OPC Foundation Launches OPC UA Cloud Initiative
OPC基金會啟動OPC UA云倡議

The OPC Foundation has unveiled a new initiative to boost interoperability across IT and cloud platforms using OPC UA, targeting applications like: data analytics using AI, Industrial Data Spaces, Digital Product Passports and applications for the Industrial Metaverse as well as Digital Twins. The initiative aims to create a cloud reference architecture to provide best practices and optimized profiles of OPC UA standards for broader data sharing, in line with global regulations such as the EU's Data Act or the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act (CRA). In addition, the initiative will cover the use of OPC UA Companion Specs and other OPC UA Information Models within cloud services.

OPC基金會啟動了一項新倡議，旨在利用OPC UA增強跨IT和云平臺之間的互操作性，針對的應用包括：使用AI進行數據分析、工業數據空間、數字產品通行證和工業應用程序元宇宙以及數字孿生。該計劃旨在創建一個云參考架構，為更廣泛的數據共享提供OPC UA標準的最佳實踐和優化配置文件，符合歐盟數據法案或歐盟網絡彈性法案 (CRA) 等全球法規。此外，該計劃還將涵蓋OPC UA配套規范和其他OPC UA信息模型在云服務中的使用。

Digitalization is resulting in a world divided between those who possess and effectively utilize data and those who lack access to those resources. This is a barrier to both corporate success and macro-economic growth. As a response, legislators are requiring vendors to share data among much broader ecosystems.  In addition, various use cases for traceability, such as the Digital Product Passport (DPP) and the Battery Passport (DBP), will create a greater need for interoperability of data models. Governmental security requirements, such as the Cyber Resilience Act, also create further requirements for data communication standards. The IEC standard OPC UA is well positioned to fulfill these demands.

數字化正在導致一個世界分化，一方面是擁有并有效利用數據的人，另一方面是缺乏這些資源訪問權限的人。這是企業成功和宏觀經濟增長的障礙。作為回應，立法者要求供應商在更廣泛的生態系統中共享數據。此外，諸如數字產品護照（DPP）和電池護照（DBP）等可追溯性的多種用例，將創造對數據模型互操作性的更大需求。《網絡彈性法案》等政府安全要求也對數據通信標準提出了進一步的要求。IEC標準OPC UA能夠很好地滿足這些需求。

“OPC UA has established itself as the industrial interoperability standard in on-premises, OT environments, field-level communication, as well as industrial Edge applications,” said Stefan Hoppe, president of the OPC Foundation, “Therefore, it is not surprising that OPC UA users want to leverage their existing investment in OPC UA Information Models and communication patterns and also utilize it in IT and cloud applications by enhancing secure, interoperable cloud architectures for advanced data analysis, digital twins and AI.”

OPC基金會主席Stefan Hoppe表示：“OPC UA已成為本地、OT環境、現場級通信以及工業邊緣應用中的工業互操作性標準。因此，OPC UA用戶理所當然希望利用他們對OPC UA信息模型和通信模式的現有投資，并通過增強用于高級數據分析、數字孿生和人工智能的安全、可互操作的云架構，將其用于IT和云應用。”

Notably, the initiative has garnered significant support from cloud industry leaders including Alibaba-Cloud, AWS, Huawei, Microsoft and SAP, as well as major manufacturers. This collaborative effort will harmonize existing working groups and initiate new working groups for cloud-centric applications, aiming to utilize and extend OPC UA and foster interoperability between cloud solutions. This strategic initiative is set to reduce costs and improve the usability of OPC UA Information Models for cloud-based use cases.

值得注意的是，該倡議得到了阿里云、AWS、華為、微軟、SAP等云行業領導者以及各大廠商的大力支持。這項協作工作將協調現有工作組，并為以云為中心的應用程序啟動新的工作組，旨在利用和擴展OPC UA并促進云解決方案之間的互操作性。這一戰略舉措旨在降低成本并提高OPC UA信息模型在基于云的用例中的可用性。