OT/IT convergence
There are many SCADA solutions devoted to automation (this is OT: operational technology), and lots of products from the world of information technology (IT) dedicated to IoT. Few of them, however, support native convergence of both worlds. Codra is proud to be a pioneer in this area, offering OT/IT convergence already built into its Panorama SCADA platform.
In practical terms, this is modeled through interoperability of the communications equipment both within the automation ecosystem itself, as well as between the enterprise information system and industrial information system. Interoperability also extends to the processing systems, the Panorama platform being both standalone and secure and also open to third-party applications. This approach allows you to establish a powerful digital backbone within your plants and across installations, capable of converging the best of OT and IT technologies within a single application.
The IoT component has been built into our SCADA platform at different levels. Firstly, through integration of the client & server MQTT protocol (known as an MQTT broker), and through integration of connectors directly linking to the cloud back offices of the main LPWAN network operators, based on SIGFOX and LoRaWAN technologies. We are also researching the integration of other technologies over the longer term. In the case of LoRaWAN technology, the LPWAN network can also be as a private network.
The native interconnections developed in the Panorama platform allow for administration of the objects (commissioning / decommissioning) as well as data processing and analysis. The data received (P-Load) can be plain text or encrypted. This enables local decoding of messages for greater security. In all scenarios, the data collected can be correlated and contextualized with the advanced analysis functions of an industrial SCADA tool.
This OT/IT convergence, achieved through the interoperability of platforms and communications equipment, allows companies to develop new services to increase their competitiveness and address new markets. In the industrial sector, it is now increasingly common to buy a utilization rate rather than the machine itself. The hyperconnectivity of the machine allows the designer to guarantee availability rates. These developments also have an impact on preventive maintenance. This shift of the economic model has already been introduced in the aerospace sector for certain aircraft engines. In the future, this “servicialization” may extend to vehicles of all types… and why not even to coffee machines?