Managing Automation - November 2007 - (Page 31)

early on specific projects, but also work with IT to develop a reference architecture that can be used to guide decisions on a wide range of potential wireless priorities and investments. “As organizations migrate from technologies such as WiFi, to WiMax, to wireless sensor networks, they need a game plan for how to manage all of those technologies, what standards to follow, and who will do what,” says Greg Burns, wireless program lead for the enterprise and networks security practice at Invensys. “The more of this you can decide in advance, in a collaborative way, the better.” That’s the role that Boeing’s WAG plays. The group, made up of IT, line-of-business, and R&D representatives, has developed a plan indicating what types of wireless technologies fit where, and how they will in“[The IT and telecommunications groups] teroperate. want to wait for the perfect, standard “Before we had the solution, but we’re anxious to jump in.” WAG and the reference architecture, — James Murphy of Eli Lilly people were just gorun, experts say, IT will control and manage ing out, grabbing wireless technologies, and the technology on the plant floor as well as in bringing them into the factory,” Paine says. the back office. That’s because IT has the ex“That’s not really what we wanted because, perience when it comes to planning, deploying, too often, things couldn’t easily interoperate and managing wireless networks. “Right now, and coexist.” the control guys are driving it. They have the In addition to collaboratively planning for responsibility for improving the numbers, and the long term, IT and automation teams they’re paying the bills,” Invensys’ Kagan says. should work together to identify which spe“But, ultimately, the IT guys will win.” cific wireless projects merit investment. While, in most cases, plant managers and automation DOS AND DON’TS teams will drive the decision on But, if organizations such as Boeing are any whether to use wireless for asset managingautomation.com indication, wireless doesn’t have to become a tracking, workforce mobility, or other RELATED ARTICLES: victim of the long-standing disconnect beapplications, IT must provide input Bridging the Divide Between IT and tween IT and automation teams. Instead, it on issues such as how a wireless deAutomation Teams (Bridging the can become a catalyst for better collaboraployment should be secured and how Great Divide) tion between the two groups. much it will cost to maintain, Appriwww.managingautomation.com/divide “The good news is that if you really take the on’s McPherson says. Cashing In on the Promise of RFID time to do wireless right, you have to involve Ultimately, experts say, the prolifwww.managingautomation.com/rfid10 everyone, and that can’t help but lead to a eration of technologies such as wireApprion Inc.: Managing All Wireless better understanding between IT and manuless will break down traditional walls Networks from One Platform www.managingautomation.com/wirelessnets facturing,” Kagan says. between IT and automation teams, The first step, Kagan and other experts forcing them to work collaboratively. When Networks Converge www.managingautomation.com/converge say, is to make sure the IT organization is in At Boeing, Paine says, after some the loop on pilot plant floor wireless projinitial uncertainty, automation teams Wireless Networking Vendor Targets Plant Floor ects from the get-go. Often, automation seem to be accepting the fact that www.managingautomation.com/wireless3 teams attempt to keep initial wireless pilots no longer will they be able to operate secret from IT, only to run into resistance in a bubble, without much oversight COMPANIES MENTIONED: and delays when, ultimately, IT gets wind of from IT. Apprion, Inc. the project. “They’re OK with it,” Paine says. www.managingautomation.com/Apprion “We see guys deciding they won’t tell the IT “They recognize that they don’t have Emerson Process Management guys about the project. Then it later comes as much experience with wireless www.managingautomation.com/Emerson back to bite them,” Kagan says. technologies, such as radios, so it Invensys Instead, automation teams seeking to try www.managingautomation.com/Invensys makes sense to take advantage of the out wireless should not only get IT involved expertise from the IT side.” ■ ployments are simple enough that the automation folks won’t need help from IT,” Zornio says. As plant floor wireless deployments grow and add complexity, however, Zornio fully expects that to change. Because most organizations won’t be willing to incur the expense of deploying and managing multiple wireless networks, “eventually the question is going to come up, ‘Who owns and controls the wireless network?’ There’s not an obvious answer,” he says. “And, as somebody who wants to see wireless take off, this is one of the things that may slow it down.” While today it’s unclear at many companies whether IT or automation teams have ultimate authority over wireless projects, in the long maonline Photo courtesy: Eli Lilly & Co. 31 November 2007 http://managingautomation.com http://www.managingautomation.com/divide http://www.managingautomation.com/rfid10 http://www.managingautomation.com/wirelessnets http://www.managingautomation.com/converge http://www.managingautomation.com/wireless3 http://www.managingautomation.com/Apprion http://www.managingautomation.com/Emerson http://www.managingautomation.com/Invensys

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Managing Automation - November 2007 Contents Take 1 Mailbox SAP's Business ByDesign to Validate On-Demand Model for Enterprise SW Portfolio Management Specialist Losing Ground to Rivals At Incor, It's Time for Some Deep Breathing Can HART, ISA Get Together on a Wireless Spec? Mesa Tries to Help Improve Plant Metrics Notes Cover Story: The Digital Factory Special Report: Breaking Down Walls Integration: Dreaming of One ERP Industries: Locking onto Cyber-Security Transformation: Not Your Father's Time & Attendance Program Product Scan Advertiser Index Next

Managing Automation - November 2007

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