IIC Journal of Innovation 12th Edition | Page 97

Shades of Digital Twinning
modular so that the system interruption can
be held to a minimum.
must be able to authenticate itself to its
proxy so that the IT system can be sure it is
monitoring and controlling the correct
devices. One must also be able to ensure
that only the desired software is run on any
given device. Only then can the full
advantages
of
automatic
software
deployment and updates become available
without introducing new problems into the
factory.
The main difference between IT systems and
OT systems is that OT systems are time
critical whereas IT systems are not. The
techniques used to manage IT systems must
be modified to apply to OT systems. This is
one reason why Programmable Logic
Controller (PLC) languages are used for OT
software but are unheard of in IT systems.
Connectivity must work with such systems.
The Business Case for Standards: It is not
about the data
Interoperability is the cornerstone of
Industry 4.0. The rapid advance of the IoT
has created disparate terms and definitions
around monitoring, diagnostics and data
analytics that may inhibit the required
interoperability. Universal definitions ease
the task of bringing together systems from
various manufacturers and suppliers.
Digital Twin should not be a catchall for any
digital model of a physical system. By
distinguishing between device shell, device
proxy and device twin, one can focus on the
necessary standards and protocols for each
type of interaction. Nebulously defined
aspects of the IoT will stunt its growth while
uniform identifications will enable accurate
IoT virtualization. Now is the time to classify
these capabilities to foster adoption and
easier integration of applications, and to set
expectations for how these can be updated
and exchanged.
This is especially true when the requisite
security
aspects
are
taken
into
consideration. For instance, a device shell
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The views expressed in the IIC Journal of Innovation are the contributing authors’ views and do
not necessarily represent the views of their respective employers nor those of the Industrial
Internet Consortium.
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