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Skkynet Technology Featured in IEEE Paper and Presentation

The feasibility and value of cloud-based data communications for power generation smart grid testbeds presented at IEEE General Meeting.

Mississauga, Ontario, July 19, 2016 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, announces that its SkkyHub™  technology supported research leading to a published paper presented at the IEEE Power and Energy Society General Meeting in Boston yesterday. The paper, “Cloud Communication for Remote Access Smart Grid Testbeds” by Mehmet H. Cintuglu and Osama A. Mohammed of Florida International University, concludes that “cloud communication can be successfully implemented for actual smart grid power systems test beds.”

“We are pleased that the IEEE has accepted this paper for publication,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “This is a significant milestone in demonstrating the value of cloud-based, real-time data connectivity for industrial and infrastructure applications.”

The object of the research was to determine the effectiveness of cloud-based communication for integrating data coming from diverse, heterogeneous electrical system testbeds.  These testbeds allow students and researchers to quickly test and verify innovations and proof-of-concept systems. While networked testbeds are useful for testing large deployments of smart devices, traditional WAN approaches are costly.  “In cloud based systems operational costs are significantly reduced compared to dedicated high bandwidth wide area links which was previously a pre-requisite for creating successful networking test beds,” the paper states.

The cloud communications technology used for the research was Skkynet’s SkkyHub service, which the paper describes as “a SaaS platform providing secure end-to-end networking for smart grid devices such as IEDs and PMUs,” which can be “implemented on virtually any new or existing system at a low cost capital and provides a web-based human-machine-interface (HMI) for remote access and supervisory control.”

The SkkyHub service allows industrial and embedded systems to securely network live data in real time from any location. It enables bidirectional supervisory control, integration and sharing of data with multiple users, and real-time access to selected data sets in a web browser. The service is capable of handling over 50,000 data changes per second per client, at speeds of just microseconds over Internet latency. Secure by design, it requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware.

About Skkynet

Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: SKKY) is a global leader in real-time cloud information systems. The Skkynet Connected Systems platform includes the award-winning SkkyHub™ service, DataHub®, WebView™, and Embedded Toolkit (ETK) software. The platform enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required. Skkynet’s platform is uniquely positioned for the “Internet of Things” and “Industry 4.0” because unlike the traditional approach for networked systems, SkkyHub is secure-by-design. Customers include Microsoft, Caterpillar, Siemens, Metso, ABB, Honeywell, IBM, GE, BP, Goodyear, BASF, E·ON, Bombardier and the Bank of Canada. For more information, see http://skkynet.com.

Safe Harbor

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, such as the inherent uncertainties associated with new business opportunities and development stage companies.  Skkynet assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Although Skkynet believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in Skkynet’s annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Skkynet and Partners to Host Seminar: “Technology and Business for the IoT Era”

Industry leader seminar to share best practices for translating the vison of Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 into practical reality.

Mississauga, Ontario, June 7, 2016 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, working with partners of the ThunderCloud Alliance, will host a seminar “Technology and Business for the IoT Era” at the UDX Conference Center in Tokyo, Japan, on June 9, 2016.  Leaders from academia, research, data communications, and embedded device manufacturing will collaborate on cutting-edge technologies and business practices that will allow corporations to extract maximum value from the IoT (Internet of Things).

“Each of our partners in the ThunderCloud Alliance plays a key role in the development of IoT architecture and technology,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “This seminar is an opportunity for us to develop and share a collective approach to realizing some of the outstanding opportunities that the IoT promises.”

Executives, academics, and experts from organizations including Nagoya Institute of Technology, Kaspersky Labs, Red Lion Controls, Inc., OPC Foundation, TOA Musendenki Co., Ltd, BellChild Co., Ltd, Nissin Systems, Co., and Puerto Co. Ltd. will be leading discussions focused on IoT security, innovation, interoperability, and business models. Each party has been actively involved in developing the architecture and technology to support industrial IoT applications, and can point to real-world examples of their success.

The ThunderCloud Alliance, West was formed by Skkynet in December 2013 to provide a turn-key, real-time sensor-to-cloud service for the industrial M2M (Machine to Machine) market. Working in close association with TOA Musendenki, Nissin Systems, BellChild, NiC, KOBATA Gauge, Puerto, Haneron and Direx, Skkynet’s role is to furnish the real-time data connectivity technology necessary to make cloud-based M2M communication and the Industrial IoT a reality.

About Skkynet

Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (OTCQB: SKKY) is a global leader in real-time cloud information systems. The Skkynet Connected Systems platform includes the award-winning SkkyHub™ service, DataHub®, WebView™, and Embedded Toolkit (ETK) software. The platform enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required. Skkynet’s platform is uniquely positioned for the “Internet of Things” and “Industry 4.0” because unlike the traditional approach for networked systems, SkkyHub is secure-by-design. Customers include Microsoft, Caterpillar, Siemens, Metso, ABB, Honeywell, IBM, GE, BP, Goodyear, BASF, E·ON, Bombardier and the Bank of Canada. For more information, see http://skkynet.com.

Safe Harbor

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, such as the inherent uncertainties associated with new business opportunities and development stage companies.  Skkynet assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Although Skkynet believes that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in Skkynet’s annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Focusing on the Edge of the Industrial IoT

There is more life on the edge.  People who live on the edge take risks, dream big, and claim to get the best view.  “Edge effects” in ecology can lead to greater biodiversity.  Leading edge technologies promise more of everything–more power, more functionality, more value.  Now, as the conversation around cloud computing and the Industrial IoT expands, we are beginning to hear more about the edge.

Previously we looked at fog computing, where off-cloud computing power is installed on a cloud-connected device to reduce bandwidth and conserve cloud resources.  But that’s just part of the picture, according to Harry Forbes, at the ARC Advisory Group.  The edge of the IoT, he says, is not a single thing, but rather an area between the device and the transport to the cloud that can vary widely according to application requirements.

In a recent blog, “The Evolution of the IIoT Edge“, Forbes identifies at least five different aspects, or “classes of edge.”  Here is a brief summary:

Intermittent Connection – A significant number of devices and applications don’t need a full-time connection to the IoT.  A level sensor in a tank making a cellular connection to the cloud may need to send its data only a few times per day.

Data Historian – Sophisticated data users often log real-time data from multiple devices to a single, on-site historian.  By connecting this historian to the IoT, the data can be sent intermittently to Big Data tools for processing and analysis.  The edge application in this case combines consolidation and intermittent connection.

IIoT Gateway – This is a dedicated device that consolidates data from a number of locally-connected devices, and provides a connection to the IoT. Forbes points out that the value of this kind of device is that it can be provided and maintained by a 3rd party, and improved and updated as the service evolves.

Fog – An approach to cloud computing where some amount of intelligent processing is done at the device level, before the data gets sent to the cloud.  This could include message throttling, conditional logic, and even simple control.  We discussed this approach here.

On-premise cloud – For larger users like telecom services, localized cloud computing can be installed at the edge of the cloud to do what is essentially fog computing, but on a much larger scale.

As with the Industrial IoT itself, the vision and reality of what is happening at the edge is continually evolving.  Forbes says, “Five years ago the idea of deploying a (on-premise) cloud at the base of every cell tower would be considered madness. Five years hence it may well be the norm.”

Case Study: TESS Engineering, Japan

Remote Monitoring for Boiler Systems

A hot topic in Japan right now is energy production, use, and conservation, with a renewed concern for the environment. Industrial and commercial users are looking seriously at implementing alternative energy systems, and making the best use of their resources.

One company that has built a solid reputation in this arena is TESS Engineering, in Osaka. TESS provides installation and remote monitoring for solar generation systems, co-generation systems, boilers and other equipment. They are always looking for new ways to save energy, reduce costs, and preserve the environment.

TESS logo

A major challenge facing TESS has been monitoring and maintaining boiler systems for large, decentralized companies. Site visits are expensive, particularly at remote, out of the way locations. Each visit requires shutting down the boiler, taking readings of up to 500 data points, and then restarting. This approach can lead to inaccuracies, since in a rapidly-changing system environment the data may be out of date even by the time the engineer returns to the home office.

For some time TESS had considered remote monitoring via the Internet, but there were drawbacks. “Some of our client’s remote locations don’t have Internet access,” said Mr. Kinya Oji, General Manager at TESS, “and for those that do, creating a process visualization system would require a significant development effort over a long period of time. If we were going to make such an investment, we wanted a complete solution.”

Nissin Systems logo

Through Cogent’s partner in Japan, Nissin Systems Co. Ltd., TESS learned about the Cogent DataHub®, as well as a new service that Cogent has started offering on a limited basis in Japan: remote, real-time data access through cloud computing. Engineers at TESS determined that this approach might be sufficiently flexible to meet their needs, and easy enough to implement that they would not need to embark on a lengthy development project. So, TESS assigned an engineering team to investigate.

Working closely with Nissin Systems, the TESS engineering team began by creating serial I/F links between each boiler and a number of device servers (typically 10 or so), and then brought all that data to a gateway device. In locations where the gateway device had access to the company LAN, it was then connected to a DataHub on the LAN. In locations too remote to connect to the company LAN, the gateway device was connected to a 3G phone network. In both cases, the data was sent from the gateway device―via LAN or 3G―to a DataHub running on a cloud server.

“When everything got connected, we were able to aggregate all the information coming from each boiler, and access that data in real time from the DataHub running on the cloud server,” said Mr. Oji. “The next and most important part of this system was an HMI. We needed something simple and intuitive for operators to use, without investing a lot in development costs. Using WebView™ we were able to create a user-friendly monitoring system in reasonable time, and not too much effort.”

Case Study - Tess Engineering, Japan

The complete, functioning system not only provides web-based access to data from every boiler in the system, but TESS is realizing additional benefits from a fully integrated middleware solution. Live and archived data is currently being used for analyzing boiler performance, keeping regular records of operations, and for sending out alarms and emails to operators and managers.

“We can view our historical data trends graphically in WebView,” said Mr. Oji, “while at the same time using the DataHub’s Data Logging and Historian features to connect databases and store the data. During monitoring, if any abnormal conditions occur, we can generate alarms and send out emails. We also use the DDE feature to automatically generate spreadsheets for our daily, monthly, and annual reports.”

“By networking through the cloud, we have been able to establish an effective method by which the customer can monitor the changing states of all of their boilers, in real time. Now the company operators and managers can respond quickly to boiler conditions at individual sites.”

“Our customer was very satisfied by this solution. They can now operate their system efficiently and safely, and plan to install this system in more than 100 more boiler sites in the near future. Here at TESS, we are looking forward to using the DataHub and WebView to develop this kind of solution for other customers.”

Skkynet to Showcase Complete Industrial IoT Solution for Top Manufacturing Executives

Manufacturing and control system executives to receive hands-on demos of Skkynet’s IoT technology.

Mississauga, Ontario, March 30, 2016 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB:SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, will present and demonstrate its fully integrated SkkyHub™ service, DataHub® industrial middleware, and Skkynet ETK at the North American Manufacturing Excellence Summit (NAMES) on April 5-6 in Chicago, and at the Control System Integrators Association (CSIA) 2015 Executive Conference on April 19-22 in Puerto Rico.

“The top decision-makers and leaders in manufacturing and industrial automation attending these events are looking for ways to gain a competitive edge,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “What they will find in our demos is an end-to-end solution that they can connect to new or existing systems, and immediately start reaping the benefits of the Industrial IoT (Internet of Things).”

Each of these conferences brings together executives in leading manufacturing and system integration firms, as well as plant managers and supply chain leaders.  At the NAMES summit, managers and leaders from GE and John Deere will be discussing the Industrial IoT, and how it offers a competitive edge for manufacturers.  At the CSIA event, presidents and managers of system integration companies will meet to pool their experience and catch up on the latest methods and technologies for industrial automation and control.

Skkynet’s contribution to these gatherings is to demonstrate the complete solution offered by using the DataHub with in-plant systems and the Skkynet ETK with embedded devices to connect to the SkkyHub service.  This approach to the Industrial IoT offers a secure, robust, end-to-end solution for remote monitoring and supervisory process control.  The integration of both in-plant and field device connections allows plant engineers and system integrators to bridge the gap between industrial control systems and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Skkynet’s SkkyHub service allows industrial and embedded systems to securely network live data in real time from any location. It enables bidirectional supervisory control, integration and sharing of data with multiple users, and real-time access to selected data sets in a web browser. The service is capable of handling over 50,000 data changes per second per client, at speeds of just microseconds over Internet latency. Secure by design, it requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware.

Skkynet’s Cogent DataHub industrial middleware solution connects to virtually any industrial system using standard protocols such as OPC, Modbus, TCP, and ODBC to support OPC networking, server-server bridging, aggregation, data logging, redundancy, and web-based HMI. The Skkynet Embedded Toolkit (ETK) allows embedded devices to make a secure connection to the Internet of Things, enabling real-time, bidirectional data flow and edge computing using a built-in scripting language.

About Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc.

Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (OTCQB:SKKY) is a global leader in real-time cloud information systems. The Skkynet Connected Systems platform includes the award-winning SkkyHub™ service, DataHub®, WebView™, and Embedded Toolkit (ETK) software. The platform enables real-time data connectivity for industrial, embedded, and financial systems, with no programming required. Skkynet’s platform is uniquely positioned for the “Internet of Things” and “Industry 4.0” because unlike the traditional approach for networked systems, SkkyHub is secure-by-design. Customers include Microsoft, Caterpillar, Siemens, Metso, ABB, Honeywell, IBM, GE, Statoil, Goodyear, BASF, E.ON, Bombardier, and the Bank of Canada. For more information, see http://skkynet.com.

Safe Harbor:

This news release contains “forward-looking statements” as that term is defined in the United States Securities Act of 1933, as amended and the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Statements in this press release that are not purely historical are forward-looking statements, including beliefs, plans, expectations or intentions regarding the future, and results of new business opportunities. Actual results could differ from those projected in any forward-looking statements due to numerous factors, such as the inherent uncertainties associated with new business opportunities and development stage companies. We assume no obligation to update the forward-looking statements. Although we believe that any beliefs, plans, expectations and intentions contained in this press release are reasonable, there can be no assurance that they will prove to be accurate. Investors should refer to the risk factors disclosure outlined in our annual report on Form 10-K for the most recent fiscal year, our quarterly reports on Form 10-Q and other periodic reports filed from time-to-time with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Down-to-Earth Cloud: Fog Computing on Edge Devices

When a cloud comes to earth–hitting a mountain, or rolling in at ground level–we call it fog. In the same way, cloud computing conducted at the local level is sometimes referred to as “fog” computing or “edge” computing. Wikipedia defines edge computing as “pushing the frontier of computing applications, data, and services away from centralized nodes to the logical extremes of a network.” In other words, fog or edge computing brings data processing out of the clouds and down to earth.

In a recent blog, New in IIoT: Fog Computing Leverages Edge Devices and the Cloud, Al Presher describes how edge devices are being used in commercial and industrial applications to provide computing power to interface between the real world and the cloud. Putting computing power as close as possible to the data collection, detection or control can mean quicker response, and more efficient and meaningful data collection.

For example, a simple device might send a simple message “I’m switched on and working” every second. A control system that interacts with the device needs that message the first time, but not every second. Maybe it could use an hourly or daily update as a status report, but sending the message more frequently would just waste resources and bandwidth. With the thousands or millions of such devices that the IoT promises, we need a way to send only meaningful messages.

This is where edge computing comes in. A program on the device can throttle the messages down to once an hour, or once per day, or whatever. It can read and interpret messages such as “I’m switched off” or “I’m not working properly“, and forward them immediately. For more sophisticated devices, an edge computing solution could send ordinary status messages when things are normal, and then open a real-time data flow during any abnormal conditions, so that every single data change, no matter how brief, can be collected and recorded.

In addition to decreasing data volume, edge computing can also reduce the amount of processing done on the receiving end of the data. For example, unit conversions, linear transformations, and simple analytical functions can be run on the data before it gets sent to the cloud. Spread out over hundreds or thousands of devices, this relatively simple, decentralized processing can translate into significant cost savings.

The Skkynet Embedded Toolkit supports edge computing in several ways on devices where it is used. It has a built-in command set, and a scripting language specifically designed for mission-critical industrial applications, with a wide range of functions for interacting with the real-time data as it flows through the system. Being able to access each data point in the system, it can support both monitoring and control functionality, as needed.

What will be the impact of fog or edge computing? At this point it is difficult to predict, exactly. However, it seems that for industrial systems, edge computing can provide many of the benefits of a SCADA (Supervisory Control And Data Access) system, for a much smaller up-front and ongoing investment. By plugging edge devices into an existing data communications infrastructure like SkkyHub, much of the heavy lifting for data monitoring and supervisory control has already been done.