A Five-Phase Strategy for Embracing Industry 4.0 with Cisco

A Five-Phase Strategy for Embracing Industry 4.0 with Cisco

Embark on the Industry 4.0 revolution, where AI and ML supercharge automation and data analytics blend with robust cybersecurity and human-machine collaboration. Yet, this future is not without its trials, including elusive OT visibility, outdated systems, and neglected network security. Overcoming these hurdles demands a blend of tech innovation, organizational and process revamping, and skill development. Ready to take on the Fourth Industrial Revolution’s challenges and lead the charge? We focus on essential elements: robust…

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The network effect: The secret weapon for smart manufacturing

The network effect: The secret weapon for smart manufacturing

The Cisco team will be attending Hannover Messe next week, and we’re excited to network with our customers and industry leaders!  We’ll be exchanging ideas, learning about their needs, and showing them how Cisco Industrial IoT’s high-performance, secure networking portfolio can help them reach the full potential of Industry 4.0. I have the chance to meet with manufacturing customers every day. Lately, I have been hearing that they have built substantial operations over the years…

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Cisco Industrial IoT: Enabling the global acceleration of offshore wind

Cisco Industrial IoT: Enabling the global acceleration of offshore wind

Renewable energy technologies now form a key part of the modern electric grid. Most countries globally are investing in renewable energy generation to accelerate the move towards being carbon neutral. The following technologies are now considered mainstream and being deployed at some pace: Onshore and offshore wind Onshore solar farms Onshore battery storage Other renewable technologies are also being researched and developed (e.g. wave, tidal, other storage technologies), and we will start to see more…

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Delivering on the vision of a modern grid network that’s secure, simple, and scalable

Delivering on the vision of a modern grid network that’s secure, simple, and scalable

Electric utilities are undergoing a monumental shift towards grid modernization. With growing energy demands and the need to integrate sustainable energy sources, the industry is seeking enhanced reliability and efficiency. Key to this transformation is the modernization of the grid’s communication network to facilitate the flow of valuable data. A strategic and comprehensive approach is essential for effective grid modernization. At DISTRIBUTECH 2024 in Orlando, Florida, utilities voiced their concerns, highlighting the urgency to: Accelerate…

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Introducing Cisco Rail CBTC and Safety Solution

Introducing Cisco Rail CBTC and Safety Solution

This is the last episode of this CBTC blog series. In the last three posts, I have shared some key trends and challenges metro operators are facing, the adoption of CBTC and its associated benefits and implementation challenges, as well as Cisco’s approach to delivering a simplified, secured, and resilient onboard and trackside network. For this post, let’s reveal the complete Cisco Rail CBTC and Safety Solution. Standard based, redundant, and modular architecture A Data…

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Using SD-WAN for securing distributed renewable energy

Using SD-WAN for securing distributed renewable energy

Renewable energy is a rapidly growing segment of the energy industry. Technologies such as wind, solar, biomass, geothermal, and energy storage are now considered mainstream. However, all of these sites require secure connectivity to enable important remote monitoring and control. Renewable energy companies must connect an array of renewable energy assets spread across wide geographic areas. Many renewable asset operators also use public and private cloud-based applications, including SCADA. They need a network architecture that…

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Securing the power grid: Are you ready for NERC CIP’s upcoming mandate?

Securing the power grid: Are you ready for NERC CIP’s upcoming mandate?

A defense-in-depth strategy is one that protects organizations from attacks that bypass the first layer of security controls. It is a well understood concept, and one that has been adopted by most organizations over the years. However, until recently, the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC) presented a gap where regulation required securing the electronic security perimeter (ESP), but there were no further security controls beyond the network perimeter. If utilities followed NERC CIP, and…

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NIS2 compliance for industrial networks: Are you ready?

NIS2 compliance for industrial networks: Are you ready?

Since the European Union (EU) signed the second version of the Network and Information Security (NIS2) Directive in December 2022, there has been a real frenzy all around Europe about it. NIS2 is now on top of the priority lists of most European Chief Information Security Officers (CISO). But do you know what it is? And most importantly, should you be concerned? You probably have no choice but to comply with NIS2 The short answer…

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Digitizing the Physical World: Insights from Cisco Live Melbourne and the Industrial IoT Industry Summit

Digitizing the Physical World: Insights from Cisco Live Melbourne and the Industrial IoT Industry Summit

A few weeks ago, I attended Cisco Live Melbourne, and it was truly a pleasure to meet and connect with leaders, gain knowledge from customers, and hear speakers from various sectors. I had the wonderful opportunity to speak in an Innovation Talk session alongside one of our very own Industrial IoT (IIoT) customers, Joseph Ozdemir from Mineral Resources Limited. Mineral Resources is focused on innovation in four growth pillars – lithium, iron ore, energy, and…

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Cisco wins Manufacturing Solution of the Year award for integrating industrial security with networking

Cisco wins Manufacturing Solution of the Year award for integrating industrial security with networking

We are thrilled to announce that Cisco’s unified OT security and networking architecture is named “Smart Manufacturing Solution of the Year” in the 2024 IoT Breakthrough Awards. Industrial security can be a complex undertaking, and yet OT security is quintessential for modern Industrial IoT (IIoT) operations. IIoT systems generally contain a variety of interconnected systems and technologies, each with its own security needs. Some of these are older and not designed with modern security threats…

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