Container Registry Orchestration for OT Asset Software Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial control systems in operational technology (OT) environments lack efficient management and orchestration capabilities similar to those in information technology (IT) systems, as container orchestration systems are not compatible with OT assets and cannot access or manage OT devices effectively for provisioning, deployment, and maintenance across their lifecycles.
Innovation Solution
Integration of specialized hardware and software control systems within industrial control systems to support container orchestration operations, including a worker node with an API to receive commands from a master node, map requests to OT asset commands, and manage container images stored in a registry, enabling communication with a container storefront for purchasing and subscribing to additional images.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If container orchestration systems are integrated into industrial control systems, then management and orchestration capabilities are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a container orchestration system as an intermediary layer between industrial control systems and containerized applications. This mediator handles the complexity of container management, image retrieval from registries, and deployment orchestration, while presenting a simplified interface to industrial control operators. The orchestration system translates industrial control commands into container-specific operations, resolving the contradiction by hiding complexity behind an ease-of-use interface.
Solution Approach 2:
The system segments industrial control functionality into independent containerized units that can be managed separately. Each container represents a discrete software function or service, allowing independent deployment, scaling, and maintenance. This segmentation enables granular management of complex systems, improving operational ease while organizing complexity into manageable, isolated components rather than monolithic systems.
2Adaptability or versatility
If container images are retrieved and deployed to industrial components, then software function availability is improved, but deployment time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The container orchestration system performs preliminary actions by pre-fetching and caching container images from registries before they are needed for deployment. The system anticipates deployment requirements and retrieves images in advance, storing them locally in the industrial control system. This preliminary retrieval action reduces deployment time when actual deployment is needed, while maintaining the ability to provide diverse software functions through the accumulated image library.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements local container image repositories within industrial control nodes, creating local copies of commonly needed container images. This local quality approach allows rapid deployment from local storage without repeated network retrievals, significantly reducing deployment time. Meanwhile, the system maintains adaptability by selectively caching images based on usage patterns and maintaining connections to external registries for updating the local library.
3Productivity
If container orchestration is implemented across OT networks, then operational efficiency is improved, but system compatibility challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The container orchestration system implements parameter changes by adapting communication protocols and data formats to match different OT network requirements. It dynamically adjusts transmission parameters, encoding schemes, and interaction models to be compatible with various industrial protocols (Modbus, Profibus, EtherNet/IP, etc.). This parameter adaptation enables operational efficiency gains from orchestration while maintaining compatibility across diverse OT networks and devices.
Solution Approach 2:
The orchestration system is designed with universal compatibility features, supporting multiple industrial communication protocols and device types through a unified interface. It implements a multi-functional architecture that can interact with different OT assets (PLCs, sensors, actuators, SCADA systems) using appropriate protocols automatically. This universality allows the system to improve operational efficiency across heterogeneous OT environments without sacrificing compatibility with existing diverse industrial devices.
Data Source
AI summary
A method may involve receiving, via at least one processor, a request from an industrial component operating in an industrial automation system, such that the request may include an indication of a software function. The method may then involve querying a container registry having a plurality of container images based on the software function, identifying at least one container image of the plurality of container images that corresponds to the software function, sending an indication of the at least one container image to the industrial component, and receiving a selection of the at least one container image from the industrial component. The method may also involve retrieving the at least one container image from the container registry and sending the at least one container image to the industrial component.