The Overlooked Value of Microsegmentation in OT Security
Scott Alldridge, CEO of IP Services, likens microsegmentation to a hotel experience. “You go to the front counter. You present your ID. They authenticate you,” he explains. “They give you a key card. You can go into the exercise center, sometimes a lounge, but you can’t go into other guest bedrooms or the back office. They’re really controlling for a point in time.” Controlling access case by case, he says, restricts “east-to-west” movement within a network. If a breach occurs, the intruder’s ability to move laterally is severely limited. And moving they are. According to The Hacker News, “over 70% of successful breaches involving attackers moving laterally.” This, they say, is causing “organizations to consider rethinking how they secure internal traffic.” Enter microsegmentation and zero trust. Microsegmentation Comes of Age Alongside Zero Trust A regular contributor to Forbes, Alldridge’s passion for technology hails from his high school days where he hid a Commodore 64 underneath his bed in case friends stopped by. At age 19, he started a software company, then reinvented network integration and IT security for MicroAge Inc., a company on the Fortune 500 list the final five years of the last century. Alldridge’s experience comes by way of deep learning through his IT Process Institute, a research organization that studies IT values. One of his chief findings: 70% to 80% of downtime correlates due to unauthorized change, the core battle zero trust is known to win. Microsegmentation, Alldridge points out, is central to zero trust, which takes a “never trust, always verify” approach to eliminating and reducing attacks. Before 2020, he says, perimeter-based security was widely adopted. By 2024, as Alldridge was making his final edits on his 468-page book “The Visible OPS Cybersecurity: Enhancing your Cybersecurity Posture with Practical Guidance” (more than 400,000 copies sold) zero trust was gaining broader adoption. Still, in OT environments, microsegmentation was sorely needed but not exactly wanted. Granular security in an environment requiring 24/7 uptime was perceived as complex and risky. Many industrial devices and systems were not designed with security in mind. Plus, there were legitimate barriers to contend with: the constraints of legacy equipment, patches bridging gaps with modern technology, increased number of devices, and an outdated assumption that operations are off the radar of dark actors. “And so what we’re learning is how to protect those systems,” he says. “Some are SCADA, they’re dated, and a lot of them don’t have the ability to put proper security in place. In a lot of the industrial applications of technology, they’re using third parties to use specific machines, from water pump monitoring devices to CNC machines that cut wood and cabinets to logging and tractors that are in the field. They haven’t thought about the security aspects. Much like we’ve made progress on the electrical grids and the dams and the municipalities to some degree, they’re still working on it, though.” A zero-trust approach, combined with microsegmentation, allows organizations to “apply policies and add procedures … to basically block access, make it impenetrable – unless you allow and open up access to a specific person, individual, a particular network point, or a particular workload or application,” he adds. Used with permission. All Rights Reserved. Microsegmentation Keeps AI in Check While AI has been around since the 1950s, it is now the go-to for many – from the curious retiree to employees using “shadow” AI to write emails and strategic plans to students looking for a good introduction for their research paper. In his Forbes article “How AI Isn’t Just Improving Attacks, But Making Them Continuous.” Alldridge warns of AI’s security risks with the same urgency as Paul Revere’s midnight ride. An excerpt from his article bears why: “By enforcing least privilege communication at the workload, application, and data layer, microsegmentation turns a single compromise into a contained incident instead of an enterprise-wide event. It doesn’t rely on signatures. It doesn’t wait for alerts. It simply makes movement impossible unless explicitly allowed. That’s the key shift: from detection-based defense to architectural containment. When microsegmentation is combined with zero-trust principles, attackers can still get in, but they can’t spread. And in the age of AI, stopping spread matters more than stopping entry.” Alldridge differentiates between generative AI (GenAI) and agentic AI, explaining that while GenAI is popular for creating content, agentic AI refers to intelligent agents capable of autonomous actions within networks. Agentic AI, he says, could identify vulnerabilities, such as open network ports or improperly protected application programming interfaces (APIs), and potentially exploit them. He points out that agentic AI can act quickly, communicating across the network to find and create new breaches or move laterally – that “east-to-west” direction mentioned earlier – within the network. Microsegmentation and zero-trust principles, which both reduce the attack surface and limit the blast radius, counteract AI-driven threats that can create more sophisticated cybersecurity problems. AI agents are “going to be very intelligent,” he explains. “They may see something is open over here and there’s some ports open on the network that should have been shut down on the firewall of the switch or whatever.” If AI sees an application like an API that’s not properly protected, an application interface, or a non-human interface, AI agents could communicate internally, educate themselves, and create a new breach or move quickly east to west along the network. If you think ambitious AI agents sound like science fiction, take a look at this example Alldridge shares. A midsize parts manufacturer recently implemented AI-driven production scheduling and supplier integration tools. In so doing, they exposed several APIs to connect their ERP system to logistics partners and automated warehouse robots. One weekend, an AI agent embedded in a compromised third-party vendor application began scanning internally. Not good. It detected an open management port on a network switch that had been left exposed after a firewall rule change during maintenance. It also found an internal API used for machine telemetry that lacked proper authentication between non-human service accounts. The rogue AI
IP Services Joins FreeWave Technologies Partner Program to Strengthen Security for Industrial IoT Operations
Strategic Partnership Combines FreeWave’s Zentry™ Security Solution with IP Services’ Industry-Leading Cybersecurity and Managed IT Services BOULDER, Colo. and EUGENE, Ore. – FEBRUARY 3, 2026 – FreeWave Technologies, Inc., a global leader in Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) solutions, today announced that IP Services has joined its Partner Program as a strategic technology partner. The collaboration brings together FreeWave’s Zentry™ security solution with IP Services’ fully managed cybersecurity and IT services to help organizations secure mission-critical remote industrial operations. As industrial environments become increasingly connected, organizations face growing cybersecurity risks across operational technology (OT) and remote assets. This partnership enables customers across energy, utilities, agriculture, manufacturing, and other critical industries to deploy secure, reliable connectivity supported by enterprise-grade cybersecurity, compliance, and IT operations management. FreeWave’s Zentry™ solution provides an operational zero-trust security overlay designed specifically for industrial networks. When combined with IP Services’ industry-leading cybersecurity expertise, proven operational methodology, and fully managed security services, organizations gain enhanced visibility, control, and protection across their remote operations. “We are excited to welcome IP Services to our Partner Program,” said Mike Tate, Chief Operating Officer and SVP of Sales and Marketing at FreeWave Technologies. “Their expertise in cybersecurity and managed IT services makes them an ideal partner for organizations that must protect remote industrial systems while maintaining reliability and compliance.” “Industrial systems are increasingly targeted by cyber threats,” said Scott Alldridge, CEO of IP Services. “By combining FreeWave’s industrial connectivity and security solutions with our managed cybersecurity services, organizations can confidently deploy remote monitoring and automation while maintaining strong security and operational discipline.” Together, FreeWave and IP Services deliver a comprehensive approach to securing industrial IoT environments; helping organizations reduce cyber risk, improve resilience, and protect critical infrastructure. For more information, visit www.freewave.com or www.ipservices.com About FreeWave TechnologiesBased in Boulder, Colorado, FreeWave Technologies has connected the unconnected for over 30 years with a reliable ecosystem of edge intelligent radios and solutions – manufactured in the United States – to optimize innovations for remote industrial operations. FreeWave is a global IoT full-solution manufacturer specializing in edge computing devices and applications, now leading in Operational Zero Trust providing robust zero-trust based Zentry™ security overlay to protect networks as well as the assets within them. With hundreds of thousands of industrial radios deployed worldwide, FreeWave serves customers across energy, utilities, agriculture, government, water/wastewater, and other critical industries. FreeWave’s solutions are designed to perform in near-impossible conditions, delivering secure, reliable connectivity and data access organizations need to drive informed business decisions. For more information, visit www.freewave.com About IP ServicesFounded in 2001 and headquarters are based in Eugene, Oregon, IP Services is an industry leader in cybersecurity as a MSSO (Managed Services Security Provider) we specialize in protecting business-critical systems and applications. IP Services delivers leading edge full stack cyber technologies and AI cyber solutions based on Zero Trust principles. IP Services cybersecurity and managed solutions are integrated with our 24X7 SOC services. From our patented penetration testing services to our privately owned Tier III – SOC 2 Type II audited datacenter that hosts our private and hybrid cloud solutions and our infrastructure management systems, disaster recovery services to keep our clients operating in high-risk and regulated environments. IP Services is a co-founder of the IT Process Institute (ITPI) and creator of the VisibleOps® methodology book series that has sold over 350,000 copies and the Visible Ops Cybersecurity book is an Amazon bestseller. Visible Ops is a widely adopted framework for IT and operational excellence. With more than two decades of experience serving organizations nationwide, IP Services helps clients reduce risk, improve resilience, and transform IT and security into strategic business advantages. For more information, visit www.ipservices.com Media Contacts: FreeWave Technologies Sue Moore 303.381.9205 [email protected] IP Services Chris Butler 866.699.6095 [email protected]
FreeWave Technologies Welcomes Cybersecurity and AI Industry Specialist to Lead Security Offerings
November 12, 2025 – Boulder, CO FreeWave Technologies, Boulder, CO is pleased to announce that Andrew Livingston has joined the team as Senior Solution Sales Engineer. This strategic hire underscores FreeWave’s commitment to expanding its market presence and delivering enhanced Industrial edge security solutions, like its FreeWave Zentry™ zero-trust based offering to customers worldwide. Andrew will leverage his advanced knowledge and expertise to help organizations increase their network security with Zentry while securing their infrastructure assets. His appointment comes at a pivotal time as industries increasingly recognize the critical importance of robust security measures for connected industrial systems. “We are thrilled to welcome Andrew to the FreeWave team,” said Michael Tate, COO and SVP of sales and marketing. “His unique combination of cybersecurity and artificial intelligence expertise along with his technical solution understanding positions him perfectly to help our customers navigate the complex security landscape. As industrial connectivity continues to expand globally, having leaders like Andrew on our team ensures we can deliver the sophisticated, secure solutions our customers demand.” Andrew brings more than a decade of deep experience in governance, risk, and compliance (GRC) and data security posture management (DSPM), with a proven track record in turning complex cybersecurity frameworks into measurable business outcomes. His educational background includes a Master of Science in Artificial Intelligence and a Master of Science in Project Management, providing him with both the technical depth and strategic perspective necessary to address today’s industrial security challenges. The FreeWave Zentry solution creates an invisible security layer that eliminates the attack surface. Embedded in the Elements™ ES1000 Zentry security provides just-in-time connections to only those access requests that are authorized. This reduces operational risks, cuts license costs and meets Zero Trust mandates (CISA/NIST) with a single solution. Together, they create a temporary, invisible, and secure link that vanishes once the task is complete, leaving no doors open. FreeWave Technologies continues to lead the industry in helping critical infrastructure automate and connect securely at the edge by providing critical data and connectivity solutions for industrial applications. Andrew’s addition to the team reinforces the company’s position as a trusted partner for organizations seeking to securely connect and monitor their critical infrastructure. About FreeWave Technologies FreeWave continues to transform industrial communication with more than 30 years of proven, proprietary radio technology deployed in the world’s most demanding environments. We deliver open-standards wireless networks, AI-powered edge applications, and an integrated cloud platform that’s secured by FreeWave Zentry zero trust architecture. From traditional telemetry to advanced edge AI and autonomous systems, FreeWave empowers you to secure the entire data lifecycle, from collection to monetization. Backed by a strong IP portfolio and global partnerships, we’re built for the future of industrial intelligence Contact: Sue MooreVP of MarketingFreeWave [email protected]
FreeWave Technologies Unveils Zentry™: Enhancing Secure Connectivity for Industrial IoT with Zero Trust Architecture
June 27, 2025 – Boulder, CO FreeWave Technologies, a leader in industrial IoT connectivity, announces the launch of Zentry™, a robust zero trust security solution designed to strengthen edge asset connectivity. Available as an embedded feature within FreeWave’s Elements® ES1000 portfolio or as a standalone solution, Zentry delivers advanced cybersecurity for industrial and enterprise IoT networks, addressing rising threats like endpoint vulnerabilities, system disruptions, and data breaches. Built on the “never trust, always verify” principle, Zentry uses zero trust architecture to secure networks of any size or complexity. Unlike traditional perimeter-based defenses, Zentry authenticates every user and device at every connection point, reducing vulnerabilities and containing potential threats with precision. “Zentry shifts cybersecurity from reactive to proactive,” said Richard Reisbick, CTO of FreeWave Technologies. “Imagine a fortress where every entry requires real-time verification. If a threat emerges, it’s isolated instantly, unable to spread. Zentry assumes risks are ever-present and stops them effectively, enabling businesses to operate securely in today’s challenging digital landscape.” Key Features of Zentry Zentry provides practical, scalable, and user-friendly security tailored for industrial IoT environments: Never Trust, Always Verify: Every access request undergoes strict authentication, ensuring no user or device bypasses scrutiny, whether inside or outside the network. Least-Privilege Access: Permissions are dynamically assigned and monitored, granting only the minimum access needed to prevent unauthorized actions. Microsegmentation: Networks are divided into secure, isolated zones, containing breaches and minimizing their impact on critical operations. Streamlined Management with Zentry Console The Zentry Console, integrated into the FreeWave Data Platform, offers clear visibility and control over Zentry-protected devices. Key capabilities include: Real-Time Device Management: Revoke credentials or adjust permissions instantly from anywhere. Custom Device Identification: Define devices with tailored naming conventions for improved clarity and control. Permission-Based Triggers: Automate and customize management actions to meet your organization’s specific needs. Zentry integrates seamlessly with external Identity Providers (IdPs) and JWT systems, supporting “zero touch” deployments and compatibility with existing identity frameworks. By authenticating connections before they reach the network’s Policy Enforcement Point (PEP), Zentry neutralizes traditional attack vectors, ensuring strong protection for distributed assets. Addressing Critical Cybersecurity Needs Zentry arrives at a crucial time. Industrial control systems face increasing cyberattacks, with potential losses in millions per incident. The European Union’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA) mandates strict cybersecurity for connected devices, while the U.S. Department of Defense targets full zero trust adoption by 2027 across 16 critical infrastructure sectors, including energy, utilities, and agriculture, all key markets for FreeWave. “Cyber threats are a daily reality,” Reisbick noted. “Zentry enables organizations to meet regulatory requirements, protect critical operations, and stay resilient in a connected world.” Strengthened by Strategic Partnerships In collaboration with NetFoundry and Keyfactor, FreeWave has tailored Zentry to deliver edge-optimized security for remote networks with distributed assets. This partnership ensures Zentry is a scalable, reliable solution for industries like energy, agriculture, and defense, where secure connectivity is essential. Why Choose Freewave Zentry for your Remote Networks? Robust Security: Protect your IoT ecosystem with a zero trust framework that adapts to modern threats. Seamless Integration: Leverage existing infrastructure for quick deployment and minimal disruption. Scalable for Any Network: From small operations to global enterprises, Zentry delivers tailored security without complexity. Regulatory Compliance: Meet requirements with confidence. About FreeWave TechnologiesWith more than 30 years of expertise, FreeWave Technologies is a global leader in industrial IoT solutions, delivering reliable, secure connectivity for mission-critical applications. From energy to agriculture to defense, FreeWave enables industries to succeed in the digital era with advanced technology and deep expertise. Contact: Sue MooreVP of MarketingFreeWave [email protected]
FreeWave Launches Elements® ES1000 with FreeWave Zentry™ Powered by Zero Trust: Solving Secure Remote Networks
June 27, 2025 – Boulder, CO – FreeWave Technologies, Inc. is changing the dynamic of remote network security with the launch of its Elements ES1000 networking device powered by the FreeWave Zentry, zero trust framework. This combination eliminates the vulnerabilities of static IP addresses, delivering unparalleled security and seamless connectivity for critical infrastructure operations. Designed to protect and secure remote assets, the ES1000 with Zentry sets a new standard for IIoT network security, addressing the evolving needs of field crews, IT/OT managers, and C-suite leaders. A single breach can lead to compromised data or devastating and expensive downtime, risking regulatory penalties and damage. Traditional solutions like firewalls or VPNs fail to fully mitigate these risks, as static IPs remain discoverable and exploitable, especially in distributed ecosystems with aging equipment. FreeWave’s solution makes networks essentially invisible to the world while also simplifying how companies setup remote connections. The ES1000 is a rugged networking device and cellular gateway with an embedded zero trust framework that strengthens your network’s security. By enforcing continuous authentication, microsegmentation, and end-to-end encryption, it ensures that every network connection, whether to a pump, valve, robot, sensor, or PLC, is verified and isolated, eliminating the need for static IPs altogether. Data never touches the public internet, and granular access controls prevent lateral movement. This approach aligns with stringent standards like NIST 800-207, IEC 62443, and NERC CIP, ensuring compliance without complexity. Key Features and Benefits of the new FreeWave solution Simplified Management: FreeWave Zentry Console on the FreeWave Data Portal provides a single-pane-of-glass for real-time management, visibility and control of connected devices further optimizing operations. The ability to define devices with custom naming conventions takes IP or device ID differentiation one step further. Embedded Zero Trust Security: Continuous verification and micro-segmentation lock down every endpoint, eliminating static IP exposure and reducing breach risks. Optimized for the Edge: FreeWave designed this combined solution to work in remote locations with heavy intelligent edge-compute requirements. Unlike other solutions, the ES1000 with Zentry provides robust, rugged and reliable connectivity in the harshest environments. Global Connectivity: A single global SIM with automatic carrier switching ensures reliable, cost-effective, low-latency connections for fixed and mobile assets, from rural oil fields to urban grids. Rugged Reliability: Built for harsh environments (-20°C to 70°C), the ES1000 delivers reliability and edge-computer power with quad-core A53 hardware for compute-intensive applications. The ES1000 with Zentry has already proven its value in real-world applications. An operations director at a leading energy firm shared that they, “put the device through the rigors in several different environments and various applications and, it just works.” Steve Wulchin, CEO of FreeWave Technologies, emphasized the strategic impact: “In an era where cyber threats target static IPs and disrupt critical operations, the ES1000 and Zentry deliver a fortress-like solution that empowers industries to scale securely and efficiently. This is more than a product, it’s a commitment to protecting our customers’ critical infrastructure and assets from the field or the boardroom.” FreeWave Technologies has set a new benchmark in IIoT security and connectivity with the launch of the Elements ES1000 device. By eliminating the long-standing vulnerabilities of static IP addresses, this innovative solution delivers robust, end-to-end protection and seamless global connectivity for industries reliant on remote operations. About FreeWave Technologies Headquartered in Boulder, Colorado, FreeWave Technologies has been a pioneer in industrial wireless solutions for over 30 years. Committed to delivering reliable, secure, and innovative connectivity, FreeWave empowers industries to optimize operations and drive efficiency through advanced IoT solutions. Contact: Sue MooreVP of MarketingFreeWave [email protected] FreeWave Elements® ES1000 Copyright FreeWave Technologies. Use prohibited without permission.
Injecting Agility and Automation at the Well Pad
Small-to-medium-sized oil and gas companies understand what it takes to be agile. They must survive and thrive in an industry led by giant producers. While no recipe to success is the same, the smaller players need to maximize production while simultaneously keeping costs down if they want to compete in the market. By adopting technology solutions that will make them agile and effective, these organizations can secure fast and significant ROI, while meeting production and operations demands. However, technology selection in a constantly changing landscape is murky at best. Take an operations manager at a small oil and gas company, for example. They are likely tasked with ensuring that operations are running smoothly at the wellhead while delivering critical data back to the business office in real time. It seems simple enough, but the operator is probably facing constant pressure to provide insights into their production sites and new solutions for operational efficiencies. At the same time, the IT team wants monitoring at the well pad 24/7/365, and they want to access that data whenever they please from anywhere. Perhaps, they have attempted to tack on several different technology solutions to help provide said data – but the new demands require a more sophisticated approach. The pressure is on to find a way to optimize data collection, monitoring and control of the assets in the field (including the communications network) or the company won’t be able to compete with the “always on” oil and gas producers. The good news is that there is hope. There are programmable wireless communication solutions for the well pad that are available today. With a little research, it is possible to find a rugged, easy to use solution that will deliver massive ROI. What Does Well Pad Automation Look Like? In modern oil and gas operations, well pad automation builds analytics and intelligence into the wellhead environment. This takes a step beyond traditional communications because it enables intelligent applications and programmability that establish an advanced operating environment. Automation can also present the opportunity for predictive analytics, remote command and control, new protocol translations, and modern cloud-based services at the wellhead. Automation helps an operator streamline their job and provides the IT decision makers with data that helps them understand daily operations. Automation technology makes this possible by powering data transmission, improving data quality and enabling intelligent data analysis. The oil and gas company then has the power to make informed decisions that drive higher production outputs, with ROI often achieved in a matter of months, along with substantially lower CAPEX. Bringing an Automated Monitoring System All Under One Roof The financial and business benefits of industrial automation are clear, however selecting technology solutions can be challenging. Operations managers need a wireless communication solution that can support next generation of well pad automation needs. The solution must include a combination of data monitoring, logic execution and data visualization. This is especially beneficial at the well pad sites that are remote and isolated. The big advantage today is that these decision makers are no longer limited to disparate technology solutions: Wi-Fi Automated Monitoring Systems establish Wi-Fi at the wellhead to enable voice, video, sensor data access and perimeter security. They can also leverage Wi-Fi for rapid maintenance across the wellhead, saving maintenance staff hours of time. Instead of driving to the remote wellhead, they are now troubleshooting issues from a truck or office. Wi-Fi also supports the collection of information from RFID devices and wearable devices designed to protect workers in the field. FHSS When the Wi-Fi is bridged with a Radio Frequency (RF) solution, particularly Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, the data can then be collected from tank farms, PLCs, and sensors on the well and within the well. The wireless intelligence that is located on the devices in the sensor network, enables local execution on the RF devices, which supports data storage or data collection and analysis. Through cloud-based services, the data can be published globally, allowing mobile access from virtually anywhere. Additionally, an automated monitoring system may enable wireless telemetry in hazardous environments through modular wireless I/O solutions that leverage sensors to monitor specific points along the wellhead. Programmability With built in programmability on top of Wi-Fi and RF technology, the automated monitoring system is not only optimizes today’s operations, but it prepares the organization for the future as industries shift towards digital technology and total connectivity. For example, an engineer can write a simple application using open source technologies like Node-RED and Python that will display a dashboard of real-time data from the well pad as it collects information from sensors. The organization could also automate tank-level monitoring by developing or leveraging a third-party application to monitor water levels in the remote tanks from the cloud – which would then be accessible anywhere with a wireless internet connection. Benefits that Stretch Beyond ROI Automation at the well pad not only leads to ROI through wireless automated monitoring and control, but it has the power to transform operations and streamline production. When a small-to-medium-sized oil and gas producer leverages automation, they can make highly intelligent decisions through the technology features that enable enhanced monitoring, logic execution and visualization. They can also leverage these solutions to create a more secure operating environment and communications network. These solutions note only benefit the operators today, but they prepare them for future technology needs.
FreeWave Blog Series: The Intelligent Edge (Part 4)
The Internet of Things (IoT) has changed the consumer world in ways no one ever imagined. By placing intelligence in the IoT network, the “Thing” can do whatever we want it to do. Now Industrial companies are seeking to take advantage of this edge-deployed intelligence in order to maximize profits, improve safety and streamline operations. In addition to the challenges IoT technology had to overcome – such as cybersecurity, scalability and interoperability – Industrial IoT (IIoT) must also focus on reliability, ruggedness and more. FreeWave is uniquely positioned to understand and address all of these challenges. We have delivered world class IIoT platforms for almost 25 years to thousands of industrial and unmanned systems customers. With that experience, we’re now leading the charge to deploy intelligent applications at the edge of industrial networks and unmanned systems. In the fourth installment of “The Intelligent Edge,” we spoke with Helen Xi, a senior firmware engineer at FreeWave who specializes in high-speed wireless LAN performance, to talk about the use of broadband in the IIoT, as well as FreeWave’s industrial Wi-Fi platform, the WavePro. Read parts one, two and three. FreeWave: Can you talk a little bit about the WavePro platform and where it fits into what you work on at FreeWave? Helen Xi: In our company, the radios mostly operate in the narrowband frequencies, however WavePro is a broadband Wi-Fi system. It’s important for us to have this Wi-Fi system because nowadays there are so many Wi-Fi clients. It’s on every mobile phone, in every laptop, in every household. It’s everywhere. You can’t avoid it. When we have this Wi-Fi product, we can provide a whole communication system to customers. It’s easier for us to integrate them together to make sure they work from our Wi-Fi system to our narrowband radios. Our WavePro product has many features. If you compare it with the industry competitors, they have multiple products and models that meet customers’ specific needs. If you want to provide a long-distance point-to-point link and you buy this model, and you want their system to provide Wi-Fi local coverage, then you must buy another model. WavePro integrates all these features together in a single product, and we can do long-distance point-to-point link, local Wi-Fi coverage and mesh. It can have different clients while providing a backhaul communications in a remote area. FreeWave: Walking back a little bit on some of what you just talked about, one of the things that we’ve been discussing is the transition from traditional RF technology into technology that requires higher bandwidth to transmit bigger data packets in real time and run analytics at the Edge. With WavePro, what I’m wondering is when you talk to clients, what is their number-one priority with this technology? Are they trying to update existing systems or are they wanting to implement entirely new systems? And how important is the broadband aspect? Helen Xi: I think both. Let’s say they want to upgrade an older system. Let me give you an example: nowadays because there are so many Wi-Fi clients, Wi-Fi chips are so well-known, and more sensors have Wi-Fi client chips inside them. If we put our WavePro in the field, it can work as an access point (AP) to talk to these sensors. By the way, our product is an outdoor unit. It’s waterproof IP67. IP67 means you can immerse it underneath water. It has the same industrial-temperature range as our other narrowband radios. It goes from minus-40 up to 70 Celsius. It also has surge protectors from lightening. So, you can safely put it outdoors. If you buy a home Wi-Fi router, say from Netgear, you probably do not want to put it outside. FreeWave: And why is that element important? Helen Xi: Because a lot of our customers use it outdoors. For example, in North Dakota, it’s very cold. It can be minus-20 Celsius. I think you can imagine what happens to your iPhone during winter when you go skiing – it goes dead. Our radios don’t do that. You put it outdoors, on the oil-gas fields where it goes from winter to summer – as cold as North Dakota, as hot as Texas in the deserts – and it’s working well. That’s why the temperature requirement is important. FreeWave: When you’re talking about application examples, where else are you seeing this technology deployed? Helen Xi: It can be used in many areas of the Industrial IoT. For example, we have a utility company that uses WavePros to control large quantities of air conditioners on the roof of two apartment buildings. Each air conditioner has a 2.4GHz Wi-Fi chip in it. They all connect to WavePros on 2.4GHz. One WavePro (we call it “master”) is connected to the utility company’s network. The other three WavePros (we call “slave”) connect to the master WavePro on 5GHz. When the utility company needs to send command to air conditions, it first goes to the master WavePro; the master WavePro passes on its 5GHz to the other slave WavePros; then, the slave WavePros transmit on 2.4GHz to each air conditioner. FreeWave: What do you envision being the trend of the future with regard to Industrial IoT communications? Is it all headed toward broadband? Or do you think that there will still be a balance between that and cellular and RF? Helen Xi: This is a very good question. I believe it will be a combination. I want to elaborate why I think narrowband is still very important where people seem to only be talking about gigabits. Wireless as a resource is very valuable – every Hz (hertz) is valuable. When you are using a frequency band at this location at this instant, other people cannot use it. You are noise to other people. Plus, not every Hz is free to use. In IoT, we’re mostely using unlicensed band that you don’t need to pay a fee to the FCC to use as long as you follow rules. There are only
IoT News Roundup: Where is IoT headed?
The holiday season is fast-approaching and it seems there’s always a never-ending list of tasks that need to be completed every year. Just like the holiday checklist, tech in the IoT space seems to be ever-changing and expanding. As tech leaders and innovators we understand that life is hectic and unpredictable, but to make sure you don’t miss a beat, check out this week’s line-up for news in the IoT industry. Previously, we explored “How IoT is Saving Lives” when two massive natural disasters struck the U.S. In this post, we’ll ask the question, what’s next for the world of IoT/IIoT? Take a look at some of the top stories from the past couple of weeks: Forrester predicts what’s next for IoT In this recent post from @NetworkWorld about Forrester Research’s predictions post, Fredric Paul, @TheFreditor, asks the question on many people’s minds: Where is IoT headed? Among many points Paul makes in his article, one points out how IoT is likely to become more specialized in the coming year, moving away from generic hardware and software into platforms designed for specific industries. So-called “design and operate scenarios” will let IoT developers focus on the attributes that matter most to their own industries and use cases. Smart networks must evolve for mission-critical environments From @embedded_comp, Michael Ulch explains how the IoT industry has been flooded with advances in smart home automation, self-monitoring appliances, and connected security systems. All of these facets are important for the IoT existence but Ulch asks the same question as other reporters: what is next for IoT? Ulch believes that some of the greatest potential of the IoT is in the industrial and manufacturing realm, where Industrial IoT (IIoT) has the promise to monitor systems for preventative maintenance and boost energy efficiency and workplace productivity. However, Ulch says, successfully scaling from the smart home to the smart factory will require overcoming a number of technical challenges. How manufacturers are benefitting from the IoT revolution In this @NetworkWorld article by Majid Ahmed, it’s made clear that few people stand to benefit more from the IoT revolution than today’s manufacturers. Ahmed states in his article that whether it’s harnessing the power of data and metadata to make wiser decisions, or developing new and more efficient technologies capable of saving energy cost, the IoT is fundamentally reshaping how manufacturers produce the goods we use in our everyday lives. Businesses not aware of IoT issues This article from @techradar by @maxcooter briefly starts off by referencing an article from January, 10 surprising trends in the IoT for 2017, then Cooter continues, stating that Cradlepoint survey finds lots of interest in technology deployment but lack of security awareness. Cooter points out that, from these findings, IoT-using companies should be prepared to have a thorough overhaul of its infrastructure before deploying the technology. Despite the serious concerns about security, most are not having a second thought about rolling out IoT. Will this security breach take down most companies? Time will tell. The Industrial Internet of Things is Here to Stay In this article from @cbronline (Computer Business Review), author David Stain discusses how manufacturers are welcoming in a new era of productivity by enhancing Industry 4.0. The IIoT is at the heart of this transformation. Stain explores how a company’s success is often linked to its efficiency, hence visibility, across the plant floor, and how extending into the supply chain is a necessity. To keep pace with this competitive environment and the ever-increasing customer demands, every stage of the manufacturing process is facing the digital revolution. Final Thoughts: Virtually all industries and workers are benefitting from the technological revolution brought about by the inception and ensuring growth of IoT. Every industry does need to be cautious of the security threats that IoT comes with. Knowing this, we will still continue to see the growth for IoT especially in the manufacturing and Industrial industries. Be sure to stay tuned to our blog for the latest industry news and to read more about our own insights into some of these major trends.
Four Ways to Optimize Your Operations for IIoT
The phrase, “the future is here,” is overused and has evolved into a catchphrase for companies struggling to position themselves in times of technological or digital transformations. Still, the sentiment is understood, especially in times like today, where the Internet of Things is quite literally changing the way we think about hardware and software. We’d like to offer an addendum to the phrase: “The future is here more quickly than we thought it would be.” Digital transformation, increased computing ability, smart hardware and the growth of connectivity capabilities created a perfect storm of accelerated industry, and many were left scrambling to sift through the large amounts of information and solutions available. With that in mind, we wanted to provide some advice for companies across the industrial sector for the best ways to optimize operations for the Industrial IoT. 1) Upgrade your network and throughput capabilities. Nothing can kill the ROI of automated processes more quickly than the literal inability to function. It’s important to understand that as you upgrade machinery and invest in the software to run it all, those systems demand greater bandwidth in order to effectively utilize the big data and analytics capabilities. Several options exist, but for most companies some combination of industrial-strength broadband (WiFi), narrow-band, cellular and RF communications will create the most effective network for the needs. 2) Invest in smart hardware. This may seem like a no-brainer, and really, in the not-too-distant future, you may not even have a choice, but the shift toward Fog Computing is gaining momentum and being able to run decentralized computing between hardware and the Cloud can not only create greater operational efficiency, but it can also allow your data transmission to run more smoothly as well. The beauty of a Fog Computing system is that it allows a greater number of devices to transmit smaller data packets, which frees up bandwidth and speeds real-time data analytics. The core of this lies in the smart hardware. 3) Be proactive about application development. Smart hardware means that it has the ability to host applications designed specifically for your needs. Previously, many companies shied away from app development because it required highly skilled developers and devices capable of hosting those apps – a combination that wasn’t readily available. Today, the scene has changed. With the rise of Node-RED, it is much easier today to create proprietary applications without a computer engineering degree, and any company serious about leveraging IIoT technology needs to be able to to use the full scope of its data. 4) Secure your communications. There isn’t much more to be said about the importance of cybersecurity. If the last few years of massive data breaches haven’t rung alarm bells, then you aren’t paying attention. Cybersecurity today is a multi-layered need. Most companies building smart hardware are beginning to build encryption directly into the devices. But, since many companies use Cloud applications for computing and analytics, it is important to invest in strong security measures at that level as well. Unfortunately, the sophistication of cyber-attacks are only going to increase, along with the increase in importance of the data needing to be protected. It pays to be paranoid and act accordingly.
Know Before You Buy: How to Find Secure IoT Devices
As the number of IoT devices skyrockets, we are seeing the amazing powers of connected networks. Businesses are able to transform as they approach operations with smart, informed decisions. In the industrial sectors, IT decision makers have visibility into the OT networks and are now able to execute logic locally at the edge devices and transport critical data globally – enabling intelligent command and control of the network. We are starting to see glimpses of a connected world we never knew possible just a few years ago. As adoption of IoT rapidly expands, the Achilles Heel of these devices continues to be security – at least in the minds of end-users and consumers. A Recent report circulating around IoT news outlets states that 90 percent of consumers lack confidence in the security of IoT devices. Yet more than half of these consumers own one or more IoT devices. The report, based on a survey conducted by Gemalto, revealed other concerning and somewhat astonishing statistics that have been reported in recent articles, including: 60 percent of respondents say their main fear is hackers taking control of their devices. 54 percent are concerned about personal information being accessed. 54 percent of the consumers surveyed said they own an IoT device but only 14 percent said they knew enough about how to protect it. Only 11 percent of manufacturers and service providers total IoT budget is spent on securing devices. Two thirds of organizations use encryption as their main means of security, with 62 percent encrypting data as soon as it hits the device and 59 percent as it leaves it. Only 50 percent of IoT companies have adopted a security-by-design approach. 92 percent of companies reported an increase in sales or product usage after devices have been made more secure, demonstrating a link between security and adoption 61 percent of businesses said regulation needs to be greater to specify who is responsible for security and data at each stage of its journey. 55 percent said safeguards are needed for ensuring non-compliance with security. 86 percent of businesses and 90 percent of consumers believe governments should handle regulation of the sector. Smart Device Selection Despite security concerns, adoption of IoT devices continues to rapidly expand. For industrial IoT (IIoT) networks, future business success is going to depend on connecting those edge networks in order optimize operations, drive production, reduce downtime, and create a safer work environment. When decision makers choose the IoT devices that will be deployed in their networks, it is critical to find products that meet the security and operating standards of the business. This can be determined through a careful evaluation of options. Are you looking to purchase IoT devices for your IIoT network? Consider carefully reviewing and answering these questions before you make your decision: What are your requirements? Must haves versus Nice to haves? Are there any regulatory considerations? What is the M2M communications technology controlling or automating? Is it essential that it operates without failure? What data is being collected and/or transmitted with this technology? Is it time sensitive and/or mission critical? What technology solutions have a proven track record for the applications being served? What external factors might impact the reliable transmission and receipt of critical data from one point to another? How does this M2M communications technology address challenges such as data encryption, network access control and signal interference? Can the vendor describe the security mechanisms? Can you understand them? Will this be secure even if everyone knows the security measures? (The right answer is yes, otherwise keep looking) Do we need this technology solution to be fail-safe, in order to prevent or eliminate catastrophic damage from occurring? What are the threat vectors I’m most concerned about? Is cyber security or physical security a greater concern for this deployment? What vulnerabilities have the Information Security community identified in the type or category of IIoT equipment I use? What is the right tradeoff between features, ease of use and security for my installation? Do I have a testing or evaluation plan in place? What ongoing improvements do I expect? While device security is going to be a lingering concern – especially as the lines between the IT and OT networks blur – companies have the power to prioritize security in their networks and make informed decisions when it comes to selecting their devices. Until there are more government guidelines in place, it is up to the IIoT decision maker to find these options in their quest for connectivity.