by Gary Mintchell | Apr 23, 2026 | Networking, Organizations, Security
This news release falls clearly into the category of Duh!!!
Human social engineering and humans gaining unauthorized access while serving as contractors and the like have long been known to be a cybersecurity risk. But, I’m happy to note that an august group has perceived the obvious.
The Industrial Security Harmonization Group (ISHG) has released a joint industry perspective highlighting a critical truth in industrial cybersecurity: secure communication is not determined by protocols alone, but by how they are deployed and managed in real-world environments.
Or, maybe, it’s along the lines of “it’s not all our fault?”
The ISHG—comprising leading industry organizations including the FieldComm Group, ODVA, OPC Foundation, and PROFIBUS & PROFINET International—collaborates regularly to align security concepts across Ethernet and non-Ethernet communication protocol technologies. Their shared mission is to reduce complexity for end users and promote consistent, effective cybersecurity practices in industrial automation systems.
I once set at an industrial communication organization meeting where an end-user pleaded for application guidelines. He was studiously ignored.
Industrial communication protocols serve as the backbone of modern automation, enabling seamless connectivity between devices, systems, and applications across both process and factory environments. However, many widely used protocols were originally developed without cybersecurity as a primary design consideration.
It now emphasizes a more practical and realistic approach:
- Security is context-dependent — It relies on how protocols are configured, where they are deployed, and the surrounding operational environment.
- Built-in security features are not sufficient alone — Even advanced protocols require correct implementation and maintenance.
- Compensating controls are essential — Network architecture, segmentation (zones and conduits), monitoring, and physical safeguards play a critical role, especially for legacy and non-Ethernet systems.
by Gary Mintchell | Mar 11, 2026 | Generative AI, Networking
I remember Digi International from a couple decades ago as a connectivity company. They went dark for many years, then has suddenly lit up my inbox since the pandemic. This news continues the connectivity path with something my brief acquaintance, Walker Reynolds, told me at the Ignition Community Conference—MCP is the next big thing. I heard from his conference that there was another “next big thing.” I think he was partially right—Model Context Protocol (MCP) for agents and Generative AI is a big thing. And Digi International has launched it as part of their connectivity solutions.
Digi International announced the launch of its new Model Context Protocol (MCP) server for Digi Remote Manager (DRM) and Genesis. This new capability enables customers to securely integrate large language model products such as Claude and other enterprise AI assistants directly with DRM and Genesis, transforming how organizations monitor, manage, and optimize their connected infrastructure and wireless WAN deployments (WWAN) at scale.
The MCP server allows DRM and Genesis users to leverage natural language interfaces to query device fleets, automate workflows, generate configuration insights, and streamline troubleshooting. By bridging enterprise AI tools with Digi’s secure device management platform, customers can accelerate operational efficiency, reduce complexity, and empower teams with intelligent, context aware insights across their connectivity deployments. The solution is designed with enterprise grade security and governance controls to ensure data protection and responsible AI integration.
This launch builds on a series of recent milestones for Digi. The company recently celebrated the successful deployment of a cellular router solution leveraging eSIM technology aligned with GSMA SGP.32 standards, reinforcing Digi’s leadership in next generation connectivity for distributed enterprises and remote SIM provisioning. Shortly thereafter, Digi became the first WWAN connectivity organization to achieve SOC 2 Type 2 compliance, underscoring its commitment to rigorous security, availability, and confidentiality standards for customers worldwide.
by Gary Mintchell | Jan 5, 2026 | Industrial Computers, Networking, Technology, Wireless
I have shunned new year predictions for the entire time I’ve been writing about technology and manufacturing. As has been said (attributed to physicist Niels Bohr and philosopher Yogi Berra), predictions are hard, especially about the future.
Usually these reflect either wishful thinking about the future or recognition of trends that may play out.
Marketing guru Seth Godin noted, “The Paradox of ‘On Trend’—By the time you get around to embracing the fashion of the moment, it’s almost certainly too late. The leading edge is defined by the fact that most of us aren’t on it.”
However, I have chosen to highlight two sets of predictions that came my way late last year. One is from Larry O’Connor, Founder and CEO, Other World Computing (OWC); the other from Michael Weller, Practice Leader for Manufacturing, Energy and Utilities at Verizon Business.
OWC makes high performance compute and networking equipment mostly targeted to markets not ours. The Verizon release was a bit surprising. I do think about networks. Usually not from the major carriers.
Their thoughts and my thoughts. Enjoy.
I looked at these OWC compute predictions mostly because I think that these have been happening. I don’t know to what degree adoption will occur, but it will be interesting.
2026 Prediction 1: On-Prem Comes Back, Not as a Rebellion Against Cloud, but as the Sensible Default for Performance, Cost, and Control.
“In 2026, more teams are going to rediscover the joy of having their data and workflows close to where the work actually happens. Not because the cloud is bad. The cloud is a great tool. It is just not the right answer for everything, especially when you are talking about performance, predictable costs, and keeping control of your own data.
It is easy to move a workflow up into the cloud, and then you wake up one day and realize you are paying for every little thing, and you are also at the mercy of a lot of services you cannot fix or influence. If your internet is flaky, or the provider has an outage, or you get hit with egress costs at the exact moment you need your data, that is not a strategy. That is a hope. In 2026, the smart shops will keep cloud as redundancy and reach, but they will rebuild the core on-prem so they can get their job done with less drama.”
I saw this play out last year by the company called 37 Signals. They looked at their monthly bills and decided their was a better way.
2026 Prediction 2: The Real Differentiator Will Be ‘Boring’ Infrastructure: High Performance Tech That Disappears into the Workflow.
“I think 2026 is the year more people stop buying ‘fancy numbers’ and start buying results. Everybody can show a chart. Everybody can promise the sky. But in the real world, what matters is whether the product is low overhead, dependable, and actually makes your day easier. The best compliment we can get is that someone forgets we are there, because they are too busy getting real work done.
More buyers are going to get tired of the enterprise pattern where you buy the thing, and then you learn you need ten other modules, another server, and a pile of add-ons to get what you thought you already purchased. That is not delight. That is aggravation. In 2026, the winners are going to be the companies that show up, evaluate the environment honestly, and deliver what the customer actually needs, with the least amount of fuss. Under promise. Over deliver. And make it work in the real workflow, not just in a lab.”
The real question—when will the big AI players realize this.
2026 Prediction 3: AI Becomes a Creative Partner – but the Creativity Remains Human.
“AI finally settles into its proper role for creatives, in 2026. It stops trying to be the artist and starts becoming the best assistant a cinematographer, editor, or photographer has ever had. The true creative spark still lives with the human, not in the machine. You can’t automate taste, timing, instinct, and storytelling. What AI can do is clear the runway so creators can spend more time making decisions that actually matter.
Those that rethink where AI lives in the workflow will be the teams that get this right. Instead of pushing raw footage and unreleased work into distant clouds, they will bring AI closer to the media and closer to the creator. When AI runs next to your storage, things happen at the speed of thought. You can test an idea, throw it away, try another, and never break your flow. That immediacy changes how people create. In 2026, the most successful creative teams will not be the ones chasing the biggest models. They will be the ones who build infrastructure that keeps humans in control, keeps their content private, and lets AI quietly do the heavy lifting in the background while the creativity stays exactly where it belongs.”
I think AI and AgenticAI have been way over-hyped. On the one hand, AI has been embedded in much technology we already use. Industrial companies are embedding Microsoft Copilot. We’ll see continued searching for ways to use it as a tool to help workers do a better job.
Where I pick at OWC’s comments a little, I think Michael Weller is a bit optimistic. Check his thoughts. As I just wrote above about AI, don’t buy the hype.
AI moves from paralysis to production: “Many manufacturers are worried about AI, and uncertain where to put compute power. Next year brings breakthrough deployments focused on computer vision for quality control and AI ‘shells’ that wrap legacy systems in protective security layers. This finally moving innovation ‘out of the drawer.'”
He should say that manufacturing executives are worried about AI. The hype has consumed so much media space, that they feel they must tell the board they’re working on it.
Factories will embrace visual technology in a larger way: “Manufacturing floors will become highly visual environments, driven by computer vision, digital twins, AR/VR headsets, and gamification. Humans learn visually far more effectively than through text, and visual content. From just-in-time training videos to 3D schematics, visual environments will transform worker engagement and productivity.”
I’m not with him here. I’ve tried out the headsets for 10 years. There are selected places (training?) where there is a bona fide use case. If Zuckerberg is dropping the metaverse from Meta, I’d take a hint.
Connected worker technologies will deliver on their promise: “After years of hype, 2026 is when connected worker technologies prove their value on the factory floor. Wireless-enabled tools – especially mobile equipment – finally deliver on promises of improved safety, real-time asset tracking, and operational flexibility. Manufacturers are realizing they can modernize without extensive infrastructure overhauls.”
This is the one I expected from Verizon. We’ve been through the 5G hype. Not sure what wireless he’s promoting, but actually workers have had mobile tools for a decade. And, I expect to see evolving applications.
Increased importance of wireless tech as a sustainability achievement: “Beyond operational benefits, eliminating copper cabling and reducing network power consumption represents measurable environmental progress they can actually quantify. The math is compelling: a single cellular antenna can displace 3-10 Wi-Fi access points, significantly reducing energy needs across large facilities.”
Cellular in place of WiFi? The jury is still out.
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by Gary Mintchell | Nov 10, 2025 | Automation, Commentary, Networking, Technology, Wireless
This is the weirdest press release I’ve received in a while. It appears that Pepperl + Fuchs needed to remind people it is still in the game. The company hasn’t updated me in years. I’ve known it mostly as a sensor manufacturer. This update concerns mobile devices, a market that companies such as this have pursued. Almost no one talks about augmented reality these days aside from speculation that Apple may move that way following the tepid acceptance of its virtual reality headset.
The release is obviously a marketing piece, but it provides observations useful to us all.
Hazardous areas
The digitalization of processes in hazardous areas places high demands on explosion protection. All infrastructure components used in these areas must be intrinsically safe or explosion-proof and certified. The Pepperl+Fuchs Group, a pioneer in the field of mobile devices for hazardous areas, meets these requirements with a comprehensive portfolio of certified solutions, from smartphones, tablets, and HMI systems to intrinsically safe barriers and remote I/O systems to Ethernet APL technology and sensor technology in hazardous areas.
As promised, news about augmented reality. This part of the story discusses virtues of AR without mentioning any P+F products. AR does hold promise, especially when companies need to bring in new employees who, of course, will not have had extensive experience.
Augmented reality (AR) offers enormous potential at device level for digitalizing processes. With the help of this technology, information can be brought directly into the field of vision and display of employees in real time and presented in a spatially and context-sensitive manner.
AR therefore offers particularly great potential for complex tasks such as shutdown work, commissioning, or fault diagnosis in areas that are difficult to access. The technology is also ideal for training and qualifying new employees, for example in practical on-the-job training with AR-supported instructions or via remote support. In addition, AR overlays can be linked to digital twins of assets to simulate scenarios. This integration significantly improves the basis for decision-making, increases efficiency, and ensures safe plant operation.
P+F touts 5G technology for communications. I’ve written about the hope of 5G for a few years. Only in the past few months has there been a successful use case presented to me using many of the anticipated benefits.
In addition to the necessary bandwidth, 5G also provides the low latency required to transmit AR content in real time and integrate it seamlessly. On site, technicians receive context-sensitive instructions, overlay markings on components, and live data such as sensor values or histories directly in their field of vision. At the same time, they can request support or instructions from remote experts at any time, who can be easily connected.
This shifts maintenance processes more toward just-in-time assistance, reducing errors and increasing first-time fix rates. Planning is shifting organizationally toward data- and event-driven workflows, for example, when predictive maintenance alerts automatically trigger AR checklists. An integrative approach is crucial here. AR and 5G are not isolated solutions. They must be seamlessly connected to CMMS/ERP systems, asset digital twins, and role and rights models.
Android Apps
Customers also benefit from the fact that Pepperl+Fuchs mobile devices are part of the Android Enterprise Recommended (AER) program. This guarantees consistent, easy deployment and management of mobile solutions through hardware and operating system support, as well as guaranteed security and operating system updates. The Samsung Knox mobile security solution also ensures a high level of device and data security for companies.
Connected workers—highly networked into the future. Summary.
Intrinsically safe tablets and smartphones already serve as digital and networked hubs for connected workers. They enable authentication, collect sensor data, and bundle a wide variety of communication channels. They also allow for the seamless integration of mobile scanners, IoT gateways, or communication peripherals such as headsets. This makes them a central component for safe, efficient, and networked work processes in hazardous areas.
In the future, platforms for “digital shift operation” will emerge that digitally map handover protocols, know-how transfers, shift handovers, and shift KPIs, thus enabling comprehensive shift digitalization. Step by step, the connected worker is evolving into a highly networked, smart-supported employee who can access and respond to all relevant information, analysis tools, and expert knowledge securely and context-sensitively in real time at any time.
“As a pioneer, Pepperl+Fuchs is continuously working on developing intuitive solutions to optimally connect people in industrial environments, simplify work processes, and sustainably increase efficiency,” says Christopher Limbrunner, Team Lead Product Management of the Enterprise Mobility division at Pepperl+Fuchs. “In addition to providing the right hardware, we also support our customers in the holistic planning and implementation of the necessary infrastructure. They benefit from our many years of expertise and a global support and service network. This ensures that applications are not only compliant and reliable, but also efficient and future oriented.”
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by Gary Mintchell | Oct 7, 2025 | Edge, Networking, News
The post before this one looked at a survey done on usage of private 5G and edge networks. This news looks at a test bed in Switzerland to allow startups and nonprofits to try out a network without incurring infrastructure costs. Like most test beds, the work strives to encourage innovation within an ecosystem. This one focusing on energy, mobility, health, and manufacturing.
Nokia, together with Datwyler IT Infra, Intel, and the Switzerland Innovation Park Biel/Bienne (SIPBB), unveiled a pioneering hub for startups and nonprofits to accelerate industrial digitalization through advanced private 5G and AI-powered edge solutions. This initiative will drive breakthrough innovations in efficiency, safety, and sustainability across key industries such as health, mobility, energy, and manufacturing.
At SIPBB, innovators will have access to a full-scale deployment environment offering private 5G connectivity. The infrastructure includes Nokia Digital Automation Cloud (DAC) private wireless networks, MX Industrial Edge (MXIE), and future-ready applications such as Nokia MX Workmate, the industry’s first OT-compliant Gen AI solution for connected workers. These technologies, alongside Intel Xeon Scalable processors and edge AI capabilities, such as visual positioning and object detection, provide a real-world testbed open to nonprofit research and startup collaboration without the usual cost or deployment challenges.
The new trial site enables several industrial use cases, including predictive maintenance powered by real-time analytics to minimize downtime and material waste, push-to-talk and video communication tools to keep teams connected without on-site travel, and AI-enhanced safety monitoring to improve situational awareness and worker safety. Energy-efficient automation ensures consistent productivity with reduced environmental impact. Additionally, the site features natural human-machine interaction through Gen AI-driven digital assistants, allowing workers to communicate with machines using intuitive, conversational language.
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by Gary Mintchell | Oct 7, 2025 | Edge, Networking
Conflicting reports have come my way regarding how private wireless, especially 5G, have penetrated manufacturing sites and how useful they have been coordinating with edge devices. Nokia have release the results of a study completed with GlobalData. The study reveals surge of ROI and AI-enabled use cases with on-premise edge and private wireless.
In brief
- 87% of enterprises adopting private wireless and on-premise edge saw ROI in one year.
- 81% of enterprises found setup costs lower than other options and 86% reported reduced ongoing costs.
- 94% of industrial enterprises deployed edge with private wireless that support AI-driven applications in 70% of the cases.
- 94% of industries reduced carbon emissions—41% by over 20%—and 89% reported energy savings.
The report draws on insights from 115 industrial enterprises across manufacturing, energy, logistics, mining, and transportation in Australia, Germany, Japan, United Kingdom and United States.
David de Lancellotti, Vice President of Enterprise Campus Edge Sales at Nokia, says: “Nokia and Global Data’s latest research helps leaders build strong business cases for digitalization by showing how private wireless and on-premise edge not only reduce costs but also accelerate scalable transformation with measurable improvements in worker safety, productivity, security and environmental impact.”
AI’s potential in industrial settings hinges on access to high-quality, real-time data; 94% of industrial enterprises have deployed on-premise edge technology alongside private wireless. This combination enables secure, low-latency connectivity in complex environments and pervasive sensor coverage, even in hard-to-reach areas, supporting AI-driven use cases like predictive maintenance, real-time monitoring, and digital twins in 70% of surveyed enterprises.
BASF, a leading chemical company, deployed Nokia private wireless at its Antwerp facility to advance its digitalization strategy and enable reliable, high-performance connectivity across its six-square-kilometer premises. The private network supports AI- and sensor-driven use cases like real-time monitoring and predictive maintenance, enhances automation and efficiency, improves worker safety, and reduces environmental impact.
Steven Werbrouck, Expert Network Connectivity at BASF, says: Private 5G has been a game changer for BASF Antwerp. We’re unlocking automation, strengthening occupational safety, accelerating innovation, and meeting ROI targets in just two years. We have become a front-runner for the wider group with learnings that will deliver value at multiple BASF group locations.”
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