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Think Big, Start Small, Scale Up

Every so often we get reports of how things are going with Industrial IoT and digital transformation projects. Although our customers keep us informed, it’s also interesting to hear from the rest of the world, through trade shows, conferences, industry publications and the like. In a recent event in Singapore hosted by ARC Advisory Group, executives and technical experts shared their experiences with colleagues, suppliers, and industry gurus. A summary of three of these presentations was published in a blog titled Lessons from the Industry of Things.

Funnily enough, among those three presentations, two of them had an almost identical approach to implementing Industrial IoT. They even had similar terminology, which is essentially: Think Big, Start Small, Scale Up Fast. The idea is to keep your thinking about IoT as broad as possible at the beginning, with no idea left off the table. Then start with small, inexpensive, easily-managed pilot implementations. As soon as something starts working well, scale up quickly.

“Prototype small is about telling people to stop writing business plans and give it a go―quickly and at low cost,” said the Executive VP and CTO of Australia’s largest producer of natural gas, Shaun Gregory. “And because you lower the consequence of getting things wrong, as long as you’ve learned something, I don’t really care if you fail. Once you have a working prototype, if you do not scale this into your business, you won’t reap the benefits you anticipated.”

The challenge: Scale Up

It all sounds very good. But there is more to the story. There seems to be a challenge in moving from step 2 to step 3, the “Scale Up” step. The article goes on to say, “Mr. Gregory admitted that scaling solutions is the aspect the company has struggled with the most.”

He’s not alone. User surveys from industry analysts show that there is a significant drop in IoT project completion and success compared to the number of working pilots and prototypes. There are probably several factors at work here, including:

  1. Industrial IoT is very different from consumer IoT. In production-level implementations data volumes are much higher, real-time performance is typically a must, and security requirements are much more stringent.
  1. Industrial IoT is very different from in-plant industrial data communication. Again, security is a big issue, as well as protocol translation, gateway technologies, and the need to integrate with IT.
  1. Human factors, like adapting to new ways of thinking, a need for retraining, and new approaches to security, are often overlooked.

All of these factors can be addressed―the first two with the right technology, and the third by appropriate human resource development. Our focus is on the first two. Skkynet technology works equally well on turn-key projects as it does for pilots. For hundreds of connections, or just one. For thousands of data points or just a handful.

The DataHub technology, with its secure-by-design architecture and ability to seamlessly integrate the most important industrial protocols, meets the most stringent requirements for security, throughput, and ease of use that the world’s top engineering and system integration companies value.

Just last month we announced a new partnership with Siemens to use the DataHub with their DCU (Data Capture Unit) to offer “Bulletproof IIoT”. This partnership came after extensive testing of the DataHub to ensure that it meets Siemens’ high standards for security, robust performance, and ease of use that Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT demand. Customers installing the DCU, or any other DataHub connected system, can rest assured that when it comes time to scale up, they will be fully-equipped and ready.

Trust and the Industrial IoT

They say that in business, it all comes down to trust. American author H. L. Mencken once wrote, “It is mutual trust, even more than mutual interest, that holds human associations together.” To succeed in life, we need to trust people. The same holds true for technology. To succeed in today’s world, we need to trust technology―from products like smart phones and cars to the tools and industrial processes that created them. To whatever extent that we trust technology, we apply it to improve our lives.

But just as there are some people we cannot trust, we should not blindly trust any technology that comes along. Some technologies are more trustworthy than others. So how can you know which ones are best? Take the Industrial IoT for example. Although it offers many benefits, engineers are justifiably cautious in adopting the various IoT technologies available, citing concerns for reliability and security.

Addressing this question, the Industrial Internet Consortium recently published a document titled Managing and Assessing Trustworthiness for IIoT in Practice. It defines trustworthiness as “the degree to which the system performs as expected” and to that end states, “Confidence comes from the assurance that several aspects of the system are under control: security of its data and of its equipment, safety for people and the community, protection of assets, privacy protection of data, reliability of operations and subsystems, and resilience of the system.”

Five Aspects of Trust

The document expands on this idea, locating within both OT (operational technology) and IT five basic aspects of trustworthiness: security, safety, privacy, reliability, and resilience. It shows how each of these may be more or less relevant to the requirements of OT or IT taken separately, and how they are all essential to any Industrial IoT solution. As we see it, this underscores the importance of a truly industrial approach to data communications:

  • Secure-by-design communications should not compromise in any way the security measures that are already in place in a production system. Indeed, the IoT system should measure up to those standards.
  • The safety of plant personnel should not be put into jeopardy as a result of connecting to the IoT.
  • Privacy of data has to be maintained, so that each connecting party gains access only to the information meant for them.
  • Reliability of data transfer must be ensured to the extent possible, given the fact that Internet connections are not 100% stable. Data protocols must be able to indicate the quality (trustworthiness) of the data at every moment so that clients can act accordingly.
  • Resilience of the connection, including the ability to optimize high-speed or low-speed connections over wide or narrow bandwidths, and to recover quickly and gracefully from an outage, keeps the data flowing in the best way possible.

“The network must be built with the expectation of heavy damage,” wrote Paul Baran, one of the developers of ARPANET, precursor to the Internet, back in 1964. So, too, should be the implementation of industrial data communications over the Internet of Things. As with personal relationships, it may be difficult to achieve 100% trustworthiness for this technology. But the value of any Industrial IoT system should be considered in light of how close it comes to that goal.

IoT for All

With each passing year the IoT (Internet of Things) becomes more familiar, more of a household word. What once seemed a futuristic dream—having billions of devices connected and chattering over the Internet—is now almost taken for granted. Case in point is the IoT For All website whose very name speaks volumes. It seems that everyone is using or at least touched by IoT in one way or another.

At the beginning of the year, IoT For All published an article Where Is IoT Headed in 2019? that collects and distills the thoughts of industry experts regarding the near future for the IoT. Although not specific to Industrial IoT, there was significant discussion on several themes that are of interest to us here at Skkynet:

Secure by Design

Several experts have predicted that the rapid development of the IoT with little attention being paid to security will lead to widespread attacks in the coming year—often directed at industrial and infrastructure targets. At the same time, they lament the lack of robust security solutions built into hardware, software, and services. James Goepel, CEO and General Counsel for Fathom Cyber mentioned new regulations in California that mandate a secure-by-design approach to the IoT. “I think we’re going to see many more states, and possibly the federal government, following California’s lead and creating legislation that imposes new cybersecurity-by-design requirements on IoT manufacturers,” he said. Skkynet’s customers will be ready, as they have been employing our secure-by-design approach to the IoT for years.

Edge and Hybrid Computing

This year “will be a defining year for edge and hybrid computing strategies as IoT and the global network of sensors pile on more data than the average cloud has had to handle in the past,” according to Alan Conboy, working in the Office of the CTO at Scale Computing. “This transition will officially crown edge computing as the next big thing.” This has certainly been our experience. As interest in edge computing grows, we are seeing a corresponding demand for Skkynet’s edge computing and hybrid cloud solutions.

Remote Access

“Experienced engineers are hard to find and those they do have can only visit so many remote sites in a year. Enabled by 5G and the speed with which data can travel through the air, AR (augmented reality) will enable engineers-in-training to be able to have instant intelligence about a device on which they may be working just by pointing their tablet towards it,” said Jeff Travers, Head of IoT Connectivity Management at Ericsson. Much of this remote connectivity will depend on secure, real-time, two-way data flow. Again, Skkynet’s unique approach to Industrial IoT solves problems that many managers and executives are only now beginning to realize exist.

In short, the future continues to brighten for IoT in general, and Industrial IoT in particular. At least part of our mission is to make the move to IoT as smooth and easy as possible. We want it to become the logical choice for anyone who considers it—so that it really does become IoT for all.

Skkynet Presents DataHub at AVEVA World Summit 2018

Corporate leaders will see and learn the advantages of high-quality data communications for digital transformation.

Mississauga, Ontario, October 2, 2018 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time data communication for industrial systems, will be presenting DataHub software at the AVEVA World Summit 2018 in Palm Springs, California, on October 9 to 11.  Available on the AVEVA Digital Exchange, and offering unparalleled real-time data connectivity options for AVEVA customers, DataHub software provides a proven, secure way to integrate in-plant and remote systems into a wide range of digital transformation scenarios.

“AVEVA’s strategic roadmap for digital transformation naturally benefits from secure, robust data communications,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “Forward-thinking executives who rely on AVEVA software and services will appreciate the value that the DataHub offers for integrating real-time data in the plant, connecting OT (operations technology) to IT, accessing remote locations, or leveraging cloud services.”

The AVEVA World Summit 2018 provides CEOs, CIOs, Innovation Officers, EVPs, SVPs and other leaders an opportunity to hear about innovative practices and to see for themselves how digital technology is transforming assets and operations. The Summit will include cutting edge discussions, networking opportunities and the chance to get hands on with the latest technology.

At the Skkynet booth, live demonstrations of DataHub technology will give these corporate leaders a practical vision of how to securely and seamlessly integrate data from their production systems with the rest of their corporate systems, to increase efficiencies and build competitiveness.

Skkynet’s products and services—DataHub for in-plant, SkkyHub for cloud, and ETK for embedded devices—provide secure access to industrial data through open, standard industrial protocols, allowing users to fully integrate OT with IT systems and other applications anywhere in the world. Secure by design, they require no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware. Secure integration of embedded devices, on-premise systems, and remote locations through seamless, end-to-end connectivity in real time lets users derive maximum value from Industrial IoT and Industrie 4.0.

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® middleware, 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.  For more information, see https://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 Software Now Available on AVEVA Digital Exchange

AVEVA customers can now access DataHub software through the AVEVA Digital Exchange.

Mississauga, Ontario, September 11, 2018 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time data communication for industrial systems, announces that the latest version of the DataHub is now available on the AVEVA Digital Exchange.  Offering unparalleled real-time data connectivity options for AVEVA customers, DataHub software provides a proven, secure way for them to integrate their systems in-plant, and seamlessly into Industrial IoT and Industrie 4.0 as well.

“The Digital Exchange is the ideal collaborative venue for the DataHub,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “Forward-thinking AVEVA users are sure to recognize the value of secure data communication for their digital transformation scenarios, be they for integrating real-time data in the plant, connecting OT (operations technology) to IT, accessing remote locations, or leveraging cloud services.”

The AVEVA Digital Exchange is the first industrial marketplace to unite end users with solution providers to drive digital transformation across the complete operations and asset management value chain.

Having the DataHub on the Digital Exchange gives AVEVA users access to a robust and secure way to integrate their production data among and between the most popular industrial protocols, such as OPC, Modbus, ODBC and TCP. With the upcoming release of Version 9 of the DataHub, new Industrial IoT gateway functionality will be added.  This will give AVEVA users the ability to implement in-plant, cloud-based and hybrid systems conveniently and securely.

Skkynet’s products and services—DataHub for in-plant, SkkyHub for cloud, and ETK for embedded devices—provide secure access to industrial data through open, standard industrial protocols, allowing users to fully integrate OT with IT systems and other applications anywhere in the world. Secure by design, they require no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware. Secure integration of embedded devices, on-premise systems, and remote locations through seamless, end-to-end connectivity in real time lets users derive maximum value from Industrial IoT and Industrie 4.0.

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® middleware, 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. For more information, see https://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 Opens OPC UA Lab in Yokohama

Hardware and software vendors and users now have a facility for testing OPC UA products.

Mississauga, Ontario, July 12, 2018 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, announces the opening of the Skkynet UA Lab in Yokohama, Japan.  Working in close cooperation with Skkynet partner BellChild and OPC development company Puerto Co., the Skkynet UA Lab will provide testing, development, and advisory services for users and vendors of OPC UA-enabled hardware and software.

“We are pleased to offer this center of excellence to the OPC UA community in Japan and worldwide,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet.  “OPC UA is a robust and secure industrial protocol, and we expect to see a steady increase in implementations.”

The Skkynet UA Lab offers three kinds of support for its clients.  For developers who need to test OPC UA projects, the UA Lab provides powerful OPC UA servers with a large assortment of evaluation software.  For vendors who have a product on the market, the UA Lab offers an interoperability test environment, allowing each vendor’s product to connect with and test against all other vendors’ products.  In addition to these, the UA Lab has inaugurated its Worldwide OPC UA Network DEvelopment and Research (WONDER) program to test various ways of connecting OPC UA.  These include testing on untrusted networks using push technologies, utilzing proxy-enabled DMZs, tunnelling through firewalls, and incorporating the OPC UA Pub/Sub specification when those implementations become available.

“OPC UA is a sophisticated protocol, demanding much attention to detail,” said Minoru Yamazaki, advisor to Skkynet Japan and project organizer.  “Real-world experience is the ultimate evaluation criteria, and we are grateful for the support we have been receiving from a number of OPC UA product distributors, including MOXA, Contec, Comtrol, and Hi-Flying, as well as BellChild, and Puerto.”

Skkynet’s DataHub middleware, SkkyHub service, and ETK provide secure access to industrial data through OPC UA and other protocols, allowing users to fully integrate OT (operations technology) with IT systems and other applications anywhere in the world. Secure by design, it requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware. Secure integration of embedded devices, on-premise systems, and remote locations through seamless, end-to-end connectivity in real time lets users derive maximum value from Industrial IoT and Industrie 4.0.

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. For more information, see https://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.