Cloud systems in production – How does that work?

Table of Contents

Data transfer and latencies

Cyber risks

The Status Quo

Laying the foundations

Clear advantages

Conclusion

Production systems and machines depend on timely responses when production is started or decisions have to be made. To name an example, the data required for the next production order, including all the corresponsing details, has to be constantly provided. If it is not available at the right time, production cannot start and delays occur.

The same applies when the warehouse flow requires information about releases or transport destinations. If the necessary information cannot be accessed, there will be delays, leading to inefficiency. This is a real risk, as is the risk that the connection to a cloud system may be temporarily unavailable, even with today’s very good network infrastructures.

But is this a reason that makes the use of cloud systems in production unattractive? Definitely not.

When using a cloud system for production, there should always be a so-called edge component. In this case, „edge“ refers to the local production network (see also edge computing). The edge component therefore operates directly in the local network.

Edge components or „edge nodes“ are in constant communication with the cloud system, perform important buffering functions and execute logical operations locally that do not allow for any latency. They thus ensure the necessary availability, even in the event of brief connection problems to the WAN.

Thinking of the cloud, the topic of cybersecurity inevitably comes to mind. Cyber risks are real and it is advisable to be aware of them at all times and to carry out a risk assessment.

However, this applies equally to on-premise software systems and to cloud systems. The cyber risks for on-premise systems have become apparent on numerous occasions in recent years, when major production plants were shut down almost completely by ransomware. Yet, security incidents have also been reported with regards to cloud systems.

What does this mean for the use of cloud systems in production? The most important security criteria for production are:

• Availability (24/7 uptime)
• Protection against unauthorised access
• Data security for production secrets

These criteria apply both on-premises and in the cloud.

When operating cloud systems, there is a decisive advantage. A security concept for an on-premise system must be developed completely by the company itself and maintained under its own responsibility during production.

In contrast, many professional cloud systems are based on extensively tested and very well maintained security structures, which together offer significantly higher security.

One example is the security concept of our manubes platform, which is based on five pillars, including infrastructure security and protection against unauthorised access.

The use of a cloud solution thus enables companies to delegate a large part of their security responsibilities to specialised cloud operators. And in many cases, these cloud operators can draw on more extensive resources and expertise in the area of cyber security.

The software systems used in production are, for the most part, not yet cloud-based. Due to concerns, migration is only taking place slowly, but it is nevertheless clearly noticeable. Many companies already use the cloud extensively in the IT sector and have fully outsourced administrative processes, ERP and office applications to the cloud.

This shows the already high level of trust in cloud security, as there are high demands in terms of data security due to the sensitive data involved in the examples above. But there are also areas in production management that are already migrating more and more to the cloud. Among these, quality assurance systems, asset management systems and data analysis systems are strongly represented. A trend towards the cloud is clearly noticeable.

From an IT perspective, production has historically been a heavily protected area in many companies. Due to the large number of sensitive machines and data and because of the very heterogeneous device landscape, production networks have always been particularly isolated. Up to and including the complete physical separation from other networks.

In the context of Industry 4.0, a paradigm shift has already taken place and interfaces have been created between the production network (OT) and the IT network. These interfaces are the only way to achieve IT/OT integration, which then enables data exchange between systems for Industry 4.0 processes.

IT/OT integration serves as the basis for the use of cloud systems, and the next step must be taken from there. The „edge environment“ can establish the connection to the cloud system via the edge nodes already mentioned.

Since this is done via a so-called “outbound” connection, i.e. actively from the protected network to the cloud system, this next big step meets modern security standards.

No system is allowed to establish a connection from the outside into the network. However, the edge node needs to be authorised to communicate with the internet. This is new for a production component, but it is essential in the context of cloud migration and will become common practice over time.

But why move your production software to the cloud when migration requires such fundamental changes? The key advantages of cloud platforms are apparent and already well known and appreciated in the IT world:

Resource-efficient: On the production side, only the hardware for the edge nodes is needed, which is small, redundant and flexible. Large servers, including server rooms and everything that goes with them (redundant networks, power supplies, access systems, fire extinguishing systems, etc.) are no longer necessary.

Reliability: Data centres, where cloud systems are operated, offer high levels of reliability, as they are designed and tested for exactly this purpose.

Staging: Staging means that systems are available in different versions, e.g. a test system and a productive system. In cloud systems, this is often implemented directly in the software. In on-premise systems on the other hand, such a strategy has to be built and then requires corresponding resources and efforts, which companies often shy away from. However, staging is extremely important for operational reliability, so that changes to the production software do not have to be made during live operation, which can quickly lead to downtime.

Access from anywhere: Of course, being able to access the production system from anywhere in the world is a major advantage. Thanks to the high availability of cloud systems, production processes running 24/7 can also be monitored and controlled 24/7 from anywhere.

While cloud systems and software-as-a-service products are increasingly finding their way into industrial production, it is still too early to speak of normality. Yet, the trend is clearly moving in this direction, driven by key advantages in terms of flexibility, scalability and data access. Companies must carefully address the challenges involved, particularly in the area of cybersecurity.