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In the food and beverage industry, genealogy and traceability is a legal requirement from the FDA. Contamination is a big problem in the food and beverage industry that tends to have a ripple effect. If your product is already in stores when contamination is discovered, it needs to be pulled from shelves before someone gets hurt.
In the second edition of this two-part series on OT network security, the popular term “Zero Trust architecture” is fully broken down into individual devices that together take both an offensive and defensive approach to securing an OT network. Zero Trust Architecture: An All-Encompassing Term for a Defensible OT Network While the term “zero trust” has become popular within the field of operational technology (OT) network security, its meaning stems from the evolution of ever-increasing network security measures that have had to be implemented in response to increasingly complex threats. As the threat frequency and sophistication of a breach has increased, security measures have also had to increase in lockstep, assuming less and less trust for devices operating on the network. At this point in time, the most robust network design always assumes the worst – trusting absolutely nothing attempting to access an OT network until full authentication has occurred, and regularly interrogating devices currently on the network as if they’ve become malicious. Trust no device, at any point in time – zero trust. Simply put, when it comes to cybersecurity, you’ll find safety in skepticism. Zero Trust vs Safe Zones: Why Assuming the Worst is Best In the Zero Trust model, full identification and credentialing occurs on a continual basis for every single device attempting to access the network. Traffic monitoring is continual, access is limited, and no safe perimeter is assumed. This is a different, nearly inverse approach than that traditionally implemented within an IT network, which assumes a “safe zone” and primarily defends that zone at its perimeter. The Zero Trust approach requires a collection of network components and software solutions, each doing their own task, that work together to collectively keep the network secure. Some components monitor data; some log events; some actively interrogate existing devices using the … Continued
The power industry is facing several challenges, including the need to improve efficiency, reduce costs, and meet elevated environmental regulations. With the available workforce decreasing and facilities looking toward digital transformation, investing in a platform capable of facilitating these requirements is almost a necessity. As these systems continue to become more and more technical, the need for a real-time data management software platform that can help power plants address these challenges is increasing exponentially. That’s where the AVEVA PI (formerly OSI PI) Historian can come into play. Capable of providing a central repository for plant data, enabling operators to monitor and analyze plant performance in real-time, AVEVA PI is able to positively influence critical decisions that may need to be made on the fly. This information can be used to identify and resolve operational issues, increase efficiency, and optimize plant operations. Benefits of AVEVA PI AVEVA PI’s advanced capabilities are a result of its origins. AVEVA acquired OSIsoft’s PI system when they acquired the company in 2021. They then combined OSI’s strengths: real-time data acquisition and analysis, with AVEVA’s strengths: engineering and operational software applications, to create an automation platform with improved visibility, decision-making, performance, and security. 3 big benefits this particularly dexterous PI historian has to offer: Increased Efficiency With it becoming more difficult than ever to staff positions in this industry, and the power plant workforce projected to decline by 10% over the next ten years, increasing and improving efficiency is key in ensuring projected output. AVEVA PI Historian can help power plants improve efficiency by providing centralized, real-time insights into plant performance. This information can be used to identify and resolve operational issues, improve process control, and optimize asset utilization. Reduced Costs You don’t know what you don’t know. At a glance, you may think everything is performing optimally, but there … Continued
Applications Engineering Manager, Jeff Allen recently co-presented a webcast for Control Engineering covering how edge computing can be used for mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. Applications demonstrate how edge computing can be used for mission-critical, high-reliability automation and control applications. See how system integrators have applied edge computing and see how it integrates in automation and control applications. Challenges and benefits will be discussed. Learning objectives: Understand how edge computing is being applied to automation and controls. Explore how edge computing enables certain applications. Learn how edge computing integrates with cloud resources. Review application benefits, return on investment considerations, and other benefits for automation and controls. Presented By:Jeffrey Allen, Applications Engineering Manager, E Tech GroupNate Kay, P.E., Control Systems Engineer, MartinCSI Moderated By:David Miller, Content Manager, CFE Media and Technology Click here to view the webcast.
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