factory security

The city of brotherly love will become the center of manufacturing this fall as Automation Fair comes into town, November 14-15 at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia. Just like in the past, the two days will be packed with be vendors, forums, hands-on labs, technical sessions and an…

Earlier this year, we introduced a series of technical workshops for manufacturing in a few cities. The free workshops focus on real-world applications and best practices for manufacturing with an emphasis on how to improve operations, drive innovation and reduce risk. I am happy to share that we wi…

From IoT to security to modernizing the plant floor and increasing support for business applications, manufacturing CIO’s have a lot coming at them. The enterprise is extending, and barriers that were once clearly defined as operation technology (OT) and information technology (IT) are increasingly…

Sun Tzu’s the Art of War is a famous book known for insights from the Chinese philosopher with a guided focus on leadership, strategy and military theories. While the book is renowned for many insights into warfare tactics, it also provides some good insight into defensive strategies that are…

The month of April is a busy month for manufacturing. In Europe, the annual Hannover Messe event kicks off in a few weeks and is one of the largest international events focused on industrial technology. If you would like to read more on Hannover Messe and Cisco’s participation, my colleague Scot Wlo…

Across the United States, people are defrosting and starting to shovel their way out of January’s  Polar Vortex “bomb cyclone.” Even the state of Florida saw some chillier than usual temperatures. Florida has de-thawed now and next week security professionals from all-over head to South Beach for th…

Manufacturing as a culture is data driven. Talk to anyone who has worked in the industry for some time—from an operator leading a cell to a manufacturing executive—and they should be able to point to the numbers around output, efficiency, and productivity, among others. With this in mind, however, t…

It’s no secret that manufacturers are concerned about security. Recent events have shown that manufacturing is a rich target for threats that cause physical damage, facility downtime, and breaches of customer data and intellectual property. The reason for these increasing security threats is that th…

What comes to mind when you think of Durham, North Carolina?  If you’re like most people, it’s probably one of three things: minor league baseball, Duke basketball, or tobacco. The 1988 film Bull Durham cemented the town’s notoriety and the Durham Bulls as one of the most famous minor league f…