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Tale of two LANs

Would you like to view critical plant status from anywhere on the Internet?

Are you worried that if you connect your automation network to your company’s IT network (which is likely connected to the Internet), the wrong people could access your control system? Or that traffic like YouTube might impact your automation network throughput?

Would you like to get an email or text message alerting you to an out-of-band condition, but since your automation network is not linked to the IT department email server, you can’t set anything like that up?

There are a lot of advantages and only a few disadvantages to segmenting your IT (Information Technology) network from your OT (Operational Technology, in other words your controls) networks. While there are a few different ways to segment networks, in this blog we are going to look at separating them using one of two Opto 22 products: SNAP PAC Controllers and groov.

Topics: Process control, groov, Internet of Things, Electronics, IoT, Machine builder, PACs, Networking

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Two keys for secure communications:

What are SSL/TLS and HTTPS? You may have heard them being used on the Internet, and you have more than likely used them when logging into your bank, but what are they?

Is there anything you need to do to use these secure protocols?

What goes on "behind the curtain" in your web browser when you use them?

In this week's blog we are going to continue the theme of network security by taking a close look at SSL/TLS and HTTPS.

Topics: Discrete control, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Machine builder, Integrators, Networking

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Mobile device use - Russian Roulette or the new normal?

Many of us have a either a smartphone or tablet, and some of us have both. We use them for all sorts of tasks every day. Are we simply pushing our luck? Are we rolling the dice every time we use them? Or can we use them in a secure manner that helps us be more productive and thus have a higher quality of life?

This week's blog is going to look at some pros and cons of the humble mobile device and what steps we can take to even out the odds.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Networking

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Top 5 Myths for Securing a Wifi network

If you want to use a mobile device in your automation system, you are going to need to use Wifi for the simple fact that most mobile devices do not support a physical Ethernet connection to your network.

Adding Wifi is often seen as a security risk. Not done right, it can be; done right, it need not be.

Like many technolgies, Wifi has matured and become more robust. That said, poor advice still circles the web on how to secure your Wifi network that simply doesn't work anymore. Let's take a look at a few myths about securing Wifi that need busting, and what techniques we can use to bust them.

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Networking

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Security is a trade-off between easy to use and secure.

In this blog we are going to take a look at a method of security that is often overlooked and yet can make a system a lot more secure.

The humble password.

For years we have all been taught to use a password that is a mix of letters and symbols. But should we rather be using a passphrase?

Which is better to use and why?

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Tips, IoT, Networking

So much more than video:

One of my all-time favorite groov features is the Video Camera gadget.

The gadget is pretty interesting as it's simply an image placeholder. Just point the gadget at a URL that resolves in an image and the gadget will display it and update it.

Of course, for an IP video camera, this usually means a JPG image. The groov user's guide has a nice section down the back that will help you get your camera showing up in groov, so be sure to check it out.

If you're interested in some other uses for the gadget, then read on and let's have some fun!

Topics: Videos, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Nothing like a cold shower to get you moving:

Most of us never give any thought to our hot water service pilot flame. But when it goes out...cold shower first thing in the morning, anyone?

Bleh.

The first time it happened, I simply re-lit the pilot and showered with cold water. After the third cold shower, I knew it was time to be a little more proactive!

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, Tips, IoT, Machine builder

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Get a mop, I spilt some electricity:

The past few blogs we have talked about visualizing water usage in groov and how it not only helped me save water, but also highlighted the fact that I was not seeing all the water use I thought I was.

Electricity is a bit different from most other things. Spill water on the floor and it's pretty obvious; spill electricity and often no one is the wiser.

Was I seeing all the power use in my house? Are there any so-called phantom loads (sometimes called vampire loads) sucking or sipping power that I did not know about?

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Electronics, IoT

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Monitoring the water mains:

As mentioned in my blog last week, it was not until I monitored my water usage that I found out I was not monitoring ALL of my water usage.

My whole house water meter was just that, the whole house. It did not show any of the garden/lawn water use.

Let's talk about how we might get that data and what it could mean for conserving water in all aspects of our lives.

Topics: Energy management, groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater, Electronics, IoT

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The biggest user of water in our house is not human:

A web browser is installed on most of the key devices we use every day. PCs, smart phones, tablets, even our TVs now have a modern web browser installed. I can even surf the web from my Android smart watch (a Moto360).

It makes sense then, does it not, to view everyday data on an interface that we use every day?

How much water flows through our house was the subject of last week's blog... It both surprised me and pleased me to find out that the biggest user of water in our house was not a human.

Topics: Food & beverage, Remote monitoring, Water & wastewater