The Industrial Internet Consortium Publishes the Industrial Internet Reference Architecture, Version 1.8

The Industrial Internet Consortium (IIC), the global, member-driven organization that promotes the accelerated growth of the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), announced the publication of version 1.8 of the Industrial Internet Reference Architecture (IIRA).  This new version builds on version 1.7, originally published on June 17, 2015, by incorporating rapidly emerging new IIoT technologies, concepts, and applications.

The IIRA is a standards-based architectural template and methodology designed by a broad spectrum of IIC members, including system and software architects, business experts, and security experts, to assist IIoT system architects to design IIoT solution architectures consistently and to deploy interoperable IIoT systems.

IIRA v1.8 Benefits
The IIoT core concepts and technologies addressed in the IIRA v1.8 are applicable to the depth and breadth of every small, medium and large enterprise in manufacturing, mining, transportation, energy, agriculture, healthcare, public infrastructure and virtually every other industry.  In addition to IIoT system architects, the plain language of IIRA v1.8 and its emphasis on the value proposition and enablement of converging Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) enables business decision-makers, plant managers, and IT managers to better understand how to drive IIoT system development from a business perspective.

Technology vendors can use the IIRA concepts and methodologies to build interoperable system components that address the broadest possible market.  System implementers can use the IIRA as a starting point to shorten system development by deploying reusable, commercially available, or open-source system building blocks to reduce project risk, associated costs, and time-to-market.  Ultimately, the IIRA is designed help the IIoT community to realize an open, innovative IIoT ecosystem, thereby reducing the cost of design and operations.

This new version of the IIRA has the following major updates:

• Improved and enhanced description of the architecture concepts and constructs derived from ISO/IEC/IEEE 42010 Architecture Description standard and their application in the IIRA (Chapter 3 Industrial Internet Architecture Framework).
• A new section on IIRA viewpoints' Scope of Applicability and Relationship to System Lifecycle Process (Chapter 3 Industrial Internet Architecture Framework, Section 3.6).
• A new section on Crosscutting Functions and Key System Characteristics (Chapter 6 Functional Viewpoint, Section 6.7).
• A new section on Functional Domain and Compute Deployment Models (Chapter 6 Functional Viewpoint, Section 6.8).
• Clarity that the architecture patterns are only representative and not intended to be all inclusive.
• A new section on Layered Databus Architecture Pattern (Chapter 7 Implementation Viewpoint, Section 7.5).
• A new appendix on Design Space Considerations (Appendix A) providing a broad view of possible design parameters and their constraints in identifying, describing and resolving IIoT system concerns.

   

   

A free download is available at:  http://www.iiconsortium.org/IIRA.htm

Keywords: Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Industrial Internet Reference Architecture (IIRA), Manufacturing, Operational Technology (OT), Information Technology (IT), ARC Advisory Group.