Automation Pyramid and the Unified Namespace | Unified Namespace (UNS) Basics 1

Summary

In this video, Dennis discusses the automation pyramid's role in organizing manufacturing data per the A95 standard, bridging operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT). He highlights four issues with the pyramid for data analytics: data aggregation loss, firewall barriers, integration hurdles, and transmission inefficiencies. He then explores how the unified namespace addresses these issues, with a conservative European approach suggesting its use for data analytics alongside the pyramid for process control. The video also touches on data flow organization and historical data storage options.

Takeaways

• 🔄 **Automation Pyramid Concept**: The automation pyramid is a data structure that organizes manufacturing data and systems, following the A95 standard.
• 🌐 **Bridge Between OT and IT**: It serves as a bridge between operational technology (OT) and information technology (IT), with OT at the lower levels and IT at the higher levels.
• 📊 **Data Aggregation Loss**: There is often a loss of data granularity as it moves up the pyramid due to aggregation.
• 🔒 **Firewall Barriers**: Security measures like firewalls create barriers that limit data access for analytics, especially at the lower levels.
• 🔄 **Integration Hurdles**: The multi-layered structure of the pyramid can create integration challenges when trying to access data across different levels.
• 🚀 **Transmission Inefficiencies**: There are inefficiencies in data transmission due to the difference between OLTP and OLAP databases.
• 🌿 **Unified Namespace Solution**: The unified namespace is proposed as a solution to address the limitations of the automation pyramid.
• 📈 **Two Views on UNS**: There are differing views on how the unified namespace should be implemented, with a more conservative European approach versus a more radical American approach.
• 🔌 **Connecting Systems**: The unified namespace connects to the automation pyramid to handle big data processing and analytics.
• 💾 **Historical Data Storage**: Historical data from the unified namespace can be stored locally in a historian or in a data warehouse or data lake in the cloud.
• 🔗 **Further Learning Resources**: Additional resources are provided for those interested in learning more about the unified namespace and its construction.

Q & A

What is the automation pyramid?

The automation pyramid is a data representation that organizes manufacturing data and systems in a plant, following the A95 standard, which is a common structure adopted by plants worldwide.

How does the automation pyramid bridge the gap between OT and IT?

The automation pyramid forms a bridge between Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT). Lower levels (zero and one) are associated with OT, while higher levels (three and four) are associated with IT.

What is the primary purpose of the automation pyramid?

The automation pyramid was designed for process control, not for data analytics.

What is the first problem associated with the automation pyramid?

The first problem is data and aggregation loss, where data produced at a high frequency by PLCs is often aggregated at a lower frequency before reaching upper systems, resulting in loss of intermittent information.

What are firewall barriers and why are they necessary?

Firewall barriers are necessary to secure production equipment, especially at level zero, where data can influence physical machine movement. They restrict access to those machines.

How does the structure of the automation pyramid with five separate layers affect integration?

The five separate layers of the automation pyramid create integration hurdles, as applications may need to connect to multiple layers to access data from different systems.

What are transmission inefficiencies in the context of the automation pyramid?

Transmission inefficiencies refer to the difference between OLTP (Online Transaction Processing) and OAP (Online Analytical Processing) databases. OLTP databases are designed for quick data writing but not for processing large data chunks required for analytics.

How does the unified namespace address the problems of the automation pyramid?

The unified namespace addresses these problems by either replacing the automation pyramid or, more conservatively, keeping process control with the automation pyramid and moving data analytics responsibilities to the unified namespace.

What is the difference between the American and European views on the unified namespace?

The American view proposes replacing the automation pyramid with the unified namespace, while the European view, especially at the UMH, is more conservative, keeping process control with the automation pyramid and moving data analytics to the unified namespace.

How is the data flow organized in reality between the unified namespace and the automation pyramid?

The data flow is organized by connecting both systems and reading all data from various levels into the unified namespace. There is also a data flow from the unified namespace towards the automation pyramid, which requires additional security measures.

Where is the historical data from the unified namespace typically saved?

Historical data from the unified namespace can be saved either in a historian locally in the plant or written to a data warehouse or data lake in the cloud.