OT Container Orchestration via Gateway for Simulation Updates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing industrial control systems in operational technology (OT) networks face challenges in efficiently managing container orchestration, device configuration, response to device failures, and updating OT devices without disrupting system operations, as well as improving simulation models for accurate process control.
Innovation Solution
A container orchestration system is integrated into the OT network to manage and coordinate operations of OT devices, including deploying containers to devices with sufficient resources, collecting data, updating simulation models, and ensuring safe and timely updates, while leveraging a gateway device to bridge IT and OT networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If container orchestration is implemented in OT networks to improve device management efficiency, then system coordination and resource utilization improve, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A gateway device is introduced as an intermediary between IT and OT networks. The gateway receives container deployment requests from the IT network, translates them into OT-compatible instructions, and manages device deployment. This intermediary approach enables efficient container orchestration in OT networks without directly increasing OT system complexity, as the gateway handles the coordination overhead.
2Reliability
If containers are deployed to devices with sufficient resources to improve reliability, then system stability improves, but resource allocation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device automatically monitors resource availability on OT devices and autonomously determines whether to deploy containers based on sufficient resource conditions. The system self-manages resource allocation by evaluating device capabilities and making deployment decisions without manual intervention, thereby improving reliability through consistent resource adequacy while minimizing allocation complexity through automation.
3Measurement precision
If real-time data collection is implemented to improve simulation model accuracy, then model precision improves, but data processing load increases
Solution Approach 1:
The gateway device extracts and collects real-time data from multiple OT devices, centralizing data processing outside the individual devices. By taking data collection and processing functions out of the edge devices and concentrating them at the gateway, the system achieves high simulation model accuracy through comprehensive real-time data while reducing the processing load on individual devices and optimizing overall energy utilization.
Data Source
AI summary
A computer readable medium stores instructions that cause a processor to receive an indication of a request for analysis of a simulation model associated with an industrial automation system, wherein the industrial automation system includes a plurality of devices, wherein each of the plurality of devices includes a respective compute surface configured to perform one or more software tasks, identify a first device of the plurality of devices having sufficient resources to perform the analysis, and deploy a container to the first device. The container is configured to collect data from one or more sensors disposed in or around the industrial automation system, update the simulation model based on the collected data, and provide the updated simulation model for distribution to one or more other devices of the plurality devices.