Architecture for cloud-based industrial automation

Abstract

Cloud computing has recently emerged as a new computing paradigm in many application areas comprising office and enterprise systems. It offers various solutions to provide a dynamic and flexible infrastructure to host computing resources and deliver them as a service on demand. Since industrial automation systems of the future have to be active and adaptable, cloud computing can be considered as a promising solution for this area. In this paper, the aim is to introduce an initial framework for applying cloud computing solutions to industrial automation systems. Our work is based on translating our experience in networked control systems (NCS), industrial control theory and computing theory to propose an architecture for cloud-based industrial automation systems. Albeit this architecture proposal is initial and limited to abstract models for wide class of practical systems, this work aims to analyze related issues and assess possible avenues towards continuing cloud-based control system design.