The Industrial IoT Blog
IIoT Insights by Henry Costa
Category: Edge
Exploring edge computing as the bridge between machines, data, and the cloud.
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IIoT Journey: Edge-First, Cloud-Second
Read more: IIoT Journey: Edge-First, Cloud-SecondI want to talk about why, after two decades in Industrial Smart Manufacturing, I’ve become a strong believer in an “Edge-First, Cloud-Second” approach for connecting plants, machines, and people. This isn’t some theory — it’s the result of real projects,…
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Foundations: What Is a PLC in an IIoT Architecture?
Read more: Foundations: What Is a PLC in an IIoT Architecture?Let’s start at the beginning: what’s a PLC, and why does it matter so much in smart factories and IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) setups? The Basics: What Is a PLC? A PLC, or Programmable Logic Controller, is basically the…
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Naming Conventions Aren’t Boring—They’re the Backbone of Scalable IIoT
Read more: Naming Conventions Aren’t Boring—They’re the Backbone of Scalable IIoTLet’s get this out there: naming conventions are not glamorous. But in every serious IIoT project I’ve lived through—across oil & gas, pharma, automotive, and beyond—they’re the difference between a system that scales and one that becomes an unmanageable mess.…
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From SCADA to Cloud Analytics: The Evolution of Shop Floor Data I’ve Witnessed
Read more: From SCADA to Cloud Analytics: The Evolution of Shop Floor Data I’ve WitnessedIf you’d told me in 2005 that one day I’d be streaming millions of shop floor data points to the cloud, running AI on them, and visualizing everything in real time from anywhere in the world, I’d have probably laughed.…
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Kafka or MQTT for Data Streaming from Edge to Cloud?
Read more: Kafka or MQTT for Data Streaming from Edge to Cloud?If you’ve ever had to pick between Kafka and MQTT for streaming data from the plant edge up to the cloud, you know it’s not a simple “one size fits all” answer. I’ve lived through this choice in real projects…
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Is SAP DM a Replacement for SAP MII?
Read more: Is SAP DM a Replacement for SAP MII?Let’s cut to the chase: SAP Digital Manufacturing (DM, sometimes called DMC for “Cloud”) is not a direct, drop-in replacement for SAP Manufacturing Integration and Intelligence (MII). I’ve spent much of the last few years helping global manufacturers figure this…
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When Kepware isn’t Enough: Rethinking the Edge Connectivity Stack
Read more: When Kepware isn’t Enough: Rethinking the Edge Connectivity StackFor a long time, Kepware has been the go-to tool for connecting machines and pulling data from PLCs, DCS, and all sorts of shop-floor equipment. I’ve used it at dozens of sites — from auto parts to steel mills, pharma,…
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Is Sparkplug B Essential for IIoT Data Streaming?
Read more: Is Sparkplug B Essential for IIoT Data Streaming?Let me start with the short answer: No, Sparkplug B is not a “must” in every IIoT data streaming project. But it’s also not a technology you can ignore if you care about scalable, plug-and-play data flow in modern industrial…
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Why UNS Is Important in an IIoT Journey: Real Lessons from the Field
Read more: Why UNS Is Important in an IIoT Journey: Real Lessons from the FieldLet’s get right to it: if you want to make your plant smarter, faster, and truly connected, you need a Unified Namespace (UNS). I’ve spent over two decades in digital manufacturing, and I can tell you — the difference between…
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MQTT or OPC UA? My Real-World Take
Read more: MQTT or OPC UA? My Real-World TakeSo, I’ve lost count of how many times someone’s asked me, “Henry, should I use MQTT or OPC UA for my manufacturing project?” The truth is, I’ve been on both sides of that decision — sometimes sweating over a flaky…
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Ignition 8.3: Leveling Up Industrial IoT
Read more: Ignition 8.3: Leveling Up Industrial IoTHere’s what really stands out to me: Ignition 8.3 isn’t just a “point release.” It’s a shift in how we think about deploying and managing automation software. The core lesson? If you want to run at enterprise scale — multiple…
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OPC UA: The Bridge to Smarter Plants
Read more: OPC UA: The Bridge to Smarter PlantsI still remember the first time I tried to connect a brand-new packaging line to our old MES, back in the late 2000s. It was like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole: the PLC spoke one…