According to ABI Research the increasing adoption of IoT within industrial settings will result in a substantial growth of the number of connected industrial devices, in particular industrial control devices like PLCs. The research firm estimates that over the period from 2014 to 2020, the number of connected industrial controllers will triple; growing at an average rate of 20%.
“Compared to the general-purpose conventional networks, industrial networks are characterized by a large variety of technologies and communication protocols, whose combination is determined by the requirements of the specific application they address,” comments Eugenio Pasqua, Research Analyst at ABI Research. “As a consequence, there is typically little interoperability with conventional networks, but also between different industrial networks. Sharing data among different facilities or with the higher levels of an enterprise remains a very challenging task within this context.”
The technological advances of the past decade are, however, slowly changing this. The diffusion of Ethernet and IP-based industrial protocols, as well as the improved intelligence of industrial devices, have reduced the differences between conventional and industrial networks. This enables an easier interconnection between enterprise IT applications and OT systems, including the industrial equipment and the associated software, such as SCADA. Firms like ABB, Siemens, Schneider Electric, and Rockwell Automation are among the major vendors helping industrial organizations in this technological shift.
“Through the adoption of IoT technologies, industrial organizations can make better use of the huge amount of data generated inside their facilities and extract more meaningful information. This allows a better vision of what happens along the whole supply chain, achieving better performance at lower operating costs and the ability to react faster to changes or issues.”As Pasqua concludes, “The number of potential benefits as well as the increasing pressure from the market are pushing industrial organizations towards this direction, and in the near future we will see more and more industrial facilities opening up their ‘silos’ and sharing their data with the higher levels of the enterprise, connecting their operational and business domains.”
These findings are from the Industrial Network Technologies and Control Systems: The Opportunities and Challenges for IoT Services and Platforms report, which is part of the M2M and IoT Platforms and Services Market Research.
ABI Research provides technology market research and technology intelligence for industry innovators. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.
About ABI Research
ABI Research is a global technology intelligence firm delivering actionable research and strategic guidance to technology leaders, innovators, and decision makers around the world. Our research focuses on the transformative technologies that are dramatically reshaping industries, economies, and workforces today.
ABI Research提供开创性的研究和战略指导,帮助客户了解日新月异的技术。 自1990年以来,我们已与全球数百个领先的技术品牌,尖端公司,具有远见的政府机构以及创新的贸易团体建立了合作关系。 我们帮助客户创造真实的业务成果。
For more information about ABI Research’s services, contact us at +1.516.624.2500 in the Americas, +44.203.326.0140 in Europe, +65.6592.0290 in Asia-Pacific, or visit www.abiresearch.com.
Americas: +1.516.624.2542
Europe: +44.(0).203.326.0142
Asia: +65 6950.5670