Web connects machine builders with remote units

A unique, secure and affordable Internet-based service has been launched that addresses the growing need for machine builders and systems integrators to perform remote maintenance and diagnostics

Talk2M (Talk to Machines) is a brand new internet service from Belgian company ACTL, a provider of intelligent Ethernet gateways and industrial IP routers.

The ACTL 'eWON' range of industrial routers complies with a wide range of serial and Ethernet-based PLCs, including Siemens, Rockwell Automation, Schneider Electric and Omron.

As sole UK distributor of the ACTL 'eWON' range, M.A.C Solutions (UK) is urging UK-based machine builders and systems integrators to take advantage of this new service.

Talk2M offers full integration of IT security standards by allowing an Internet communication 'tunnel' between the user and the remote machine, without any IT network security changes at either end.

This major breakthrough enables easy, fast deployment of remote connectivity links, whilst circumventing complexities that may exist within site IT network infrastructures.

In the past, machine builders have traditionally used leased-lines and dial-up modem connections to perform maintenance on remote equipment and machines.

Whilst modem-based polling offers direct connection, it is inherently a slow, point-to-point serial connection, rather than a fast, multifunction link.

As Dave Hammond, Ethernet Product Manager at M.A.C Solutions states: "Modem-to-modem dial-up connections are still being used by some companies today, but are increasingly being seen as costly to install, complex to set up and costly to run.

Moreover, they simply cannot provide instant, high-bandwidth remote-connectivity, for data acquisition, machine fault-finding and customer support".

"Rather than sending a service engineer to Brazil to solve a problem with the remotely installed machine, simply because it is not possible to support the site through a slow modem connection, companies should look to make better use of secure broadband and technologies that are now available.

There are massive cost savings to be had".

Hammond therefore advises machine builders and systems integrators to look at their current methods for managing and maintaining remote-machines, to see whether IT technologies can improve these methods.

The answer, he says, is invariably 'yes'.

According to Hammond, machine builders need to factor real-time, secure web-server support into their plans during installation of remote equipment.

This requires that certain key issues be considered up-front, including for what purpose is this link to be used, which communications infrastructure (Broadband, PSTN telephone lines or mobile phone network) is available at the remote site and also how much data will be required across this link to achieve their goals.

"Perhaps constant, regular communication is necessary for large sites, where large amounts of data is being transferred.

For other sites, perhaps occasional communication with only limited data is appropriate.

Or maybe the remote machine only needs to relay the occasional alarm," he says.

"Another important question is in which direction the communication is required.

A fully bi-directional always-on VPN [Virtual Private Network] link, for example, means the user gets secure, remote access at all times, but this may be overkill and costly, especially if a broadband is not available," he adds.

Security is critical for companies today and so such technologies must conform to the industry-standard 128-Bit SSL encryption, which Talk2M does.

"What our customers are moving towards today is using secure VPNs with Internet and wireless access to their remote machine data," explains Hammond.

"This security is equivalent to the level of security associated with booking your airline ticket with your credit card over the Internet.

In addition, with Talk2M, users don't have to invest in servers and software, they get free access to Talk2M, as long as they have eWON hardware at the remote site of course".

On request or permanently, eWON makes a secure, VPN connection to the Talk2M web server using UDP or TCP https, passing outward through the site firewall.

On the other side, the user also makes a secure VPN connection to the same server, by signing in to the Talk2M service, using free, VPN software called 'eCatcher'.

This server acts as a 'broker' to interconnect the two VPN tunnels.

The information exchanged during the communication is 128-bit encrypted, so that only authenticated users can connect to their eWON devices.

The Talk2M VPN-client (eCatcher) is freely available to download on the Talk2M website.

The remote sites (eWON devices) are registered to a specific Talk2M user account and are accessible only to that user.

Once a user has connected and signed in, a single click is all that is needed to establish communication with the chosen remote site.

Connecting to a remote location via mobile phone networks is just as straightforward.

An eWON device containing an embedded GPRS or EDGE modem can either be permanently connected to Talk2M or can be remotely activated to establish a Talk2M VPN session, by sending it an SMS text message.

Remote sites require only standard SIM cards, which are inexpensive and can be sourced from any mobile phone provider, allowing Talk2M users to shop around for the best deal on mobile data rates.

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