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What Drives Industry in 2017?

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It’s big. It’s by far the biggest industrial automation show in Germany, in Europe, and possibly in the world. It’s SPS IPC Drives. “SPS” is German for PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), “IPC” stands for Industrial Process Control, and “Drives” are tools that control the speed of machinery. It comprises a dozen exhibition halls, each one practically a trade show in itself, filled with gigantic, colorful booths displaying robots, machines, and control system components. It’s where thousands of engineers, system integrators, machine builders and parts vendors gather for a massive show-and-tell featuring the latest and greatest—sensors, actuators, controllers, software, services and more.

The Cogent/Skkynet display was part of the OPC Foundation exhibit at the show, in the communications technologies hall. We had a demo of our completely integrated solution for Industrial IoT data communication and OPC UA (Unified Architecture), from embedded devices with ETK, to the factory floor with DataHub, to our SkkyHub service running in the cloud. We attracted plenty of interest, particularly for our ability to access data from inside a plant without opening any firewall ports, and using no VPNs.

Other exhibits featured IoT, and a few had working demos similar to ours, showing how they could put data from a sensor into the cloud. But there were significant differences. Most of them did not have bidirectional communication, and all of them had to make compromises on security and robust connectivity.

Data Communication must be Secure…

The two technologies most frequently mentioned for data communications were OPC UA and MQTT. Most users are finding out that OPC UA by itself cannot serve as an IIoT protocol, because like every industrial protocol, it functions on a client-server basis. An OPC UA client outside the plant needs an open firewall port at the plant to connect to an OPC UA server inside. This is inherently insecure, since any hacker could also enter the plant through that open firewall port. To surmount this obstacle, a number of companies have turned to the MQTT messaging protocol. Its publish/subscibe architecture allows it to make outbound connections. That does keep firewall ports closed, but MQTT is not suitable for IIoT for other reasons. Notably, it cannot guarantee data consistency.

… and Robust

Funnily enough, when you bring this up, people catch on quickly. I walked around the show and talked to people who had IIoT on their posters and brochures, who were demonstrating IIoT devices, and offering IIoT cloud services. Companies large and small, including some of the biggest names in the industry, are using or promoting MQTT or its close cousin, AMQP. And yet when I pointed out to them how MQTT is unable to guarantee consistent data, they soon understood. Everyone acknowledged that if an MQTT connection from a data source is broken, the data user will not know that his or her data may no longer be valid. “Isn’t that a problem? Couldn’t it be dangerous?” I would ask. “Yes,” they would admit, “but there isn’t any other way.”

Another Way

Finding out that there is another way opened a few eyes. People coming to our booth and those we met throughout the show were surprised and pleased to find out that there actually is a way to maintain a secure, robust connection for IIoT. There is no need to open any firewall ports or to use a VPN, and yet you can guarantee consistency of the data between the server and the client. All you need is the right technology, secure by design. Our task for the coming months is to continue sharing this message with the 1500+ exhibitors and 70,000+ visitors at SPS IPC Drives, along with anyone else who wants to connect industrial process control systems to the IoT.

Skkynet’s Embedded OPC UA Server Now Available on Renesas RZ/N1D Microprocessor at Sensors Midwest 2017

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The only OPC UA server that can connect to IIoT with no open firewall ports is now offered on the RZ/N1D microprocessor from Renesas.

Mississauga, Ontario, October 3, 2017 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, is pleased to announce that Skkynet’s ETK (Embedded Toolkit) is available for the Renesas RZ/N1D Arm®-based microprocessor (MPU), providing OPC UA server capability with built-in secure Industrial IoT support.  This hardware/software combination is being showcased at Sensors Midwest, October 3-4 in Rosemont, Illinois.

“Plant engineers and system integrators can now connect their mission-critical plant automation systems to the Industrial IoT with no loss of performance or security,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “Connecting the RZ/N1D to the Cogent DataHub running in the plant, or to SkkyHub running on the cloud, provides seamless and secure access to OPC UA and other data protocols anywhere in the world.”

“The Renesas RZ/N1D real-time IIoT gateway shifts the focus from IT data models to the real-time requirements of dedicated machine control systems,” said Wil Florentino, Senior Manager, Product Marketing, Industrial Automation Segment at Renesas Electronics America.  “This demo shows secure, real-time, end-to-end connectivity between a factory floor system using industrial protocols such as OPC UA and Modbus TCP up to enterprise clients to provide real-time, on-premise and cloud connectivity.”

The RZ/N1D is a scalable and proven Arm®-based MPU that can be used in a variety of applications with the Cortex®-A7 dual core and a high-speed, high-capacity memory interface. It implements up to five Ethernet ports and the latest redundancy protocol, so it is optimized especially for industrial network equipment such as programmable logic control (PLC) and network switches.

The Skkynet Embedded Toolkit (ETK) allows embedded devices to make a secure connection to the Cogent DataHub® or SkkyHub™.  The Cogent DataHub fully integrates OPC UA and other industrial protocols to support OPC networking, OPC server-server bridging, aggregation, data logging, redundancy, and web-based HMI.  Skkynet’s SkkyHub service connects to the ETK and the Cogent DataHub to securely network live data in real time from any location.  It enables bidirectional, IoT-based supervisory control, integration and sharing of data with multiple users.  Secure by design, the service 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.  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 to Hold OPC UA Sandpit Event in Osaka

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Technology providers from six countries gather in Japan to demonstrate secure Industrial IoT cloud connectivity for OPC UA products.

Mississauga, Ontario, September 12, 2017 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, is pleased to announce OSP 2017―OPC UA Sandpit―will be held in Osaka, Japan, on September 14, 2017.  This international event will showcase ten OPC UA products from leading industrial automation companies including Wago of Germany, B&R of Austria, Moxa of Taiwan, Comtrol of the USA, Cogent Real-Time Systems of Canada, and Kobata Gauge, Puerto, BellChild, Nissin, and NiC of Japan.  Representatives from these companies will test and demonstrate secure connectivity from their OPC UA enabled devices to the iBRESS Cloud service from BellChild, through closed firewalls and network proxies.

“These companies are at the leading edge of secure data communications for Industrial IoT,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet.  “The OPC UA protocol is well-known for security within the industrial network, and this initiative demonstrates how an equally high level of security can be achieved seamlessly for IoT cloud connections.”

At the OPC UA Sandpit event, each participant will connect their hardware to a network on which BellChild’s iBRESS Box is running.  The iBRESS Box has Skkynet’s Cogent DataHub installed, which on the one hand provides OPC UA connectivity, and on the other can tunnel securely through network proxies and closed firewalls to the iBRESS Cloud.  Using OPC UA on the local network, each connected device will pass its data to the iBRESS Box, which will make it available on the iBRESS Cloud in real time.

“Skkynet’s DataHub is the key enabling technology for this kind of secure connectivity,” said Thomas.  “Functioning as the engine for both the iBRESS Cloud and the iBRESS Box, the DataHub’s unique secure-by-design approach to data communications makes it an ideal tool for Industrial IoT.”

About BellChild

BellChild is a system integration company focusing on secure system development, robust infrastructure development, and advanced operations capabilities. The company develops and maintains secure servers used to support high-speed financial transactions, which is also used to provide a robust and secure platform to support industrial cloud-based systems in the form of iBRESS™ Cloud service.  For more information, see https://www.bell-c.co.jp/.

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.

Is OPC UA the Answer for IIoT?

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Part 9 of Data Communication for Industrial IoT

OPC Unified Architecture (UA) is the latest standard from the OPC Foundation. Its purpose is to unify the OPC Classic standards of Data Access (DA), Alarms and Events (A&E), and Historical Data Access (HDA) into a single, extensible framework. At the same time OPC UA offers improved networking support, a more sophisticated security model, platform independence, and comprehensive information modeling.

The OPC UA spec allows for implementation across a wide range of hardware platforms and operating systems. The different UA implementations that are possible within this extensible and flexible framework all share a common core UA functionality and interoperability.

The UA standard has been expanded to include or interface with a large number of industrial data models, and it has been chosen as a communication layer standard for Industrie 4.0.  There is considerable conversation about UA serving as a data communications protocol for the Industrial IoT.

As we see it, OPC UA does its job very well.  It works well to provide secure connectivity between clients and servers on an industrial network.

An open firewall port

However, following the traditional industrial client-server architecture OPC UA cannot ensure the complete isolation of the plant network when connecting to the IIoT.  To access data from a UA server, an OPC client outside the plant network needs an open firewall port.  As we explained previously, this exposes the plant network to attack.

Developers are aware of this limitation in OPC UA, which is why we are now seeing a rise in UA-to-Something gateway software.  The most common seems to be OPC UA to MQTT.  The idea is excellent in principle – use UA for in-plant communication and an IIoT protocol for communication to the cloud.  In practise, be careful which IIoT protocol you choose.  I cover the most popular ones in other posts.

Unless OPC UA gets an upgrade to a pure push technology (where the server makes an outbound connection to the client), it does not seem practical to use UA for the cloud segment of the data path.  OPC UA is going to own the industrial plant, but IIoT needs something else.

Continue reading, or go back to Table of Contents

Skkynet’s Cogent DataHub Excels in OPC Compatibility Testing in Tokyo

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Hands-on testing at the Asian OPC Interoperability Workshop 2017 found the Cogent DataHub fully compatible with all other leading OPC UA products.

Mississauga, Ontario, June 21, 2017 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet” or “the Company”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, is pleased to announce that the Cogent DataHub has successfully passed OPC interoperability testing with leading brands of OPC UA servers and clients at the Asian OPC Interoperability Workshop 2017 held in Tokyo, Japan from June 14-16.  Multi-national companies participating in the event included Azbil, Emerson, Kepware, OMRON, Schneider Electric, Takebishi, Toshiba, and Yokogawa.

“OPC UA is a sophisticated and complex data communications protocol,” said Paul Thomas, President of Skkynet. “Adhering to the spec is one thing, but the real proof of compatibility is to test the clients and servers from different manufacturers against each other. The fact that the Cogent DataHub communicates seamlessly with all of the other leading products means that it can be used in virtually any OPC UA system.”

OPC UA (Unified Architecture) from the OPC Foundation provides a single, extensible framework for securely networking industrial data. Approved as the data communications protocol for Industrie 4.0, the OPC UA specifications allow for implementation across a wide range of hardware platforms and operating systems. The various OPC UA implementations that are possible within this extensible and flexible framework all share a common core OPC UA functionality and interoperability.

The Cogent DataHub fully integrates OPC UA as one of its standard protocols, along with OPC DA and other industrial protocols to support OPC networking, OPC server-server bridging, aggregation, data logging, redundancy, and web-based HMI. Capable of handling over 50,000 data changes per second, the DataHub is also seamlessly integrated with Skkynet’s SkkyHub and ETK for secure, end-to-end Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 connectivity.

The Cogent DataHub connects to Skkynet’s SkkyHub service to securely network live data in real time from any location. It enables bidirectional IoT-based supervisory control, integration and sharing of data with multiple users. Secure by design, the service requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware. It also connects to the Skkynet Embedded Toolkit (ETK), to provide real-time, bidirectional data exchange with embedded devices.

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 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.

New Release of Cogent DataHub Features OPC UA and Video Camera Support

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Major new release of Cogent DataHub v8.0 enables Industrial IoT and secure in-plant data connectivity.

Mississauga, Ontario, March 1, 2017 – Skkynet Cloud Systems, Inc. (“Skkynet”) (OTCQB: SKKY), a global leader in real-time cloud information systems, announces that Cogent Real-Time Systems, a Skkynet subsidiary, has issued a major new release of its Cogent DataHub® software to include support for OPC UA and streaming video.  Version 8.0 of the Cogent DataHub can connect and integrate data for virtually any industrial system, ranging from legacy equipment to state-of-the-art Industry 4.0 and Industrial IoT systems.

“With OPC UA and in-band video streaming capabilities the Cogent DataHub is poised at the forefront of the IIoT wave,” said Andrew Thomas, Skkynet CEO. “The DataHub is uniquely positioned to extend OPC UA by seamlessly connecting it to the previous generation of OPC (OPC Classic), while providing full integration with video streams, SQL databases, Excel spreadsheets, a web-based HMI, and the SkkyHub™ service for cloud connectivity.”

OPC is a series of standards for connecting industrial hardware and devices with HMIs and other software.  OPC Classic has millions of installations established over twenty years.  OPC UA (Unified Architecture) was introduced to expand the domain of OPC beyond traditional industrial applications, and to provide improved networking and security.  “The DataHub effectively provides a fast, easy and non-disruptive upgrade path to existing industrial control infrastructure built around the OPC standards” said Mr. Thomas.

The latest version of the Cogent DataHub fully integrates OPC UA as one of its standard protocols, along with OPC DA and other industrial protocols to support OPC networking, OPC server-server bridging, aggregation, data logging, redundancy, and web-based HMI. Capable of handling over 50,000 data changes per second, the DataHub is also seamlessly integrated with Skkynet’s SkkyHub and ETK for secure, end-to-end Industrial IoT and Industry 4.0 connectivity.

The Cogent DataHub connects to Skkynet’s SkkyHub service to securely network live data in real time from any location. It enables bidirectional IoT-based supervisory control, integration and sharing of data with multiple users. Secure by design, the service requires no VPN, no open firewall ports, no special programming, and no additional hardware. It also connects to the Skkynet Embedded Toolkit (ETK), to provide real-time, bidirectional data exchange with embedded devices.

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 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.