Advantech, Lynx Collaborate on Mission Critical Edge Starter Kit Options for IT/OT Convergence
Advantech, leader in industrial Internet of Things (IoT) edge systems and embedded platforms, and Lynx Software Technologies, a leader in mission critical edge, security and functional safety, have partnered to offer multiple Mission Critical Edge Starter Kit options that enable the convergence of IT (Information Technology) and OT (Operational Technology).
MOSA.ic for Industrial, Lynx’s mission critical edge platform, provides virtual air gapping between the control automation and other workloads. It is available for implementation on select Advantech industrial hardware, which reduces integration time for OT edge processing. These Mission Critical Edge Starter Kits enable the following:
- Implementation of the edge use cases in the OT domain
- Virtual air gapping of IT and OT workloads
- OT operators’ ownership of the system management
- vPLC, Machine Learning and Security running on the same system
- Ability to host cloud workloads in the OT domain without impacting operators
The foundational building block in LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial is the LynxSecure® Separation Kernel, which provides strong isolation of applications, deterministic real-time performance and management of critical system assets to increase immunity to cybersecurity attacks. Additionally, Lynx has developed unique management technologies that allow Mission Critical Edge systems to be deployed at scale and meet the strict requirements of systems that enable OT & IT convergence.
Many networks across a variety of verticals including government, military, financial services, power plants, and industrial manufacturing have been so-called “air-gapped.” This means they are physically and logically isolated from other networks where communication between these networks is not physically or logically possible.
“One of the primary concerns expressed to us by OT operators has been how to deploy edge technologies in the OT domain,” said Pavan Singh, vice president of product management, Lynx Software Technologies. “By leveraging virtual air gapping, OT operators can focus on the business benefits of new data and machine learning technologies without worrying about the impact on their operations.”
Advantech hardware devices targeted for both Level 1 operational hierarchy for direct control and Level 2 supervisory control include the MIC-770 modular industrial PC and the UNO-137 embedded automation computer. Depending on the level of consolidation needed, both devices combine with LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial for an ideal OT/IT solution.
“We’re happy to be able to support the LYNX MOSA.ic for Industrial solution with our MIC-770 and UNO-137 industrial computing devices,” said Jon Towslee, Sr. Director, iFactory, Advantech Industrial IoT Group. “We’re always trying to offer more ways for customers to be able to securely and easily deploy solutions at the edge. Our goal is to continue working with innovative solution partners to make data connectivity easier and more efficient to adopt when utilizing our industrial, intelligent devices.”
Advantech’s MIC-770 series of PCs provide high-performance computing, multiple I/O interfaces, and flexible expandability with the integration of i-Modules and iDoor. They can be widely deployed to support various industrial IoT applications. The MIC-770 series can be equipped with a wide range of processors to provide custom entry-level and high-end solutions. With the provision of multiple I/O for connecting devices, MIC-770 systems can serve as a data gateway and industrial controller.
UNO-137 is an industrial-grade integrated IoT edge gateway ideal for industrial automation. Its new modular design includes a base unit and an optional extension kit, which supports Advantech’s iDoor technology to integrate additional industrial Fieldbus, I/O, and wireless communication.
The combination of Advantech hardware and Lynx software allows users to have IT/OT collaboration and network separation. In the starter kit, hardware partitioning is provided by Lynx Separation Kernel (LSK). Additional features ideal for customers include the following:
- Nodes based on LynxSecure Separation Kernel Hypervisor
- Support for multiple guest OS (VMs)
- Virtual KVM support
- Explicit allocation of storage and other dedicated resources
- Precise definition of inter-VM connectivity and communication
