Industrial remote access makes it possible for support teams to connect securely through the Internet to remote PLC-based equipment. This enables remote troubleshooting capabilities, with significant benefits in terms of efficiency, cost reduction and sustainability.
Full Answer
What is industrial remote access?
Industrial remote access Easy and secure remote access to any industrial device or network Connect remotely to your machines anywhere, anytime with a remote access solution designed to meet both OT and IT requirements with the highest level of security and ease of use.
How do I get remote PLC Access with ixon?
The IXON solution is fully integrated from edge hardware to cloud. No additional software is required. Simply connect our industrial VPN router, the IXrouter, to the machine and the internet, and you've got remote PLC access set up. IXON Cloud offers various industrial remote access solutions:
Why choose FactoryTalk for remote access for industrial equipment?
From multi-factor authentication and encrypted protocols to local access control and more, you can make security a priority. FactoryTalk Remote Access software is part of Remote Access for Industrial Equipment, a complete solution, which also includes the Stratix® 4300 Remote Access Router hardware.
What remote access solutions does ixon cloud offer?
IXON Cloud offers various industrial remote access solutions: To protect the plant’s local network, the IXrouter has a built-in firewall and uses a VPN connection to access the IXON Cloud. The advanced RBAC user management system and 2FA enforcement prevents unauthorised users from accessing machines or advanced settings.
What is industrial remote access?
Industrial remote access provides instant connectivity to machines anywhere, anytime. You can respond quickly to operational issues, minimize facility downtime, and reduce time and travel costs. Remote access is key to productivity and increased uptime.
What is remote access solution?
Remote access is the ability for an authorized person to access a computer or network from a geographical distance through a network connection. Remote access enables users to connect to the systems they need when they are physically far away.
What are the different types of remote access methods?
The primary remote access protocols in use today are the Serial Line Internet Protocol (SLIP), Point-to-Point Protocol (PPP), Point-to-Point Protocol over Ethernet (PPPoE), Point-to-Point Tunneling Protocol (PPTP), Remote Access Services (RAS), and Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).
What is example of remote access?
Accessing, writing to and reading from, files that are not local to a computer can be considered remote access. For example, storing and access files in the cloud grants remote access to a network that stores those files. Examples of include services such as Dropbox, Microsoft One Drive, and Google Drive.
What is remote access requirements?
Remote computer access requires a reliable internet connection. You'll need to activate or install software on the device you want to access, as well as on the device — or devices — you want to use to get that access.
What is remote GUI?
Remote GUI allows you to access your router's online settings, also known as the graphical user interface (GUI), through a WAN connection. To access your modem remotely, you will enter https:// followed by the modem IP in the URL field of a browser. 1.
What are the three main types of remote connections?
Remote Access Control MethodsDirect (Physical) Line. The first direct remote access control that can be implemented is a direct line from a computer to the company's LAN. ... Virtual Private Network. Another method which is more common is establishing a VPN. ... Deploying Microsoft RDS.
What are the two types of remote access server?
Remote Access Methods1- Remote Access Server: It's one server in organization network that it is the destination of all remote access connections.2- Remote Access Client: All computers that remote connect to network, called remote access client or remote computer.More items...•
What is the greatest benefit of remote access to an organization?
Flexibility. By allowing your staff to perform tasks outside the office using remote access, you can facilitate more flexible work arrangements and help employees create a better work/life balance.
What is remote access called?
Remote access is also known as remote login.
What is remote access and its advantages?
Remote access technology gives users the ability to access a computer, device or network from a remote location. Remote access is now commonly used for corporate networks that give their employees the ability to remote access a computer and perform their tasks even without being physically present in the office.
What are the secure methods the remote users can use to connect to the internal network to perform file operations?
Most commonly, remote workers will use a remote access VPN client to connect to their organization's VPN gateway to gain access to its internal network, but not without authenticating first. Usually, there are two choices when using VPNs: IP Security (IPsec) or Secure Sockets Layer (SSL).
Which devices can access remotely in networking?
Remote access gateway devices can be computers running remote access software and connected through multiport serial boards with 4, 8, 12, or more asynchronous communication ports that are connected to analog modem banks or ISDN terminal adapters, or they can be routers with built-in modem or Integrated Services ...
Which type of cable is used for remote access?
coaxial cable1.1) Accessing the Internet through a cable network is a popular option that teleworkers use to access their enterprise network. The cable system uses a coaxial cable that carries radio frequency (RF) signals across the network. Coaxial cable is the primary medium used to build cable TV systems.
What is RDP and how it works?
Remote desktop protocol (RDP) is a secure network communications protocol developed by Microsoft. It enables network administrators to remotely diagnose problems that individual users encounter and gives users remote access to their physical work desktop computers.
What brands of PLCs are compatible with IXrouter?
The IXrouter can be connected to your PLCs, HMIs, IP cameras, robots, sensors and other machine control components, and is compatible with all major PLC brands such as Siemens, Allen Bradley and Mitsubishi.
Does IXrouter have a firewall?
To protect the plant’s local network, the IXrouter has a built-in firewall and uses a VPN connection to access the IXON Cloud. The advanced RBAC user management system and 2FA enforcement prevents unauthorised users from accessing machines or advanced settings. IXON’s ISO 27001-based security management system (IMS) is in place to protect against vulnerabilities.
Is IXON cloud integrated?
The IXON solution is fully integrated from edge hardware to cloud. No additional software is required. Simply connect our industrial VPN router, the IXrouter, to the machine and the internet, and you've got remote PLC access set up. IXON Cloud offers various industrial remote access solutions:
Intrusions and Countermeasures
However, as the Internet of Things has emerged, so has the need for the network to be immune to viruses and resistant to malicious outsider intrusions. A short list of known intrusions and associated countermeasures is listed in Table 1.
Authentication
Remote access equipment that connects edge and cloud locations to an enterprise network must have the ability to authenticate trusted users and attached equipment. This technology is known as public key infrastructure (PKI) and can use protocols such as X.509.
Connectivity Options for Industrial Environments
In addition to providing authentication and encryption, the remote access solution also needs to provide connectivity to other types of media such as RS-232, Wi-Fi, LTE cellular, analog and digital signals. Table 3 shows a summary of the connectivity options that could be used in an industrial environment.
What is FactoryTalk Remote Access?
With FactoryTalk Remote Access software, you can provide installation support, programming upgrades, break-fix applications, remote services, and diagnostics – right where you are.
What is a Stratix 4300?
Our Stratix® 4300 Remote Access Router helps enable connectivity to remote systems and applications.
What is FactoryTalk software?
FactoryTalk Remote Access software is part of Remote Access for Industrial Equipment, a complete solution, which also includes the Stratix® 4300 Remote Access Router hardware. Together, these products enable secure access to industrial machines, skids, and assets wherever you are.
Is FactoryTalk remote access secure?
We know that security is a critical issue. With FactoryTalk Remote Access software, you can initiate and maintain secure connections, from anywhere.
Do you need travel time for remote access?
With remote access, you don’t need costly travel time and expenses to help. Customers will appreciate this – and so will your bank account.
Is FactoryTalk Remote Access only a support solution?
Think remote access is only a support solution? Think again! Whether it’s virtual commissioning or remote firmware management, FactoryTalk Remote Access software can help you reimagine the way you support your customers.
Machine Zone
The machine zone is a section of an organization’s industrial environments that consists of the machine control equipment, the network connecting those pieces of machinery together and remote access modules (if deployed). Many larger organizations have different machine zones to keep different areas of their industrial processes separate.
Enterprise Zone
The enterprise zone tends to be more complicated than the machine zone. This section contains the organization’s personal computers, email systems, customer databases and other IT assets. As such, it commonly contains security solutions as a means of defending those IT assets against instances of malicious access.
Outside Zone
Last but not least, organizations must take the necessary measures to protect the outside zone. This segment of the industrial environment includes the remote user’s computer, the cloud connectivity service and other communications infrastructure. In other words, it consists of key elements that exist outside of the enterprise zone.
Implementing Secure Remote Access in Your Organization
As indicated above, remote access gateways offer clear benefits to organizations that are looking to implement SRA in their industrial environments. Organizations just need to make sure that they work with a trusted and experienced solutions provider if they decide to go this route.
Option 1: Hosted VPN
Hosted VPNs provide a secure connection with simple setup and network configuration. Typical hosted VPN solutions include a VPN router, a hosted VPN server, a VPN client, and connected automation system components (figure 2).
Hosted VPN design considerations
Those considering this solution must have a high level of trust in the hosted VPN vendor, as it will be responsible for securely storing data and making it available to only those who need it. Monthly costs incurred for high data bandwidth usage must also be considered, particularly as those costs are zero for a traditional VPN solution.
Option 2: Traditional VPN
This option requires a local VPN router to connect through the Internet with a secure VPN tunnel to a second remote VPN router or software client (figure 5). Once connected, remote users can access automation components connected to the local router through the VPN tunnel.
Traditional VPN design considerations
The main design consideration for this option is the capability and willingness of an IT team to support this solution at both the local and remote sites for each installation.
Application example: Traditional VPN
Consider two types of OEM machine builders. The first OEM sells very large and complex printing presses with thousands of automation system I/O points, and its customers require the OEM to support the machine, including uptime and throughput guarantees.
Application example: Hosted VPN
The second OEM sells a machine that does not require video monitoring. Local operator interface is provided by an embedded HMI with limited data logging and storage functionality. The OEM machine builder needs two kinds of remote access. The first is VPN access to remotely troubleshoot, debug, and program the machine’s PLC and HMI.
Many considerations
When designing a remote access solution using VPNs, there are many considerations influencing final implementation: initial and sustaining costs, technical expertise during installation and ongoing operation, site control, security risks, and data storage capabilities.
