Großartige Wissenschaft an der Spitze von… allem

Es beginnt im Jahr 1939, als Bill Hewlett und Dave Packard HP in einer kleinen Garage in Palo Alto, Kalifornien, gründen. Ihr gleichnamiges Unternehmen folgt einem der beständigsten unternehmerischen Muster in der Geschichte der Technologie, denn auch andere Unternehmen wie Apple, Amazon und Google haben ihre bescheidenen Wurzeln in Garagen.

Sechzig Jahre später, 1999, an der Schwelle zu einem neuen Jahrhundert, gliedert HP seine Test- und Messabteilungen in ein neues Unternehmen aus – Agilent. In kurzer Zeit bricht das Unternehmen alle Rekorde als größter Börsengang in der Geschichte des Silicon Valley.

Der Zeitpunkt der Gründung von Agilent scheint vorausschauend, denn innerhalb eines Jahrzehnts entwickelt sich die Vierte Industrielle Revolution (4IR) mit einer beschleunigten Verwischung der Grenzen zwischen der physischen, digitalen und biologischen Welt. 4IR und Industrie 4.0 sind nicht die einzigen Neologismen, die versuchen, den Zeitgeist dieser Zeit einzufangen, da eingebettete Konnektivität und allgegenwärtige Technologien die Gesellschaft auf erdbebenartige Weise umgestalten. Das Metaverse, Internet der Dinge (IoT) und der Great Reset versuchen auch in Worte zu fassen, wie Automatisierung und Daten zusammenwirken, um nahezu jeden Aspekt der menschlichen Erfahrung zu untermauern.

Agilent ist ein früher Vorreiter bei der Integration von 4IR-Technologien in zahlreiche Bereiche, von der Chemie und Physik bis hin zur Materialwissenschaft, einschließlich der Nanotechnologie. Ihre Rasterkraftmikroskope (AFMs) ermöglichen Wissenschaftlern mithilfe von KI-Datenanalysetools Einblicke in die Eigenschaften von Materialien im Nanomaßstab. Das bedeutet, dass die Geräte nun Oberflächen mit beispielloser Präzision scannen können und bisher verborgene Erkenntnisse liefern, die es Erfindern ermöglichen, vorherzusagen, wie sich Materialien auf molekularer Ebene verhalten. Dies kann zu neuen Materialien für alle Bereiche führen, von Halbleitern bis hin zu Technologien für erneuerbare Energien.

Agilent quickly became a trailblazer in integrating 4IR technologies into fields like chemistry, physics, and material science. For example, their Atomic Force Microscopes (AFMs), powered by AI-driven data analysis, allow scientists to examine materials at the nanoscale with unprecedented precision. These insights help predict material behavior, paving the way for breakthroughs in semiconductors, renewable energy, and more.

Agilent’s impact extends far beyond materials science. Their 228 life science solutions, from A-Line liquid chromatography fittings to ZORBAX columns, support critical research in patient diagnostics, food safety, and environmental testing. Their technologies have played a pivotal role in decoding the human genome, contributing to the Human Genome Project using microarrays and targeted sequencing tools that enable personalized medicine.

Agilent’s technologies address some of the world’s most pressing issues. Their Gas Chromatograph systems with Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) help monitor air pollution in cities like Beijing and Shanghai, leading to significant reductions in harmful emissions. In rural India, GC-MS systems enhance pesticide detection in drinking water by 40%, while communities along Germany’s Rhine River experience a 50% reduction in pesticide residues.

Food safety is another critical area where Agilent excels. Their Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry (LC/MS) solutions detect pathogens like Salmonella and E. coli with greater speed and sensitivity, enabling faster recalls and reducing the incidence of foodborne illnesses.

Agilent’s commitment to sustainability is equally impressive. The company has committed to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, aligning with the Paris Agreement and the Science-Based Targets Initiative (SBTi).

Behind Agilent’s groundbreaking technologies is a massive universe of data, managed seamlessly with the help of NetApp and intelligent data infrastructure. Rich Wong, Agilent’s Data Management Architect, explains, “Our engineers produce a lot of data. My team serves that data quickly and securely. It’s all about helping our R&D teams do their jobs more efficiently.”

NetApp^® FlexCache^® technology enables Agilent’s global teams to collaborate on a unified data repository, reducing latency and bandwidth costs. Their hybrid cloud model allows seamless workload placement across public clouds, including AWS, Google Cloud, and Azure, offering flexibility and efficiency.

NetApp ONTAP^® operating system simplifies data management, while NetApp Console provides a single control plane for Agilent’s multicloud data estate. “We chose NetApp because of operational simplicity,” says Wong. “My team can manage everything from a single console without logging into multiple systems.”

NetApp ONTAP advanced features fortify Agilent’s data security strategy:

1. Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): Confirms only authorized users access data, adding a critical layer of defense.
2. Multi-Admin Verification (MAV): Requires higher-level admin approval for major changes, preventing accidental or malicious data alterations.
3. Autonomous Ransomware Protection (ARP): AI-powered detection at the storage layer identifies and mitigates threats before they cause damage, enabling quick recovery in case of an attack.

NetApp Data Infrastructure Insights further enhances Agilent’s security with real-time visibility across their hybrid cloud. The Storage Workload Security feature tracks user activity to simplify compliance reporting and enables faster detection of patterns and anomalies that could signal a threat.

“NetApp helps us identify potential threats and take action automatically,” says Wong. “From a security perspective, having the least access to the most data is key.”

Agilent’s partnership with NetApp goes beyond a typical vendor relationship. “We work hand in hand, exchanging ideas and strategies,” says Wong. This collaboration ensures Agilent’s data infrastructure delivers the stability, uptime, and security needed to support their mission of improving lives through science.

With NetApp’s Six Nines Data Availability Guarantee (99.9999% uptime) and Ransomware Recovery Guarantee, Agilent’s data is always available, secure, and ready to power the next breakthrough.

Agilent’s promise of Trusted Answers is built on a foundation of innovation, sustainability, and a commitment to improving the quality of life for people everywhere. Together with NetApp, they’re advancing great science at the forefront of everything.