Embedded systems are a ubiquitous and crucial part of the industrial automation. Whether it’s a small controller, an HVAC, or a complicated system, embedded systems are everywhere in the manufacturing space. You need embedded systems to help in improving the performance, operational and power efficiency and to even control processes in the complex industrial realms. Building and maintaining an embedded system, the software that goes into these systems, is anything but a trivial task. It requires specialized tools like build tools, cross compiler, unit test tools, and documentation generators among others. The process of setting up such an embedded environment in your system could therefore be quite overwhelming. Docker helps in making the whole process a lot easier and manageable. Docker is similar to virtual machines but is a light-weight version of the same. This creates containers that share common components with the Docker installation.

How can Docker run on an embedded system?

Dockers are one of the preferred containers used by software developers these days. Embedded system developers are also now leveraging the benefits containers bring into their software through Dockers. Installing Docker is relatively easy and it supports different OS platforms. Once installed, you need to define a run time environment with a Docker file and create a Docker image. Once this is done, all you are left is to execute the image with the run command and share the files between the host and container. To share, you need to create a bind mount which is created every time you run an image with the “mount” option. Since embedded systems have a fairly slow rate of system update changes, you can use the lightweight Docker on a minimum build then start layering on top of it. However, running Docker on an embedded system comes with its own set of challenges. For example, Docker uses the latest LINUX kernel, which may not match the embedded system’s kernel features. Another important hurdle that developers often face is that Docker image architecture should match the run time environment.

Containers and Industrial Automation

Containerization of software applications is fast gaining popularity and is speculated to disrupt the “industrial automation” as we know today, for good. For developers, the array of container images means the collaborative creation of software deliverables is possible without overlooking the requirements for running an application within a machine environment. With the introduction of containers, industrial automation may also witness an end to the vertically integrated business model, which hasn’t changed much since the times of PLCs and DCSs. This is because the acceptance of containerization has paved the way for an efficient embedded system and easier implementation of the same into the current Industry 4.0 scenarios. It also makes automation accessible and easy to deploy in various machines.

Containers and Maintenance (Sustenance Engineering) of Embedded Systems

The industrial OT world traditionally consists of proprietary embedded systems that focus on reliability, longevity and safety.With technology advancements, maintenance of these older systemshas become a burden. The wide popularity of containerization has made containerization an important maintenance strategy for the embedded systems. Product sustenance or re-engineering is basically fine tuning your released products to add new services and enhance their existing features. It virtually extends your end of the lifecycle or older products with periodic fixes, updates and enhancements that assures reduced maintenance costs, help maximize profits as well as retain your customers. Some of the ways in which containerization adds value to your sustenance engineering are:

• Ready to implement container images reduce the development time needed for application updates, defect fixes or new features enhancements
• Resource utilization and sharing is optimized with better maintenance plans
• Container frameworks and prebuilt tool chains enable the development and maintenance of applications on multiple embedded hardware platforms like STM32, Kinetis, ARM series etc.
• Software containerization and isolation of other processes and applications protects your application from hacks and attacks. This security aspect limits the effect of a vulnerability to that particular container and thus not compromise the entire system.

Key Benefits of Docker Containers on Embedded Systems

There are multiple motivations to leverage Docker containers benefits in an embedded environment. Easy to use, they provide a lightweight and minimal way to solve legacy architecture problems etc.

1. Docker supports Windows, iOS, and Linux
2. Developers can use the tools available in their local development environment. It means they need not install tools to run a Docker on the embedded system
3. Developers can check the code against toolchains without worrying about tools co-existing.
4. Your development team can use the same tools and build environment without having to install them
5. Containers enable edge computing and convergence of services at the edge or gateway level
6. The pre-integrated container platform allows developers to create applications that scale up to their business requirements and deliver qualitytime-to-market solutions in an accelerated manner
7. Containers allows isolation of storage, network, and memory resources among others enabling developers to have an isolated and logical view of the OS
8. Portability of containers allows it to run anywhere allowing greater flexibility in the development and deployment of applications on any OS or development environment.

Conclusion

Even with its set of challenges, Docker seems to be the game-changer in the Industry4.0 era. With embedded systems playing a pivotal role in many industries, your developers can use Docker to deploy automated machines. If you want smart solutions for a decentralized plant floor, you need to get professional development assistance from Utthunga. We help you create embedded systems that truly bring out the best degree of productivity for your company. Leverage Utthunga’s embedded system consultations services and products which have transformed industries across various verticals includingdiscrete, process, oil and gas, and power industries. Contact us to know more.  

Introducing innovative business practices is common among industries, thanks to the changing market landscape demanding for newer, better, and focused solutions.

Dell surveyed 4000 global business leaders among which 89% agreed that the pandemic has forced the need for a more agile and scalable IT environment. As per the statistics of Dell’s Digital Transformation Index 2020, 39% of companies already have mature digital plans, investments, and innovations in place, which is 16% higher than in the year 2018.

Having said that, the industries must have robust and flexible backend systems to handle newer processes and technology. Legacy systems are software programs or outdated systems and are not integrated with other business solutions. Due to their conventional design and infrastructure, they may not be able to perform a more efficient operation process than modern cloud systems

Digital transformation of the legacy industrial software applications is the process of modernizing an operational system to maintain and extend investments in that system.

The digital transformation process of legacy systems is generally large-scale and involves both infrastructure and application modernization. Since these legacy systems are outdated and lack robust security, industries need to transform their legacy applications to avoid data breaches and failure. This blog will cover the digital transformation of legacy applications and the factors you should consider before starting the shift.

Need for Modernizing the Legacy Industrial Software

Before we talk about how digital transformation can be done, let’s see why you need to do it.

Difficulties in Maintenance

The most obvious challenge faced by industries is maintaining these legacy systems. Legacy systems are pretty vast in terms of the codebase and functionality. You cannot just change or replace one system module due to its monolithic nature. Even a minor update can result in multiple conflicts across the system, and there is a considerable risk of interfering with the source code. Since legacy systems contain large amounts of data and documentation, migrating the application to a new platform is not easy. Companies using legacy software applications built in-house quite often face challenge in maintaining them as it becomes difficult to align the legacy applications with the modern ones. Also, the maintenance cost in these cases, are quite high.

Integration is A Challenge

As discussed in the first point, legacy applications are vast and less scalable; hence, integrating old legacy systems with modern applications can be a huge and time-consuming task for SMBs to improve their work processes.

Meaning, if you want to integrate new tools or programs, you have to write a custom code to make it work. Another issue with the industrial legacy software applications is that most modern cloud and other SaaS solutions are incompatible with these legacy systems. SMBs looking to cut costs and improve productivity should consider replacing or upgrading their legacy applications.

The main reason behind using a modern industrial software application is that it can help you eliminate data silos and enable you to use the application’s data in an actionable way they’ve never had before.

Obsolete Cybersecurity Provisions

Outdated systems and applications are a prime target for cybercriminals. Legacy systems are not up-to-date and may not be maintained, leading to a possibility of security threats. It is one of the reasons organizations are gravitating towards the cloud in recent years as cloud security is more robust than most on-premise systems.

Inadaptability to Business Opportunities

One of the common disadvantages of using a legacy system is the stifled ability to modernize and improve. As mentioned above, legacy systems are very inflexible and inadaptable to dynamic business opportunities giving birth to several issues for businesses operating in today’s digital environment.

Inability to Use Big Data

A significant issue posed by legacy systems is the silos resulting from disparate systems within an organization. Digital transformation of these legacy systems helps remove these barriers and enable you to use the vast amounts of Big Data that SMBs possess to help support your business decisions.

Complex and Expensive Infrastructure

The underlying infrastructure of legacy systems is more complex and becomes more expensive to maintain as it becomes old. Since legacy systems require a specific technical environment, the infrastructure maintenance cost remains higher than modern cloud-based solutions. Legacy application data is scattered across several databases and storage resources, making it hard to reorganize to optimize the storage space.

Today, industries should deliver a robust digital experience to engage and retain customers, and complex legacy technology is the most significant barrier to digital transformation.

Factors to be Considered Before Modernizing Legacy Industrial Software Applications

We hope you have learned the disadvantages of legacy systems and how the digital transformation of these applications can solve many business issues. Now, we will see the things you should consider before starting the digital transformation approach of your applications.

Look at Your Strategy 

Are you excited to start the digital transformation approach of legacy systems? Hold your horses! Have a well-planned strategy and stick to it. In the excitement of digital transformations, most businesses often install too many systems, too quickly, and without a strategy to implement them thoroughly.

The lack of proper backing of your strategy is the main reason behind the failure of the digital transformation of industrial software applications. Therefore, a proper strategy formulated with the help of thorough research and analysis is a must.

Prioritize Your Applications

Most businesses fall into the trap of digitizing everything altogether just because they are in a hurry to modernize. Never do this. Start by focusing on the areas of your organization that need to be upgraded to reap the return on investment immediately. Digitizing all your organization’s applications at once might result in failure and disruption throughout the organization.

The whole point is- No solution introduced for digital transformation purposes should ever weaken the work process. If you feel that your investments are not improving the productivity or efficiency of the organization, digitization might not even be an appropriate solution for it. Make sure you’re targeting the processes or applications that need digitization rather than digitizing for the sake of it.

Time Management

Digitizing your legacy systems demands time and patience. Digital transformation of legacy software often takes years to realize fully. The digitization process can vary for each organization and may include implementing technologies, such as cloud, mobility, advanced analytics, and cybersecurity. Make sure you have enough time to implement the digital transformation strategy to reap its maximum benefits.

Eliminate Unnecessary Functions

Before implementing digital transformation, identify which functions and applications you can safely remove without creating any problems in the new configuration. Evaluate your business process to determine the importance of the tasks that are being carried over.

Change Management

A digital transformation strategy should always come from the top-level executives in the organization and should be fully endorsed, envisioned by the key decision-makers in the organization. It helps organizations’ decision-makers and people involved in the process to be on the same page.

Conclusion

Transformation of the legacy applications will no longer be a choice; it will become necessary instead. We are living in the digital age where a business’s adaptability to dynamic technologies paves the way to success. The sooner you transform your enterprise digitally, the efficient, agile, and streamlined your business processes would be.

Utthunga is a leading digital transformation solutions provider having expertise in a range of domains like Cloud, Mobility, IIoT, Analytics, and much more. If you wish to witness rapid business growth, then Utthunga is just the right digital partner for you. Get in touch today!

 

What is the Need for DevOps in Manufacturing Industries? (Role of DevOps in Industrial Software Development)

From deploying robots to automation to software development, there are several ways manufacturing industries are working faster and smarter. The main reason behind these developments is the easy collaboration of developers and operations teams who no longer have to use a siloed approach to software updates and changes. Together DevOps is increasing productivity and allows the manufacturing industry to eliminate the expensive and slow processes and keep up with today’s fast-paced, competitive environment.

Why is DevOps important in Industry 4.0?

With the appearance of new technologies and innovative circumstances related to the Internet of Things and Industry 4.0, we presently see a change in the manufacturing industries. DevOps in the manufacturing business are becoming increasingly fundamental as industry 4.0 and the Internet of Things discover more applications in the space. From the need to create a new product quickly to analysing supply-chain efficiency to automating processes, DevOps presents a solution that is able to be rapidly deployed with astounding efficiency. As a result, software applications incorporated within machines and manufacturing processes are vital to pushing the business ahead.

DevOps Integration in Industrial Software Development Process:

DevOps is a methodology that was limited to be implemented among the IT companies, which were mostly into application development and Cloud services. With DevOps, the aim is to be more rapid, robust, and efficient in launching various software development processes. But in the last few years, the methodology is now becoming a priority for manufacturers who are empowering their machines with advanced control dashboards, mobile apps, and predictive maintenance algorithms to monitor the machines themselves.

The product development teams of the manufacturing industry has to continue incorporating DevOps methodologies to match the pace of market demand.

Let’s take a close look at how DevOps integration in the industrial software development process can benefits companies:

More Agility

With DevOps, software development companies can shift and quickly update software to meet needs quickly. Automatic code testing, continuous integration, and delivery are some of the benefits of using DevOps. They are getting new software/products up and running at these facilities with precision and in no time.

Better Efficiency

DevOps empower the manufacturing industry with great efficiency, better response, and implementation time. Using DevOps, the organization’s admins can leave development teams to work on servers and tech requirements and focus on other core IT functions. Hence, the tasks are completed quickly, and deployment times can be improved.

Automated Processes

Automated DevOps pipeline means automation of the processes involving continuous integration, continuous testing, and continuous deployment, including live monitoring of application results. Through the automation of processes, businesses gain the ability to scale solutions while reducing complexity and costs. The IoT software is managed by DevOps integration by considering the operational aspects, as well as ensuring maximum efficiency of the devices.

Faster Time to Market

Manufacturing industries need to win out the cmpetition and bring products and services to market quickly before the customer turns OFF. With DevOps, manufacturing industries can beat out the competition and offer the most cutting-edge solutions with accuracy and precision.

Innovate

Using DevOps for manufacturing helps companies focus on production speed and quality control. Additionally, DevOps helps troubleshoot problems to improve the runtime and support all stages of your software development process.

What is the role of DevOps in achieving digital transformation?

According to experts, DevOps and digital transformation go hand in hand. From facilitating product development to opening new revenue streams, it’s hard to imagine one without the other.

DevOps helps organizations cut off the detrimental silos, paving the way for continuous innovation and agile processes. All these factors help organizations meet ever-changing consumers’ needs to improve digital transformation frequently.

By implementing DevOps methodology into your industrial business, every team in your company can collaborate to innovate and optimize your production processes.

DevOps can’t be implemented overnight, and you should not burden your organization to start thinking with a DevOps mindset. It’s a complete cultural shift, which is going to take time. For example – start as small as you can and gradually scale up by automating one process at a time; you can always expand alongside educating your employees about the importance of DevOps.

By following an agile approach, you’ll be able to do more with less time and effort. In short, slowly start implementing DevOps to see what your organization can achieve with it.

How DevOps Promotes Digital Transformation?

Bring together people, processes, and technology.

DevOps permits companies to deliver new products to their customers quicker, thus empowering them to develop and change the digital face of those associations. DevOps consolidates individuals, process, and innovation: wherein each of the three is orchestrated toward the related business objectives.

Make companies self-steer towards better solutions

DevOps makes an organization’s IT base more testable, adaptable, apparent, dynamic, and on-demand. This improves digital transformation by permitting more secure, more notable changes to the advancing IT framework, which then, at that point, empowers more positive, more dynamic changes to software applications and administrations. This additionally influences the operation groups by improving different perspectives and areas to expand usefulness.

DevOps allows continuous and regular innovation

There is a ton of complexities that coexists with the cloud and with working microservices. If you don’t have special or shared processes across development and OT activities, your chances of success are poor. DevOps standards and practice are the fuel for permitting these sorts of changes for the organizations.

DevOps isn’t easy to adopt for attaining digital transformation. But with the help of the DevOps consulting services by Utthunga, achieving industrial digital transformation isn’t difficult. Our experts help you implement DevOps best practices and help professionals make the most of the DevOps methodology. So call us now to leverage our IIOT platforms and expedite your digital transformation journey without any further delay.

 

 

Significance of automated testing in the DevOps lifecycle:

From the above discussion, you can understand why test automation is essential in the DevOps lifecycle. DevOps demands increased flexibility and speed along with fewer bottlenecks and faster feedback loops. Under DevOps, organizations need to release high-quality products and updates at a much higher rate than traditional models. If performed manually, many aspects in the delivery pipeline may be slowed down, and the chances of error increase.

For example- traditional processes like regression testing are highly repetitive and time-consuming. Incorporating automation in testing as part of the entire software development process, can help free up the test resources and make engineers focus on more critical work where human intervention is needed.

A quick look at the growing importance of Test Automation Skills in DevOps:

Continuous Delivery and Continuous Testing

If an organization utilizes a continuous delivery strategy, its applications always exist in ready to deploy state. Using a steady delivery approach, the organization would incur lower risk when releasing changes incrementally to an application with shorter development cycles. The main element of CD is continuous testing that is directly connected to test automation.

Continuous testing is rolling out end-to-end automated testing services  during all possible phases of the delivery lifecycle. Continuous testing enables engineers to catch bugs in the earlier development phase where they are less expensive to fix, thus lowering the chances of last-minute surprises. Continuous testing also ensures that the incremental changes can be reliably done simultaneously, making the application to be continuously delivered and deployed.

Take a look at the benefits of automated testing in the DevOps lifecycle:

Do you know? Automation played a crucial role in driving deployment and infrastructure processes across firms with 66 percent and 57 percent contributions respectively, thus driving organizations’ overall success through DevOps implementation.

Speed with quality:

Since automation frameworks and tools are used to write code to verify the functionality of an application, the human intervention is less. Since the DevOps approach compasses high product development speed that makes developers and customers happy, automated testing can speed up the testing phase of a product and make developers deliver more in less time.

Improved team collaboration:

Having an automated testing tool is a shared responsibility that empowers better collaboration among team members.

Reliability:

Test automation improves the reliability of products as test automation increases the coverage. It also decreases the chances of issues in production as human intervention is minimal.

Scale:

Test automation tools produce consistent quality outcomes and reduce the risk by distributing the entire development in small teams that operate self-sufficiently.

Security:

With test automation tools, you will be leveraging automated compliance policies, controls, and configuration management techniques. All these things help you move quickly without compromising security and compliance.

Customer satisfaction:

With automation tools, you can quicken the responses to user feedback. Faster responses increase customer satisfaction and lead to more product referrals. As more and more companies focus on building a DevOps culture, communication between Development and Operations has increased. Nowadays, the responsibility of product quality is equally divided equally among testers, engineers, and Ops teams. Test engineers and developers have to write the automated test scripts and configure them fully to test the application.

The operations team monitors and does the smoke testing in the test environment before releasing it to the production environment. Therefore, test professionals have to refine their test automation skills if they are involved in any part of the development process. By introducing automation testing in the DevOps lifecycle, time spent on manual testing can be reduced. It can make QAs dedicate more time to helping everyone participate in the quality assurance process.

With the above discussion, we can say that DevOps and automation are two crucial components for organizations to streamline their development process. DevOps plus test automation results in:

• Facilitate cross-department collaboration
• Automate manual and repetitive tasks in the development process
• More efficient software development life cycle

As organizations have started prioritizing continuous delivery, implementing continuous testing through test automation will also rise. With the growth of test automation, it is necessary for people involved in software development to understand the test automation frameworks and tools that make test automation possible.

We know that rolling out automated tests across a large portion of your development pipeline can be intimidating at first. But, automated testing services is now recognized as one of the DevOps best practices.

Make sure you start by automating an individual end-to-end scenario and run that test on a schedule. Utthunga offers the right automation tools and the DevOps consulting services to get the most out of your automated testing model in DevOps.