How the IIoT Cloud Is Shaping the Future of the Manufacturing Industry

Article 3 on gradually increasing the level of digital maturity using the IIot maturity model

IT structures and the benefits of the cloud and centralized systems have become indispensable in everyday office life. In manufacturing, however, it is clear that connections between machines and systems and an IT network or the cloud are patchy. The use of a cloud enables the central management of software updates and machine control for optimized production as well as an increase in productivity through location-independent data access. Taking into account the necessary cyber security, this is a significant step towards digitalization and increasing connectivity.

Machine manufacturers who decide to digitize their operational technology are faced with the major challenge of approaching the topic in the right strategic way. In the previous blog post, the necessary prerequisite of machine connection to an existing IT infrastructure was explained. In this article, we would first like to present the fundamental added value of implementing this networking and then point out the need for a security architecture in the cloud. There are two key aspects:

Understanding the cloud as the central administration of the IT structure is essential. This includes all connected machines. A central point for managing the software offers a significant advantage. It becomes obsolete to interact with each machine in production to install software updates, for example. As each machine is connected via the cloud, any updates, reconfigurations, or even maintenance of the IT structure can be carried out across the board and from any location. Physical visits by a technician become obsolete; they can gain access to the machines more easily via the cloud. Another advantage of centralized access to the machines is that the data collected from the (individual) machines can be accessed directly. Dashboards and application programs make it possible to visualize and map this data remotely from the actual machine in near real-time, which helps to make better data-based decisions.

In the past, production and machines were separated by industrial communication protocols and separate networks. Using machine data creates a connection from the machine to the cloud. Due to the enormous and sensitive amount of data, the second key aspect is cyber security to minimize risks and avoid data leaks. The focus is checking the identities that want to access the network and protecting against unauthorized access. The authenticated management of software and ensuring security and suitable data encryption measures are crucial here. Accordingly, robust security control ensures the integrity of the data and creates confidentiality. Role assignments are particularly important here.

Our IEC 62443-2-certified partner, TTTech, fulfills all the essential criteria for a basic security structure when connecting machines to the Industrial Cloud with its software platform, Nerve. Vulnerability management is also of crucial importance within cloud security. With suitable measures such as breach detection, it permanently ensures data security so that anomalies are detected and suspicious activities in the cloud networks do not go unnoticed. The Industrial Cloud solution is central to a company-wide IT and OT infrastructure, primarily due to its connectivity properties. This feature makes an immediate response in an emergency critical to resume normal operations as quickly as possible. At the same time, an appropriate response to security incidents should not be neglected. This type of security architecture offers Arvato Systems, including the software solution Varedy software solution. The solution helps consolidate and evaluate data from various sources to identify vulnerabilities and initiate a response quickly. A synergetic security concept allows for establishing an even higher security standard for the IIoT cloud in the manufacturing company.

Overall, connectivity via the cloud offers immense benefits for the manufacturing industry. Through central administration, regular software updates, and location-independent access to data, companies can optimize their production processes and machine connectivity. This, combined with state-of-the-art cyber security within the cloud structures, offers companies valuable relief on their digitalization journey.

The following blog post deals with the next phase of the IIoT maturity model. It's about the correct handling of the enormous amount of data generated and how a strong software backbone can help increase the company's efficiencyCompanies can optimize their production processes and machine connectivity through central administration, regular software updates, and location-independent access to data.