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As edge computing empowers smart manufacturing, the industrial sector is often left to struggle with the gap between enterprise strategy and deployment of edge computing to bring compute and storage closer to the end devices of a facility. This issue is due in part to the existence of diversity at the industrial edge, which is associated with operational technologies (OT), IT infrastructures, applications, and people skills, as well as emerging and disruptive technologies.
The primary challenge for enterprise leadership is translating their strategy into a shared vision for the deployment of edge computing across individual manufacturing facilities. The challenge becomes more complex when individual facilities are used to deploying pointed solutions and find it harder to align on a holistic enterprise strategy.
The following figure highlights the gap between strategy and deployment and identifies when and how these gaps can worsen.
This figure also illustrates the approach of how a strategy can drive the deployment of edge computing at a facility that is based on intended business outcomes. For example, enterprise strategy can prescribe operational technologies such as IoT sensors, Internet protocol-based cameras, and IT infrastructure to be deployed at a facility, and standardize real-time reporting on safety and security within a set timeline.
Facility could have different constraints to adopt this strategy and meet the timeline. These conditions could include:
It is important for executive leaders to consider an Integrated Edge Management (IEM) model, as outlined in the following figure. This type of model is tailored to each manufacturing facility. It is foundational to creating a shared understanding across key stakeholders on edge computing and enterprise strategy.
Integrated Edge Management Model provides the following key business benefits:
The goal of this white paper is to help IT craft an edge computing path forward, aligning each manufacturing facility with the enterprise strategy. Concepts that are outlined include IEM, the edge ecosystem across an industrial enterprise, and capabilities needed for efficient edge computing and management. This document also describes how to develop IEM model for one or more facilities, along with a set of use cases that can be implemented and deployed using edge computing.