Assisting Global Customers with Digital Transformation In the Form of an “As-a-Service” New Business Model

HONG KONG, CHINA - Media OutReach - 18 May 2020 - Automated Systems Holdings Limited ("ASL" or "the Group") (HKEX stock code: 771), a trustworthy and professional global Information Technology ("IT") partner, announces the inauguration of an Unified Operation Center (UOC) on 18 May. It is equipped with a new generation integrated managed services platform self-developed by ASL, that not only makes use of DevSecOps, but also implements the Group's new "as-a-Service" business model, so as to assist global customers with digital transformation.

Faced with the emerging technologies used to carry out digital transformation, such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, machine learning, Internet of things (IOT) and more, enterprises often encounter different levels of operational challenges. Some major and critical IT operational issues faced, including how to launch application software agilely, in addition to analysing avalanche of enterprise data in order to have an indepth understanding of the company's state of business; how to ensure cybersecurity and data security; how to take advantage of the current infrastructure and multi-cloud environment. The challenge of integrating the aforementioned technologies and of seeking the right talents, adds a further burden on to the IT operators, hence driving the demand for IT managed services.

In view of this, ASL had applied its 47-year-rich IT industry experience and multi-platform knowledge to invest into the launching of its first UOC in the Asia Pacific region. This is located in ASL's Hong Kong headquarters. It is estimated that the total investment in the current and future 3-5 years will exceed HK$10 million to meet the ardent needs of digital transformation. UOC is designed to solve the challenges faced by IT operators, as an intelligent professional technical service platform that unify applications, cybersecurity and omni-channel managed services.

By leveraging ASL UOC's highlighted services, customers can enjoy ITIL and centralised management for ease of IT operation. ASL's huge agile team provides timely and comprehensive services to customers by using DevOps and scrum during application development. Additionally, ASL's Security Operation Center Plus (SOC +) is reputable for its intelligent cybersecurity professional services. With the ASL Threat Intelligence Portal (A-TIP), the Group has mastered many different intelligence sources in the world including those from global security enterprises, to enable enterprises in obtaining complete protection from application software to user's endpoint devices and even the entire network 24/7. ASL's managed services is backed by more than 1,000 professionals. With its professional service workflow and leading technologies (gradual introduction of artificial intelligence and big data analysis), the new UOC allows enterprises to achieve digital transformation in a more agile, efficient, and secure way.

Abiding to the Group's objective, the establishment of UOC services bring excellent service and extraordinary experience to customers. The services provided by ASL have obtained international certifications, including ISO 9001, ISO 27001 and CMMI, etc., to ensure the quality of customer service. ASL's UOC operates in the form of omni-channel services, offering professional solutions to customers, whether it is application development (from design to development, and finally management), cybersecurity, data center and user endpoints, or IoT related services. UOC services not only support the infrastructure, they also cover multiple cloud platforms (including private cloud, public cloud, hybrid cloud, and multi-platform cloud). The hallmark of UOC lies in its customizable services to enterprises in the form of "as a service" and its use of ASL's experience in different industries and fields to provide customers with industry benchmarks during consultation. At present, UOC services are being favorably adopted by our customers and are comprehensively supporting their needs.

Taking into account the growing popularity of cloud applications, in order to enhance the core service foundation of UOC, ASL is now partnering with Equinix, a global interconnection and data center company. This partnership allows ASL to provide a comprehensive and world-class data center service with the best multi-platform cloud of choice for customers.

Mr. Larry Tam, Managing Director of Equinix Hong Kong remarked: "As a strategic partner of ASL, Equinix earnestly supports ASL's UOC services. Equinix IBX data centers bring multiple cloud service providers together, including Alibaba Cloud, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, IBM Cloud, Microsoft Azure, Oracle Cloud and SaaS providers like SAP, and foster a diverse ecosystem. It allows ASL's varied customers to flexibly, promptly and directly connect to any network and cloud providers, while shortening the project implementation time and reducing the Total Ownership Cost."

Mr. Leon Wang, CEO and Executive Director of ASL stated: "The global digital transformation continues despite the impact of the pandemic on the economy. We hope that UOC one-stop comprehensive technical services platform (exerting ASL's three core business advantages: application development, cybersecurity, and omni-channel managed services) can combine with ASL's rich industry experience in the fields of cloud computing, security and big data. The Group will help customers realise the integration of innovative technologies into application scenarios, to accelerate their digital transformation. As one of the world's leading IT service providers, ASL's tenet is to optimize DevSecOps by providing services in the form of a new "as-a-Service" business model, ultimately achieving "IT Operation as-a-Service", to help customers manage costs more effectively and boost business.