Industrial data for seamless IT and OT convergence

By OEM Update Editorial September 1, 2021 7:17 pm IST

If you’re using new products, that should be accepted as the next evolution.

Ashok Shinde, explains about IT-OT convergence and how the products manufactured for different vertical support seamless integration and solution access and support to gateways.

Industrial data for seamless IT and OT convergence  

IT/OT convergence is the integration of the intelligent part of the company, the IT, with the operative part of the company,  so called OT. Red Lion products are used for seamless integration of IT & OT. In Red Lion product portfolio, we have Industrial  Networking, Industrial Automation & Edge Controlling products. In Industrial networking portfolio, we manufacture  Industrial Ethernet switches those are used in different verticals such as Oli & GAS, Manufacturing, Alternative Energy, Power  & Utilities, Transportation, Water & waste water. Our monitored switches are part of unmanaged switch, but using with NView software it gives options of switch data monitoring. Our fully managed switches are used in mission critical application  in which security, environmental features are the preference. In industrial networking, we do have cellular M2M product  which are used for remote connectivity. Red Lion’s NT4008 8-port Gigabit Managed Industrial Ethernet switches are certified  to meet PROFINET PNIO v2.34 conformance class B (CC-B), RT Class 1 standards to ensure seamless integration into PROFINET  networks using standard PLC configuration and management tools.  

In Industrial Automation portfolio, we have data acquisition products to use in Automation application. Our data acquisition  product are used in IIoT applications. Red Lion product supports with high temperature, shock & vibration to withstand in  critical application. Panel meters are used for connecting, converting field signals & accessing those remotely.  

Access of IT to OT data challenges  

While Integrating IT & OT, we observed some challenges. Such as synchronising data at both OT level and IT level that will  help company in order to work efficiently. The IT-OT divide is the challenge of managing industrial assets and their  operational uptime with the infrastructure and teams required to keep the systems operating smoothly. The divide comes  from a variety of different areas, but ultimately it is rooted with a set policy. For example, hopefully, we can recognise that  our automation engineer can own, deploy, operate and maintain the PLC on the factory floor. However, as these devices are  now connected to industrial Ethernet networks, the struggle for who owns the PLC, the hardware or software configuration  is becoming unclear this concept of connecting more assets and moving data is what is blurring the line between asset  owners.  

If we look at the OT/IT divide another way, we can break down responsibilities of each department. While the overall goal  of both departments may be to keep the company producing goods, each team has very different approaches to achieving  that, IT is typically responsible for security, accessibility, network reliability and scalability. Whereas, OT is in charge of  production uptime, throughput, efficiency, quality and safety. As we continue to connect more automation equipment, the  line of who is responsible will continue to be moving. One team is responsible for the hardware and other responsible for  how it is configured, how the accountability is established. The next challenge is production architecture transition. The  equipment’s we use currently should evolve with the next technologies. Current equipment should be capable to use future  technologies. These are the certain challenges what we observed in most of the verticals.  

The production architecture is changing from Pyramid to an agent based control architecture. In Pyramid type architecture  devices are connected to the nearest upper level. There is no option to communicate from bottom level to directly with top  level. It has to follow the level steps. But as per the current architecture of agent based, input signal can now communicate  directly with the ERP, Cloud, and SCADA etc.  

Red Lion hardware with Crimson® solution supports to connect all different levels of the architecture. It connects to the  input-output signals because of the onboard I/O connectivity. It also connects to various devices as it has got 300 different  protocols for connecting end devices including various PLC. It helps as one solution for connecting different levels. Red Lion  Products in data acquisition are used for harsh environment application. Crimson® is configuration software used with  automation product, supports GUI base configuration. In Multi-protocol conversion, single device gets connected with 20  simultaneous conversions. Also, with the new technology of IoT, the data is now ready to send directly at cloud systems.  

Red Lion’s FlexEdge™ Intelligent Edge Automation Platform brings industrial data together as never before to transform  edge computing. FlexEdge™ provides a scalable solution to integrate complex multi-vendor environments into digital  transformation strategies, while providing a futureproof solution for changing application needs. Avoid costly and complex  rip-and-replace scenarios by leveraging the FlexEdge sled architecture, designed to enable organizations to leverage new  communications technologies as they become available. With advanced networking capabilities at the core, providing  powerful and secure networking to any industrial application is easy. Powered by Crimson® 3.2, FlexEdge™ enables  connectivity to virtually anything in your system with point-and-click simplicity. And the new equipment working with the  existing infrastructure means capital budgets are kept in check. Select the right FlexEdge™ software functionality for the  application. Select from Networking Gateway, Protocol Gateway, Advanced IIoT Gateway, or an Automation Controller  with IEC 61131 capabilities. If the application changes, simply upgrade the gateway to meet the applications requirements,  it’s that easy. Reduce or eliminate costly equipment changes as simply as pushing new software.  

The DA50A features one communication sled, and on-board I/O. A variety of serial and Ethernet ports enable easy  integration to any application. The modular design of the DA70A allows for up to three communications sleds to be added as requirements change or new communication standards emerge. Rugged, field-installable PID control and I/O modules  ensure a solution that adapts to meet almost any industrial application need.

For more info, visit: https://www.redlion.net/