In an Industrie 4.0 and IoT world, Ethernet is making inroads into process manufacturing. Specialized gateways simplify the transition and can create consistent, rapid and secure flow of information in both a horizontal and vertical direction. Performance is boosted and operators become significantly more flexible.

In the consumer world, cloud technology is everywhere. Without giving it a second thought, we commonly use the cloud to share pictures, back up files, or binge-watch the latest Netflix series. But when it comes to manufacturing, people can be more hesitant to take advantage of the cloud.

Edge computing can solve network latency challenges and enable companies to take advantage of opportunities leveraging a cloud computing architecture closer to the data. A key advantage is computing power and storage directly on the edge of the network to lower transport time and improve availability.

IoT gateways can tap the wealth of data constantly generated on the plant floor and the key to pulling legacy machinery into the digital, Industry 4.0 age. With planning to identify necessary and relevant data streams, it’s a tool for connecting OT equipment to IT business systems.

With IIoT applications collecting and processing vast amounts of data, deploying processed data to the cloud securely and efficiently is a key aspect of system performance. But fortunately, new software tools are providing seamless, cost-effective ways to store operational data using an OT, IT, or hybrid cloud.