Without disturbing existing systems, edge devices make it easy to convert data from a custom fieldbus into open protocols for digital transformation.

If TCP/IP won the “protocol wars” in the ‘90s, then WHY are you still fighting protocol battles on the plant floor today? Because industrial networks were around long before the internet. As far back as the 1960s, machines communicated via serial networks like RS-232, RS-485, and CAN Bus—with specialized proprietary fieldbus protocols like Modbus, Profibus, and DeviceNet.

Even with TCP/IP on Ethernet, specialized protocols remained. Modbus now has a TCP/IP version, Profibus gave way to ProfiNET, DeviceNet to EtherNet/IP, and even some new ones joined the protocol party.

After the industry demanded interoperability, OPC was born—now OPC UA—a big step toward a unified architecture on OT networks. Meanwhile on the IT side, using HTTP and HTTPS was common. It’s how web browsers—and most of the internet—work today.

MQTT Sparkplug came later. A recently named International Standard, it’s built on efficient, secure, and scalable publish/subscribe communications—a great fit for digital transformation projects and the IIoT.

Opto 22's Director of Technical Marketing, Dan White, explains the features and importance of modern edge devices in this new Control Engineering article.

The industrial automation industry is now being driven by the idea of digital transformation and the industrial internet of things (IIoT). Understanding the concepts of edge and cloud technology and how they relate is becoming a necessity.

Opto 22's Dan White does an excellent job of explaining these terms and what it means for you and your future designs and applications. He shares his insights on edge devices, data management and cybersecurity in this newly published article from Control Engineering, "Edge to cloud: Understanding new industrial architectures."

New Opto 22 technology partner Strata Innovative Solutions announces StrataVu: software that empowers programmers of all levels.

Looking for an affordable way to manage and automate your well pads?

Opto 22 is excited to announce we've partnered with another leader in digital transformation and the oil and gas industry: Strata Innovative Solutions.

The Strata engineering teams bring a deep understanding of the process, agile engineering, and systems integration that speeds efficiencies and reduces costs. Strata’s advanced capabilities offer customers unique advantages with edge-to-cloud solutions that transform data into actionable information and deliver it at scale to the people who need it—anytime and anywhere—while keeping cybersecurity at the forefront.

Which is why their latest software offering, StrataVu, fits perfectly with the out-of-the-box cybersecure, industrial edge controller groov EPIC.

Welcome MAC Engineering & Automation as an IoT Certified OptoPartner.

Looking to get started with an Internet of Things (IoT) project or application? MAC Engineering & Automation can help. They just received IoT certification from Opto 22 engineers based on their success in applications using groov EPIC and RIO.

Opto 22's Southeast Regional Manager, Dan White, recently worked with the team from MAC and shared:

"MAC Automation's expertise in designing and implementing complex industrial automation solutions makes them a perfect fit as an OptoPartner. With a deep knowledge of control systems, robotics, and process optimization, MAC Automation can collaborate with Opto 22 to deliver more innovative solutions."

Hear from MAC Automation on how they can help you with your next project.

Can you maintain your business in the face of supply chain challenges and ransomware attacks? Join us for a resilience webinar.

You know it’s critical for manufacturers to be able to maintain business continuity in the face of operational challenges like these. When working with today's cloud and edge computing technologies, operational resilience is vital.

Join us as Opto 22’s Rene Gamero and tech partner 4IR Solutions CTO Joe Dolivo discuss this important topic in a new webinar presentation live streaming on March 30.

In this joint webinar, Joe and Rene will discuss common obstacles to achieving operational resilience and provide a live solution demo featuring FactoryStack and groov EPIC that demonstrates overcoming security, connectivity, and reliability challenges.

Learn about the challenges and opportunities of Industry 4.0 in this upcoming seminar in Colombia with Opto 22 partner and distributor Sincrón Diseño Electronico.

Now you can attend in person or livestream an educational event exploring the challenges and opportunities for today's businesses faced with digital transformation and implementing new IIoT technologies.

Learn about the tools and technology trends industry experts expect to shape IIoT this year in the Industrial Ethernet Book.

Have you downloaded your copy of the January/February issue of Industrial Ethernet Book yet? IEB kicks off each year with a Special Report, and this year's report focuses on what will be changing in the world of IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things).

Opto 22 engineer and Director of Business Development, Arun Sinha, was asked to provide his insight on the changes he anticipates for the IIoT and the industrial controls/automation industry.

See how system integrators in water/wastewater, natural gas production, and manufacturing leveraged MQTT and industrial edge devices to securely access and use key data.

If your goal is to get useful data from field devices and legacy systems, you’ve probably found that putting together an IIoT system is complicated, requiring many OT and IT devices, software, and protocols.

But these 3 real-world case studies show how two tools—the MQTT communications protocol and industrial edge devices—can simplify your IIoT project. 

Hear from Opto 22's Arun Sinha in the latest technology discussion on the Atlas Podcast.

What technologies are emerging in automation, and how can they help you with your projects? The Atlas Podcast focuses on answering these questions for the new year and beyond. 

The Atlas Podcast explores technology topics with hosts Martin Kelman and Alex Matheson. Released weekly, each episode interviews a special guest with expert insight into key areas of technology and industry.

Their latest episode features Opto 22's Director of Business Development, Arun Sinha, who shares his insights on the future of technology in our industry.

Join us for another episode of an IntegrateLive! virtual workshop showcasing Linux-based PLCs.

Have you attended any virtual workshops hosted by the IntegrateLive! community? The IL platform started earlier this year as a collaboration that aligns integrators, vendors, and end users. Each episode brings together "changemakers in automation" who show how open source technologies work well together.

The result? An integrated solution ecosystem that you can use to solve everyday industrial problems.

Opto 22 is once again participating in this month's live demo to show the capabilities of edge controllers like groov EPIC. We'll be joined by Phoenix Contact in this 8th episode of IntegrateLive, happening October 26th at 8:00 am PDT (11:00 am EDT). Register to attend.