Despite emerging benefits there remains an undeniable resistance to converging OT and IT. A recent Automation World article shared that the two departments, “not only operate in a very separate way, but sometimes even have conflicting approaches.” The solution is to ensure that leadership brings the benefits of such a merger to the forefront. The positive impact the convergence brings to both OT and IT is the great equalizer that unites two distinct organizational cultures.

At first glance, edge computing appears very homogeneous, and includes all activities that are performed outside of the “Core”, which could be the location of the primary corporate-wide IT (Information Technologies) infrastructure. In fact, edge computing is a multi-tiered mix of assets arranged in a use-case and workload centric fashion. CIOs and other IT leaders must prepare their wider organization and key stakeholders for the necessary steps to successfully deploy and manage an edge computing infrastructure. Firms that acknowledge edge computing as a long-term investment generally fall into these two categories. To learn what the two categories are read on.

For many industrial automation professionals, the cloud has come to represent the backbone of the IIoT. But, for enterprises to really make progress with their IIoT visions, they must begin to realize that the cloud is only one part of their IIoT universe.

There is one simple truth in computing—systems crash and so do hard drives. If not properly monitored, server rooms can overheat. The best hardware is not immune to problems.

Organizations are becoming more focused on the data than on the applications – further recognizing that data and analytics have great potential for unlocking business value. To learn what’s driving this shift, read the full article here.

Edge computing:  There’s no denying that this a hot topic right now – particularly in industrial environments.  Over the past year, we have seen edge clearly move from an emerging topic, to a more mainstream trend.  Analysts and media, alike, are increasingly commenting on the value edge computing can bring to businesses.

How IIoT can help reduce risk, as previously published in Food Quality & Safety by Jason Andersen. Knowing where to focus your IIoT efforts first and how it will pay off in the long run, manufacturers can make smart decisions when implementing the IIoT into existing processes. Read on to uncover the three main factors to consider.

There has been a lot of debate recently over the increasingly competitive and overlapping roles of operational technologists (OT) and information technologists (IT) within industrial automation.