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.
FreeWave Blog Series: The Intelligent Edge
Part 1: Novice App Dev – A Q&A with Greg Corey from FreeWave 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 second installment of “The Intelligent Edge,” we sat down with Greg Corey, FreeWave systems engineer, to talk about his new app – ZumDash – and the future of app development of the Internet of Things. FreeWave: Can you talk about how you got involved in IoT app development and what that means from an Industrial IoT perspective? Greg: I got involved with IoT app development when we [FreeWave] started the ZumIQ project. IoT app development revolves around developing software to interconnect devices, and there’s a huge need for that in the industrial space known as the IIoT. So, I started working with some graphical JavaScript-based environments like Node-RED, and I realized that this quickly allowed me to solve problems that were facing our customers. FreeWave: Are Node-RED and JavaScript the primary languages being used right now to develop those apps? Greg: Yes, mostly you’ll see a lot of Python stuff, a lot of Java, and hence JavaScript, and then you’ll see some stuff written in C as well, but, really, the web-based languages have taken off. People write apps in Java and PHP for the most part. And then Node-RED is a graphical frontend for JavaScript. FreeWave: Can you talk a little bit about the app that you developed for FreeWave – ZumDash – and where it resides within an IIoT network? Greg: So, FreeWave has traditionally made radio products where you just put data in and out of the system and that’s all it does. It’s just a complicated replacement for a physical cable. With the new ZumIQ platform, it allows us to add a lot of intelligence at the Edge of these networks where a radio is functioning much more than just a radio. It’s actually an application development environment. It’s an application platform. So, the app that I developed, I wanted to showcase the radio’s capabilities at the Edge of the network, and specifically, there’s a few other things I wanted to show. I wanted to show data storage: so, actually, it’s recording data on the radio itself. I wanted to show the display of that data in a dashboard format. I wanted to show communication, so the radio can still act as a radio and then you can have email alerts and other alerts based on data points. And then I wanted to show logic as well: If This Then That. So, to be able to read a sensor value and if it’s within a certain range to then take action on it. So, the app that I built was really meant to showcase those four things: data storage, dashboard, communication, and logic. FreeWave: So, for the storage part, how often are people trying to actually store data on those Edge devices as opposed to having them just be conduits for the data transmission? Is that a different way of approaching it? Greg: Yeah, it’s a different way of approaching it, and what it allows you to do is free up network capacity. So, if you’re continuously sending and receiving data from the field to a central source, you’re using throughput and bandwidth on that network. With some of these Edge networks, it could be in something that’s moving on the ground and there’s not a very high antenna height; it could be a really noisy environment; there could be a lot of metal obstructions in the way. Sometimes, in the industrial realm, the networks aren’t as rock solid as you would want them to be, or there’s limited capacity for connectivity. So, by moving some data storage operation to the Edge, we can then free up our network capacity for other resources. FreeWave: So then from there are you able to run analytics on that Edge device to filter out some of the data that you don’t need? Greg: Yeah. Iin ZumDash there’s a frontend on it that I use. Using the frontend, you can remotely log into the radio, you can examine every piece of data the radio has recorded, and you can do that graphically. Then, you can build charts based upon that data, and then you can also export to Excel. So, all the data that resides on the radio in the MySQL database is available for analytics remotely, on demand. FreeWave: Does this have a dual track function where you can store data and look at it later, but you can also get the data in real-time if you need it? Greg: Yes, and also, how often the app records data to the database is configurable. You can look at configured intervals. The quickest time I can do at the moment is five seconds. So, every five seconds it’ll record data from six different sensors. FreeWave: Why was the dashboard display an important part of this app? Greg: It allows easy access to data. Let’s say there’s a problem and you want check on the status of a device. I don’t want to have to look through logs or something like that. I want that data easily displayable. So, adding the dashboard allows anybody to be able to log in and
FreeWave Blog Series: The Intelligent Edge
A Blog Series Dedicated to IIoT, Application Development, and Intelligence at the Edge 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 first edition of “The Intelligent Edge,” we’re sitting down with Jesse Steiner, FreeWave systems engineer, to discuss how he is helping industrial customers understand the power of deploying intelligent applications in an industrial network. FreeWave: We’re starting this blog series to interview people who are contributing new applications and ideas for IIoT environments. You have an interesting story to tell around that — can you share that with us? Steiner: Sure — so I started getting involved with IoT apps once we released ZumIQ, the App Server Software platform that is deployed on our ZumLink 900 Series radios. I don’t have a whole lot of programming experience — I’ve used a handful of different languages at a pretty novice level over the years. The first thing I used it for was to write a simple app to monitor the level in the water tank out at a remote ranch location that wasn’t often manned. It was the second property for the ranch owner. He had this big water tank, 22,000 gallons, that he needed to keep an eye on the level because it provided irrigation water, drinking water, bathing water, all that. He’d had issues in the past where the circuit breaker on the pump tripped, or had a leak, and he went out to his second property to find he had no water to use. So we took a ZumLink 900 Series radio with ZumIQ, wrote an application for it that would pull a sensor for the level in the tank, it would format that data, and then send it over the radio network to the internet and to the cloud, and then to the ranch owner so he could look at his water tank anywhere. It was really done as proof of concept, and as a learning exercise for me, but it’s been deployed for a month, month and half maybe, and it’s already proven very useful on multiple occasions FreeWave: So how did you write the app? Steiner: I don’t want to call it a programming language, but I used a programming environment called Node-RED. It’s basically a graphical interface to Node.js. It’s a graphical thing where you lay these function blocks down and connect lines but you’ve also got the ability to write your own Javascript code that gets inserted and run in that environment. From there, it got sent to a cloud hosting service called dweet.io, which is really good for very beginner use — it doesn’t require any advanced IT knowledge or programming knowledge and you can get data in there and store it really quickly. And for actually viewing it, I used a service that’s owned by the same company as dweet called freeboard.io. You basically build a dashboard and point it towards the data you have stored in dweet, and it will pull that out and display it in a graphical way. FreeWave: What other applications could the tank level monitoring be used for? Steiner: That application caught the eye of the company who installed the pump and tank system out at that property in the first place, and they’ve since reached out us and said, “Hey, we’re interested in this. We’d like to see if we could develop it further.” As FreeWave, we’re not selling the software or any of the service. But we did provided the radios and pretty much the same code that we had used before to this company, so they can develop something that would be more than proof of concept — really, a marketable software product where you could choose the number of tanks, monitor multiple tanks of different sizes, keep an eye on pump status, potentially control the status of pumps and valves — really for a whole monitoring and control system when it comes to remote irrigation. What that comes down to is intelligence, monitoring and control in remote locations, where is kind of where FreeWave has been used for 20 years out in the oilfields. FreeWave: Any sort of learnings you took away from going through the process of writing the application? Steiner: For a non-developer, the Node-RED environment is a very useful, powerful tool. It’s great for getting simple projects up and running very quickly without vast programming knowledge. The projects I’ve worked on since then have become a bit more complicated, so more and more I wasn’t just using pre-made blocks in these applications, it was just more code in the traditional since. So Node-RED is a great platform for getting going — and I still use it, I just rely less and less on its built-in features and I’m kind of adding my own. Once we got in a situation where we needed to make things truly available anywhere, basically once I grew out of the freeboard.io dashboard, I started making things from scratch in Javascript and HTML, but it was really a good springboard to get me introduced. In terms of tips for somebody that would be just starting, really the biggest tip is don’t be intimidated. Don’t think you need to be an expert coder to put together
The Next Generation of IIoT: Micro & Macro Connectivity
From a consumer standpoint, the impact of IoT connectivity is clear. People can purchase smart home systems and automobiles with increasingly autonomous features. Looking at the potential changes to our daily lives in the coming years, all things point to connectivity. We are eyeing a future where we can monitor and control our homes, vehicles and business around the clock. The news stories are exciting and tangible because new products are frequently unveiled and we see them being used in our everyday lives. This impact has spread beyond the scope of the consumer market, which ultimately led to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). Traditional businesses, like those in utilities, oil/gas and agriculture, face a future that has the potential to transform entire industries due to the power of digital disruption. Despite the growing pains and challenges of “going digital,” industrial businesses face almost limitless potential to streamline operations and control large distributed networks with a level of precision that was previously impossible. As these industries pick up on the value of data and connectivity, next generation applications have emerged that will drive competition and increase productivity. Data and analytics will be available via the cloud and accessible from any device. And even better, the quality of data will be controlled through automation and the incorporation of third party applications. What this means for businesses is they will be able to monitor their networks on a micro level. This allows problems to be stopped in their tracks and for precise process adjustments that streamline operations. With third party applications, there is not only substantial business opportunity for developers, but there are endless possibilities for process control, security and operational apps that will drive down costs and support increased production. Most business decision makers are aware that there is no stopping digital transformation because research shows that it’s already happening. Many businesses are in the process of digital transformation and have already thought about these next generation systems and the research proves this: 75 percent of IoT providers say that big data and analytics are among the top skills they look for when adding talent to their teams. 50 percent of companies look to hire specialists in mobile development. A recent TechBullion article states: “they already have noticed the close relationship of mobile and IoT and plan to launch IoT projects for their businesses within the nearest 5 years.” Gartner says that by the end of 2017 demand mobile application development will grow five times faster than the number of IT companies able to meet this demand. A new report from Frost & Sullivan anticipates a trend in the transition from connected devices to the use of cognitive or predictive computing and sentient tools in the next 12-18 months. So what does this mean for industrial business? It means they need to invest now in the communication technologies that will deliver the data that is absolutely critical for future networking needs. It means they need to think about how they can enable programmability at all network endpoints – even at the edge. And lastly, it means they need to start working through the challenges of a digital shift now so they are prepared for an automated, connected future.
