Shared Data Center Architecture for Secure Multi-Site Automation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Industrial automation systems face challenges in cost efficiency, security, and management due to the need for separate data centers at each location, which increases operational expenses and reduces security and scalability.
Innovation Solution
A shared data center system that centralizes computing resources and data storage, providing services to multiple industrial automation systems while implementing physical and system security measures, and allowing for secure data management and expansion without the need for redundant infrastructure at each site.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate data centers are deployed at each industrial automation site, then data sovereignty and local control are maintained, but operational expenses and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments data center functionality into virtualized service modules that can be independently deployed. Each industrial site receives dedicated virtual services (data processing, storage, analytics) from the shared data center, maintaining functional independence while sharing physical infrastructure. This allows data sovereignty to be preserved through virtual isolation while reducing overall infrastructure complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
A shared data center acts as an intermediary between multiple industrial automation sites and central management systems. It provides a centralized location for data processing and storage that serves multiple sites, reducing the need for each site to maintain separate full-scale data centers. The intermediary maintains security and control through virtualization while simplifying the overall system architecture.
2Reliability
If separate data centers are deployed at each industrial automation site, then local data control is maintained, but operational expenses increase
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple industrial automation sites merge their data center requirements into a single shared data center facility. The shared data center consolidates computing resources, storage capacity, and data processing capabilities that would otherwise be duplicated at each site. This merging maintains data control through virtualization and security measures while significantly reducing operational expenses through resource sharing and economies of scale.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared data center is designed to serve multiple industrial automation sites with different requirements through universal service modules. It provides multi-functional capabilities including data processing, storage, analytics, and security services that can be customized and allocated to different sites based on their specific needs. This universal approach eliminates the need for each site to maintain separate specialized infrastructure.
3Device complexity
If centralized shared data center is used, then operational costs and device complexity are reduced, but security requirements become more stringent
Solution Approach 1:
The shared data center segments customer data and workloads into isolated virtual environments. Each industrial automation site's data is stored and processed in separate virtualized containers with dedicated security controls. This segmentation reduces infrastructure complexity by consolidating resources while mitigating security risks through virtual isolation that prevents cross-contamination between customers and limits breach impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The shared data center implements multiple intermediary security layers including virtualization hypervisors, security appliances, and management platforms that mediate between physical infrastructure and customer workloads. These intermediaries provide centralized security management, threat detection, and access control while simplifying the overall system architecture. The intermediary layer absorbs security complexity away from individual sites while maintaining strong security posture.
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a shared data center having at least one data storage unit and at least one processing unit. The shared data center is configured to service one, two, or more industrial automation systems. For each of the one, two, or more industrial automation systems, the shared data center is configured to receive process-related data associated from at least one local device in at least one local system, analyze the process-related data from the local device, and provide instructions to at least one client device associated with the local system.