in a spreadsheet. better understanding of the operational context.
usage, IP traffic, link quality, and latency. integrate with third-party ticketing systems.
Withstand
“A bad storm was coming, but we weren’t concerned that it would
shut down operations. We had built multiple layers of redundancy
through iDirect Pulse virtualization, so all the data that we collected at the

Any Challenge teleport was safely stored at other sites, and we had a back up teleport
ready to turn online if a catastrophe hit. We could continue working, able
to withstand any challenge.”
– Hub Infrastructure Specialist
Virtual Network Pulse Teleport 1 &

Operate securely and preserve Operator 1 Site Backup


Firewall
Terminals

continuity even during a disaster


Your NMS must be highly resilient to withstand any challenge that might threaten the network. NOC Operations
External
End User End User Pulse Teleport 2 &
That’s why iDirect Pulse® supports multi-site distributed architectures, as well as virtualization to Customer Customer
Access Portal Site Backup
Limited
implement hub redundancy and data backup. This forms a strong foundation for high availability services. Stats DMZ Updates
Proxy Stats, Events

Pulse
With iDirect Pulse, network security is a major priority. Any external access into the NMS is managed Core

through an External Access Portal that protects the core operation with a firewall. Interception Pulse EAP User Permissions
system Pulse Teleport 3 &
Virtual Network Engine and
Activity Log database Site Backup
of information or sabotage is prevented through encryption of all iDirect Pulse administrative Operator 2

communication. And a permissions engine allows administrators to tightly control and monitor access. Data Replication HTTPS
for Backup Encryption
It’s a whole security model that protects your entire network.
Teleport Continues Operation if
Disconnected from NOC

System Resiliency and Redundancy Pulse


Backup
Example of a globally deployed iDirect Pulse architecture
with high availability and secure infrastructure.

Strong System Security Redundancy and Continuity


Security must never be an afterthought. That’s why iDirect iDirect Pulse utilizes industry recognized virtualization
Pulse incorporates a thorough security philosophy at the solutions to deliver different levels of availability,
Another optional feature is Virtualized Replication, which Protected External Access
core of its design. All communication is encrypted using depending on the investment the partner desires to make.
is available to preserve all configuration and transactional It is essential to guard essential core operations from
HTTPS. This includes external to internal communication For smaller deployments, a complete NMS is provided
data so partners can maintain continuity in case of disaster accidental changes or willful intrusion, so iDirect Pulse
through the Internet, as well as machine-to-machine through one virtualized NOC cluster and one virtualized
recovery. Replication automatically duplicates the virtual passes Virtual Network Operator and end-user access
communication within iDirect Pulse itself. teleport cluster. If either of these virtual clusters should
clusters and data sets into either local or remote backup through an External Access Portal (EAP). The EAP interface is
fail, there are optional High Availability functions in the
storage on a regular basis. essentially a full instance of the NMS running under a special
By default, the system implements an internal hypervisor that allows iDirect Pulse to automatically restart
configuration, offering a secure proxy between external users
authentication process that enforces password rules and on another host with minimal delay to NMS operation.
For complex operations requiring extensive redundancy, and the primary core running for a location such as the NOC.
validates users into the system through a login process. If a
iDirect Pulse supports multi-site distributed architectures
partner desires an additional layer of security, the NMS also
with dedicated virtual clusters at the NOC, each teleport, When this outward-facing component of the NMS
offers support for two-factor authentication by using an
each backup site, and an External Access Portal. Under is installed in a DMZ, the firewall creates a strict
external authentication service via LDAP.
normal operations, all the NOC and teleport clusters separation from the iDirect Pulse core. The EAP takes a
continuously exchange data and work as one united feed of data from the NMS core and stores it locally and
Once a user is within the system, iDirect Pulse restricts each
system. But if NOC communication becomes severed from a passes any commands through the firewall, so exposure
user’s access on a “need to know” basis through a highly
teleport, the teleport virtual cluster continues independent through the Internet can be carefully controlled. User
customizable role-based mechanism. Each user is granted
operation until communication is restored. And if a primary accounts and permissions determine how to restrict
visibility only to certain network elements, and within
facility goes down, a replicated iDirect Pulse virtual cluster functionality. To the user, it will appear as if they were
those network elements, only authorized for the functions
located at a backup NOC or teleport site can quickly assume accessing a normal iDirect Pulse interface, but the
they need to perform their duties. The NMS logs all user
operation through a manual failover process. menu of options is smaller.
activity, with logs retained for at least one month.
Automate
Web Services API NMS for analysis in custom-built tools, such as satisfying
A critical tool for iDirect Pulse® extensibility is the particular reporting obligations to government
powerful Web services API. The API is built on RESTful agencies. You can also create customized apps that
Web design principles, the industry-leading way that improve internal operations and workflows, such as site

Business Growth
Web interfaces are built today, and relies on HTTPS and equipment installation and activation.
JSON messaging as the means for encoding. The Web
API includes read and write capabilities with securely iDirect’s Management Systems Technical Services team
authorized access to all the functions of the NMS, so is available as a resource to provide training and a
it’s possible to design scripts and machine-to-machine Software Development Kit (SDK) to facilitate the initial
routines that automate common processes and introduction to the iDirect Pulse API. The team can offer
improve productivity. contracted integration services as seems appropriate on
“I help customers find the right upgrades for their service, and resolve a case-by-case basis.
any problems they might be experiencing. Our customer base is growing, OSS/BSS Integration
Billing
The Web API allows iDirect Pulse to be part of a best-of-
but iDirect Pulse integrates with and feeds data into our operational breed collection of software products, where a company REST API

and business support software. I can find the right information and stat can choose third-party applications to fulfill the various

Provision
REST API

REST API
functions and then link everything together.

Apps
reports quickly, which means I can help more people.”
You can fully integrate enterprise operations by
– Customer Service Operator REST API
connecting the NMS with crucial business applications
Web Services API
such as billing, inventory, ticket tracking, and SLA Connect iDirect Pulse to all your
Support
management. And you can extract data from the business systems and create
customized NMS features.
A Vibrant Customer
Tailored Services Customer Portals
iDirect Pulse® is designed to service a wide range of iDirect Pulse supports all levels and types of customers
users, giving everyone the access and information through an External Access Portal (EAP) framework.
they need to run their networks. That includes satellite A customer portal facilitates access, improves visibility

Experience
operators partitioning bandwidth or data rates, network and control, and provides ability to differentiate
operators creating a hierarchy of virtual networks, and services to customers.
service providers selling to enterprise clients or a large
consumer base. It also includes end users who want to Customer Apps
keep a vigilant eye on performance and administer basic Nobody knows your customers better than you, so why
changes to their service plans. not use that knowledge to create tailored apps that meet
“As CTO of a large shipping company, my job is to keep everyone the specific needs of your customer base? iDirect Pulse
Flexible Permissions Structure includes baseline utility apps that offer system reporting
connected around the clock and around the world. But with the The iDirect Pulse permissions structure is highly flexible, you can build upon to create your own apps that deliver

new dedicated HTS satellite network, my job just got a whole lot with detailed granularity. A satellite operator can ensure unique value. For example, you can provide a ship’s
that a VNO only sees their own network elements, and that captain with a sophisticated dashboard so he can view
easier. The iDirect Pulse customer portal gives me incredible visibility their activities are restricted in whatever way desired by the real-time status about his remote communication, the
satellite operator. Likewise, that VNO may create their own location of the ship in relation to beam coverage, and
into my network, and the service provider even lets me optimize
set of user permissions for their own operations, and may even notifications from you customized to display in his
certain settings.” also create sub-VNO accounts for their customers to view own language. Apps quickly become a key differentiator
reports and perform other actions. for self-service that improves the customer experience.
– Chief Technology Officer
Corporate Headquarters iDirect UK Ltd Hong Kong
13861 Sunrise Valley Drive 119-120 High Street 11/F AXA Centre
Suite 300 Eton, Berkshire 151 Gloucester Road
Herndon, Virginia 20171 SL4 6AN UK Wanchai
USA Hong Kong
+44 (0) 1234 759610
+1 866 45 0983 +852 2802 0210
Canada
iDirect Government™ VT iDirect Beijing, China
13921 Park Center Road 900 Morrison Drive, Suite 203 2301, Air China Plaza
Suite 600 Ottawa ON K2H 8K7 36 Xiaoyun Road, Chaoyang
Herndon, Virginia 20171 Canada Beijing, China 100027
USA
+1 613 798 7111 +86 10 8447 5811
+1 703 648 8118
Asia MEA
Europe Singapore Office Wing C-603
iDirect UK Ltd iDirect Asia Dubai Silicon Oasis Authority
Derwent House 6 Ang Mo Kio Electronics Park Road Government of Dubai
University Way #06-01 PO Box 6009
Cranfield, Beds Singapore 567711 Dubai
MK43 0AZ UK
+65 6521 7888 +971 4 5015802

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