by Gary Mintchell | Sep 28, 2023 | Data Management, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Software
Unified Namespace architectures are the hot IT item right now. HighByte, a pioneer in industrial dataops, now includes support for this technology.
HighByte, an industrial software company, announced the release of HighByte Intelligence Hub version 3.2 that fully supports Unified Namespace (UNS) architectures and expands data pipelines capabilities, providing a complete data engineering platform to the industrial market. Pipelines are further integrated into the core of the Intelligence Hub and enhanced to provide highly configurable, complex, and sequenced data processing.
Pipelines in the Intelligence Hub can now seamlessly interface with complex systems hosting transactional and historical data and sequence dependent transactions with MES and ERP systems. This sequencing, along with new compression capabilities, can tackle “ETL” use cases, such as backfilling historical data from timeseries databases to the cloud. Pipelines can also now maintain state from one run to the next. This is ideal for capturing long-running, conditional events used for tracking machine status and production.
Version 3.2 also includes a new UNS Client that provides visualization of the UNS, allowing users to view the contents of any MQTT broker. HighByte Intelligence Hub users can now see the results of their MQTT-based Industrial DataOps workloads in a single, unified engineering environment, negating the need for external testing clients.
The Intelligence Hub now provides a complete UNS infrastructure solution with an integrated data engineering platform, embedded MQTT broker, and visual client. Oriented for interoperability and architectural flexibility, the Intelligence Hub can serve as an organization’s sole UNS infrastructure or as a complementary solution among other third-party UNS components. Other features in version 3.2 include a new SQLite connector, enhanced store-and-forward capabilities, and improvements to many existing connectors, including AWS IoT SiteWise, Sparkplug, and PI System.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 25, 2023 | Manufacturing IT, News, Organizations
Ecosystem adds SafetyChain, SiteSync, and Snowflake join the Ignition Ecosystem
From the first time I met the founder of Inductive Automation some 20 years ago, he talked about a different way of doing business. Part of it was building IT-friendly databases and tools. Another part was the way to interact with customers including the pricing model and innovative support tools. The team quickly also implemented the idea of community. I leave tomorrow for the Ignition Community Conference in Folsom (if you are there, stop me and say hi). They emphasize the reality of community.
Inductive Automation has added three companies to its Alliance Partner Program. SafetyChain, SiteSync, and Snowflake all add unique services that support the Ignition Ecosystem. I’m looking forward to learning more tomorrow and Wednesday.
SafetyChain
This cloud-based software is a first-of-its-kind digital plant management platform with fully integrated tools for production, safety and quality, maintenance, and supplier compliance. From receiving to load-out, SafetyChain is trusted by over 2,000 facilities as their complete solution to improve performance by easily capturing, managing, and analyzing critical operations and continuous improvement data in real-time from anywhere.
“Inductive Automation is a true pioneer in empowering manufacturers’ digital transformation journey. Sharing this vision, SafetyChain is proud to have been selected as an Alliance Partner. Together, we add value by combining Ignition-collected data with mobile-collected data to empower frontline workers in real time. Our combined solutions leverage data to dramatically impact a manufacturer’s bottom line by significantly improving performance in key areas such as uptime, throughput, yield, and labor,” says Barry Maxon, CEO & co-founder of SafetyChain Software.
SiteSync
SiteSync leverages the latest sensor connectivity technology, including LoRaWAN, LTE, and more, to allow industrial users to bring stranded assets and manual measurements into a central source of truth for data visualization, alarming, and advanced AI analysis. SiteSync enables field users to deploy IIoT sensors with the same ease of commercial IoT systems via pre-configured devices and QR codes to commission devices.
The SiteSync Ignition Module provides field technicians, OT, and IT team members, with tools that make deploying IIoT easy across the organization. SiteSync’s UDT library creates normalized and decoded sensor data in Ignition, ready to be consumed by upstream data users.
“We believe Inductive Automation provides an unparalleled platform for deploying IIoT at scale. SiteSync is looking forward to helping the Ignition community bring the ease of Home Automation to the Industrial space through our partnership and the SiteSync LoRaWAN module. Our goal is to enable Ignition users and integrators to easily bring new IIoT technologies to their end users and help guide them in finding additional ROI for their Ignition projects,” says Michael Brauer, Vice President, SiteSync.
Snowflake
From the beginning, Ignition was designed to fully leverage databases and make it easy for users to connect to any database so they can store and query industrial and enterprise data. Ignition was one of the first organizations to unlock the power of SQL databases for industrial applications and is now among the first to integrate with Snowflake’s single, integrated platform.
The Snowflake Manufacturing Data Cloud is a fully managed, reliable, cloud-based data platform. It uses a multi-cluster shared data architecture to eliminate data silos and empower manufacturers to scale their data easily by leveraging the nearly infinite resources of the cloud to build a data foundation for their business, improve supply chain performance, and power smart manufacturing initiatives in today’s digital-industrial world.
With Snowflake, Ignition users can enjoy the benefits of elastic data storage offered by the cloud and leverage easy-to-use SQL, Python, Java, and Scala databases. Snowflake is a great complement to on-premise Ignition systems. Industrial data can be published using MQTT Sparkplug, and that data is stored automatically – along with its context – in the Snowflake Manufacturing Data Cloud using Cirrus Link’s new IoT Bridge for Snowflake, no coding required. Once the data is in the cloud, users can easily query it back into Ignition through Snowflake’s JDBC driver to use the data to generate reports, perform advanced analytics, and build and deploy applications.
Travis Cox, Inductive Automation’s Chief Technology Evangelist, is excited to see how the Ignition user community will benefit from using Snowflake and Ignition together. “The amount of industrial data organizations have to manage is increasing. Together, Ignition and Snowflake truly allows manufacturing and industrial organizations to scale and use data more effectively. I am excited to see the innovations that come out of storing industrial data in a SQL database with context!”
Inductive Automation’s Alliance Partner Program showcases a select group of technology companies which provide valuable products and services that complement Ignition. Partners involved with the Alliance Partner Program will work closely with Inductive Automation’s Industry & Education Engagement team to specifically discuss co-marketing opportunities.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 21, 2023 | Edge, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Security
Paul Simon wrote that it’s all happening at the zoo. Today, it’s all happening at the edge. ATT Cybersecurity has released its 2023 AT&T Cybersecurity Insights Report: Edge Ecosystem focusing on manufacturing companies worldwide. It explains how edge computing is changing manufacturing to solve operational issues and reduce costs. This report reveals what your peers are planning and doing to embrace edge computing.
The lead and author of the report, Head of Cybersecurity Evangelism at AT&T Business Theresa Lanowitz, states, “In the past, IT typically made technology decisions based on business and computing requirements they understood. Thanks to ongoing advances in computing, things are changing.”
She contends Edge computing is a transformative technology that brings together various stakeholders and aligns their interests to drive integrated business outcomes. The emergence of edge computing has been fueled by a generation of visionaries who grew up in the era of smartphones and limitless possibilities. In this paradigm, the role of IT has shifted from being the sole leader to a collaborative partner in delivering innovative edge computing solutions. In addition, we found that leaders in manufacturing are budgeting differently for edge use cases. These two things, along with an expanded approach to securing edge computing, were prioritized by the respondents in the 2023 AT&T Cybersecurity Insights Report: Edge Ecosystem.
Topline research findings
In 2023, the manufacturing respondents’ primary edge use case is smart warehousing, which involves deploying computing resources close to or on the warehouse floor. The enhanced productivity of warehouse employees, flexible logistics, and better optimization of warehouse space are some benefits of edge computing. This represents a shift from the primary use case in the 2022 AT&T Cybersecurity Insights Report: Securing the Edge, which focused on video-based quality inspection as the primary manufacturing edge computing use case.
Press releases concerning warehousing and logistics up and downstream constituted the majority of my inbox for the past few years. Looks like this is reflected in the research.
As manufacturing has evolved, the need for efficiency and speed is focused on moving goods out of warehouses and onto the next stop of either consumption or integration. The rising cost of labor and customer expectations for next-day or same-day deliveries drive the need for greater investments in rapidly understanding which products are most likely needed to fulfill a sales pipeline or supply chain.
This is AT&T Cybersecurity, after all, so it cites following cybersecurity challenges with the edge:
- Potentially more vulnerable data – especially when such devices are at risk of being stolen, lost or damaged.
- Legacy 4G threats, when the increased use of sensors and cameras on a production line can benefit from 5G capabilities and its enhanced encryption.
- Concerns regarding regulatory compliance, specifically when personally identifiable information (PII) is being transferred from the edge site to a different location.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 19, 2023 | Enterprise IT, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Security
- State-affiliated Groups Responsible for nearly 60%
- 60% of incidents result in operational disruption, driving the need for proactive OT defenses and incident response
The topics of this time are Cybersecurity, Sustainability, and Workforce with the impact of AI playing on all three. This news from Rockwell Automation focuses on Cybersecurity. It has released a report on an in-depth study of the topic by Cyentia Institute. The report is comprehensive deserving of a thorough read.
Rockwell Automation announced the findings of its report “Anatomy of 100+ Cybersecurity Incidents in Industrial Operations.” The global study conducted by Cyentia Institute analyzed 122 cybersecurity events that included a direct compromise of operational technology (OT) and/or industrial control system (ICS) operations, collecting and reviewing nearly 100 data points for each incident.
Don’t think you are immune from global politics. Unfortunately.
The first edition of the report finds nearly 60% of cyberattacks against the industrial sector are led by state-affiliated actors and often unintentionally enabled by internal personnel (about 33% of the time). This corroborates other industry research showing OT/ICS security incidents are increasing in volume and frequency, and are targeting critical infrastructure, such as energy producers.
“Energy, critical manufacturing, water treatment and nuclear facilities are among the types of critical infrastructure industries under attack in the majority of reported incidents,” said Mark Cristiano, commercial director of Global Cybersecurity Services at Rockwell Automation. “Anticipating that stricter regulations and standards for reporting cybersecurity attacks will become commonplace, the market can expect to gain invaluable insights regarding the nature and severity of attacks and the defenses necessary to prevent them in the future.”
- OT/ICS cybersecurity incidents in the last three years have already exceeded the total number reported between 1991-2000.
- Threat actors are most intensely focused on the energy sector (39% of attacks) – over three times more than the next most frequently attacked verticals, critical manufacturing (11%) and transportation (10%).
- Phishing remains the most popular attack technique (34%), underscoring the importance of cybersecurity tactics such as segmentation, air gapping, Zero Trust and security awareness training to mitigate risks.
- In more than half of OT/ICS incidents, Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are targeted (53%), with Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) as the next-most-common target (22%).
- More than 80% of threat actors come from outside organizations, yet insiders play an unintentional role in opening the door for threat actors in approximately one-third of incidents.
In the OT/ICS incidents studied, 60% resulted in operational disruption and 40% resulted in unauthorized access or data exposure. However, the damage of cyberattacks extends beyond the impacted enterprise, as broader supply chains were also impacted 65% of the time.
The research indicates strengthening the security of IT systems is crucial to combatting cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and manufacturing facilities. More than 80% of the OT/ICS incidents analyzed started with an IT system compromise, attributed to increasing interconnectivity across IT and OT systems and applications. The IT network enables communication between OT networks and the outside world and acts as an entryway for OT threat actors. Deploying proper network architecture is critical to strengthening an organization’s cybersecurity defenses. It is no longer enough to simply implement a firewall between IT and OT environments. Because networks and devices are connected daily into OT/ICS environments, this exposes equipment in most industrial environments to sophisticated adversaries. Having a strong, modern OT/ICS security program must be a part of every industrial organization’s responsibility to maintain safe, secure operations and availability.
Methodology
For this report, Rockwell Automation commissioned the Cyentia Institute to analyze data from 122 cybersecurity events across the globe, which occurred from 1982-2022. The Cyentia Institute’s team collected and analyzed nearly 100 data points surrounding individual incidents involving the direct compromise or disruption of OT/ICS systems. The resulting report was developed to share instructive insights about actual OT/ICS cybersecurity attack activity.
The Cyentia Institute is a research and data science firm dedicated to the mission of advancing knowledge in the cybersecurity industry. We accomplish this by partnering with a variety of organizations to perform comprehensive data analysis and publish high-quality, data-driven research.
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 11, 2023 | Data Management, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management
Companies are trying several different strategies to assemble a coalition or collaboration in pursuit of building market momentum. Many of these niche software categories are interesting. My wonder is whether the end game is the typical one among technology startups these day—eventual acquisition. Sometimes these work out and sometimes they don’t. But Zededa (I don’t like the all caps marketing ploy) does have some interesting technology. Here is its latest strategy.
- Zededa Certified Edge Computing Associate (ZCEA) is a free, vendor-agnostic certification providing fundamental knowledge of the benefits and solutions of edge computing
- ZECA is the latest addition to the Zededa Certification Program and part of Zededa Edge Academy, the industry’s first online educational hub
- Edge computing is expected to be a cornerstone of ongoing digital transformation projects within all types of organizations
The Zededa Certified Edge Computing Associate (ZCEA) certification is available to anyone interested in learning more about the fundamentals of the edge computing industry. The course is free and vendor-agnostic, and the certificate can be shared on resumes, online profiles and job boards.
“As a leader in the industry, ZEDEDA is well-positioned to educate people in the value, challenges, and key industries poised to benefit,” said Kevin Freitas, Senior Director, Learning and Edge Academy. “We’re excited to launch this new certification to share edge computing essential knowledge as this aligns perfectly with our commitment to being leaders in the Edge Management and Orchestration market.”
by Gary Mintchell | Sep 8, 2023 | Cloud, Manufacturing IT, Operations Management, Software
Pay-As-You-Go Solution Provides a Simpler Way to Leverage More Cloud Capabilities
Inductive Automation recently moved its flagship Ignition software to the cloud. Now it’s available on the Microsoft Azure Marketplace on a pay-as-you-go plan.
Ignition Cloud Edition works together with the standard Ignition platform and Ignition Edge, creating a fully integrated and scalable system that connects people, processes, and programs for true digital transformation.
“Ignition Cloud Edition on Azure combines the vast power of the Ignition platform with Azure’s extensive cloud computing services. Adding this listing to Azure’s marketplace provides an additional avenue for access, bringing additional flexibility to architectures and opening up even more possibilities for innovation,” says Kevin McClusky, Chief Technology Architect, Inductive Automation.
Ignition Cloud Edition comes packaged with Ignition Core Modules: Perspective, Reporting, SQL Bridge, OPC UA, Enterprise Administration Module (EAM), Tag Historian, and Alarm Notification. It also includes the Web Development, Twilio Notification, and Voice Notification modules, as well as the MQTT Engine, MQTT Distributor, MQTT Transmission modules from Cirrus Link Solutions. A cloud connector module called the MongoDB Module is also included, and Cloud Edition users will get new cloud connector modules as they become available.
Ignition Cloud Edition’s pay-as-you-go purchasing model opens up budget options, allowing companies to use part of their operating expenditure budget allotted for cloud services instead of capital expenditures. It is important to note that Cloud Edition is not SaaS, and users are responsible for configuration, backup, and upgrades of the software. Cloud Edition is backed by TotalCare Support, which includes unlimited phone and web support, upgrade protection, discounts on training courses, and more.
