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Industrial IoT Myths – Busted!

It looks like the Industrial IoT is growing and spreading so quickly that a whole mythology is getting built up around it.  In a recent blog, Teri Maltais at RtTech Software identifies four Industrial IoT myths, and deconstructs them.  From what we can see, these myths are founded on real concerns among industrial users.  Here is how Maltais addresses them:

Cost concerns: Maltais says that on-premise and IIoT solutions offer essentially the same functionality, and provide the same ROI.  However, IIoT solutions replace the cost of up-front capital investment with monthly operating-expense payments, making them more cost-effective.

Security concerns: She breaks down the topic of security into three areas: 1) on-site, 2) communication, and 3) cloud level security.  On-site security is the same as always, he says—pay attention to passwords, physical access, anti-virus software, etc.  Her discussion of inbound and outbound communication covers the security features of a few data protocols (a discussion which we believe could be strengthened by mentioning a secure-by-design approach like Skkynet’s).  At the cloud level she suggests what to look for in a good service provider, and quotes a Microsoft study in which small and midsize companies were shown to gain security benefits.

Concerns about too much data: RtTech Software, whom Maltais works for, provides tools for collecting and analyzing production data.  She says that tools such as theirs can be used to manage the large amount of data generated from IIoT systems.

Concerns about a track record: Maltais acknowledges that the IIoT has a limited track record, due in large part to the fact that it is new.  But, she adds, many IIoT applications are essentially the same as on-premise software, as mentioned above.

One take-away is that the Industrial IoT may have more in common with on-premise systems than you would expect. This point of view fits well with Skkynet’s evolutionary approach to the Industrial IoT, which provides a secure and seamless path of growth from in-plant to remote data access that can be implemented gradually, and on an as-needed basis.

Industrial SaaS Whitepaper

We just posted a new whitepaper discussion on “What is a Good Approach to Industrial SaaS.”  Software as a Service (“SaaS”) provides access to hosted software over a network, typically the Internet, and is closely related to the concepts of smart factories, cloud computing, industrial Internet, machine-to-machine (M2M), and the Internet of Things (IoT).

“A chain is only as strong as its weakest link,” goes the old saying. How true that is in industrial control systems. … Factory automation, power generation, resource extraction and processing, transportation and logistics are all supported by chains of mechanisms, hardware, and software, as well as operators and engineers that must each carry out their mission to produce the expected output, product, or service.

The whitepaper goes into a discussion of the key qualities a what is necessary for widespread acceptance of industrial SaaS, such as:

  1. Security: industrial systems require the highest possible level of security, and achieving it over unsecured networks involves a comprehensive approach from the design stage of the overall system.
  2. Robustness: industrial software as a service should provide as close to real-time performance as the network or Internet infrastructure will support, such as milliseconds updates, thousands of data changes per second, and support redundant connections with hot swap over capability.
  3. Adaptability: industrial SaaS should be able to connect seamlessly to any new or installed system at any number of locations with no changes to hardware or software, using open data protocols and APIs, and readily scale up or down depending on user needs.
  4. Convenience: industrial SaaS should be convenient to use, from ease of demoing, to sign up, configuration, usage monitoring and low cost.  It should offer off-the-shelf tools to get your data to and from the cloud with no programming, provide the ability to easily integrate data from multiple sources, and include options like data storage and HMI displays–all without disrupting the industrial process in any way.

Read the Whitepaper.

Have you taken the IIoT Survey?

The ARC Advisory Group is offering a survey on the Industrial Internet of Things, to “get a solid read on how ready organizations are for seizing the many opportunities” that are becoming available through the IIoT.  Has your company taken the survey yet?  You can access it here:

http://www.arcweb.com/research/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=143

ARC states that this brief, 10 to 15 minute IIoT survey “is open to suppliers of industrial technology and equipment, machinery manufacturers and industrial companies, such as manufacturers and oil and gas operators.”

Skkynet encourages anyone working in any of these areas to take the IIoT survey, and thus increase the general understanding of the interest in the IIoT. Each participant will receive a free summary of the key findings from the ARC Advisory Group.

Renesas New Platform Could Speed Embedded Development

Renesas Electronics this week rolled out the first components for a new platform that promises to simplify embedded product development.

Known as Synergy, the platform could be the most concerted effort yet by a supplier to integrate all the disparate pieces of hardware and software that make up an embedded system. Incorporating a real-time operating system (RTOS), TCP/IP stack and middleware along with each microcontroller (MCU), Synergy is said to be aimed at product developers whose expertise may not lie in the software arena. “It’s exactly targeted at those people who don’t have a lot of development resources in house,” Vin D’Agostino, vice president of the General Purpose Products Unit at Renesas, told Design News.

During the platform’s development, Renesas partnered with 11 software companies with expertise in wireless, middleware, security, embedded boards and cloud-based services. Partners included Express Logic Inc., Future Designs Inc., Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc., IS2T, Icon Labs and GainSpan, among others. It also partnered with ten independent design houses that are now trained in Synergy.

Click here for full article

Skkynet Teams with Red Lion Controls to Expand Secure IIoT Services

Virtually any device can be securely linked using Skkynet’s SkkyHub service and Red Lion’s IndustrialPro routers and Data Station Plus modular controllers.

Mississauga, Ontario, September 29, 2015 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB:SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, announces a new collaboration with Red Lion Controls that provides industrial automation engineers and managers with highly secure, real-time communication that seamlessly integrates with the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). The collaboration employs Skkynet’s Embedded Toolkit (ETK) in combination with Red Lion’s Sixnet® series IndustrialPro® cellular routers and Data Station Plus protocol converters. Together, the system supports over 300 industrial protocols to link devices to Skkynet’s SkkyHub™ for secure, bidirectional, real-time communication.

“There are a number of major hurdles to becoming IIoT-ready, most importantly security and multi-protocol communication,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “A primary objective of this collaboration was to integrate our ETK on Red Lion’s IndustrialPro cellular routers, thereby providing secure connectivity to SkkyHub, with no open firewall ports, VPN or programming required. The end result is secure, real-time monitoring, control, networking, and big data collection at a far lower total cost of ownership (TCO).”

“Becoming IIoT-ready can be a daunting task for many organizations with legacy devices that do not speak the same language,” said Brian Rosema, director of IIoT strategy for Red Lion Controls. “With support for more than 300 industrial protocols, our Data Station Plus protocol converters and rugged cellular routers work in tandem with SkkyHub to connect devices, thereby improving process visibility and pushing control to the edge. The result is a robust, fully integrated IIoT solution that connects virtually any device to any other device or user.”

Skkynet’s SkkyHub service provides secure, end-to-end bidirectional connectivity between the Sixnet IndustrialPro series routers and end users at all levels, from operators and plant engineers to managers, analysts, and customers. The service is capable of handling over 50,000 data changes per second per client, at speeds just a few milliseconds over Internet latency. Secure by design, it requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware.

About Red Lion Controls

As the global experts in communication, monitoring and control for industrial automation and networking, Red Lion Controls has been delivering innovative solutions to customers for over forty years. Our automation, Ethernet and cellular M2M technology enables companies worldwide to gain real-time data visibility that drives productivity. Product brands include Red Lion, N-Tron and Sixnet. With headquarters in York, Pennsylvania, the company has offices across the Americas, Asia-Pacific and Europe. Red Lion is part of Spectris plc, the productivity-enhancing instrumentation and controls company. For more information, please visit www.redlion.net.

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 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, Siemens, Metso, ABB, Honeywell, IBM, GE, Statoil, Goodyear, BASF, Cadbury Chocolate, 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.

Republished by Red Lion here.

Skkynet and BellChild Launch iBRESS Secure Micro Cloud Service

BellChild’s iBRESS real-time remote monitoring service for Japan’s industrial sector uses Skkynet’s secure data communication technology.

Mississauga, Ontario, June 15, 2015 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB:SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, announces jointly with BellChild Ltd. of Osaka, Japan, the launch of the iBRESS™ Secure Cloud Micro Service. A partnership agreement between Skkynet and BellChild allows BellChild to offer real-time connectivity to remote monitoring systems within their proven BEAM™ cloud services environment without programming, as well as provide flexible data connectivity and a variety of data process solutions.

“This new service is the result of months of successful collaboration,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “BellChild is deeply committed to providing robust, secure data communications services, and the iBRESS Secure Cloud Micro Service leverages that expertise with Skkynet’s secure data communication platform.”

“The iBRESS Secure Cloud Micro Service combines Skkynet’s real-time data-handling capabilities for industrial systems with our BEAM™ (BellChild Express ASP Maker) platform for financial applications,” said Mr. Yoshikuni Fujita, President of BellChild. “The resulting system is secure, robust and flexible enough to support industrial cloud-based systems.”

The iBRESS Secure Micro Cloud Service can transmit mission-critical sensor data over a public cloud in real time, while conforming with or exceeding the most stringent security requirements in the industry. It can meet the individual needs of a wide range of corporate users, and provide flexible solutions for individuals and groups of clients in the financial or industrial sectors.

iBRESS is the outcome of a joint effort of the ThunderCloud™ Alliance, established in December, 2013 by TOA Musendenki, Nissin Systems, BellChild, NiC, KOBATA Gauge, and Skkynet, with a focus on providing sensor-to-cloud data connectivity in real time. Skkynet will continue to collaborate with BellChild and other ThunderCloud Alliance partners to add new services to iBRESS, as well as other projects.

About BellChild Ltd.

BellChild is a system integration company focusing on secure system development, robust infrastructure development, and advanced operations capabilities. BellChild’s BEAM platform provides highly secure cloud services for the financial sector. The company develops and maintains secure servers used to support high-speed financial transactions, which also can be used to provide a robust and secure platform to support industrial cloud-based systems. http://www.bell-c.co.jp/

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 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, Siemens, Metso, ABB, Honeywell, IBM, GE, Statoil, Goodyear, BASF, Cadbury Chocolate, 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.