IT/OT Archives - Kai Waehner

IT OT Convergence with Unified Namespace UNS and Data Product in Industrial IoT using Data Streaming Apache Kafka MQTT OPC UA

3.1K views
13 minute read

Unified Namespace vs. Data Product in IT/OT for Industrial IoT

ByKai Waehner
1. July 2025

Industrial companies are connecting machines, sensors, and enterprise systems like never before. Real-time data, cloud-native platforms, and AI are driving this transformation—but only if silos between OT and IT can be broken down. This blog introduces two key architecture patterns that support IT/OT convergence. The Unified Namespace structures live OT data, while Data Products govern and deliver that data across IT systems. Technologies like MQTT, OPC UA and Apache Kafka play a central role in building scalable, secure, and real-time data pipelines. Combined, these patterns enable clean integration, better data quality, and faster time to value—laying the foundation for success in manufacturing, energy, logistics, and beyond.

Replacing OT Middleware with Data Streaming using Kafka and Flink for Cloud-Native Industrial IoT with MQTT and OPC-UA

4.4K views
11 minute read

Modernizing OT Middleware: The Shift to Open Industrial IoT Architectures with Data Streaming

ByKai Waehner
17. March 2025

Legacy OT middleware is struggling to keep up with real-time, scalable, and cloud-native demands. As industries shift toward event-driven architectures, companies are replacing vendor-locked, polling-based systems with Apache Kafka, MQTT, and OPC-UA for seamless OT-IT integration. Kafka serves as the central event backbone, MQTT enables lightweight device communication, and OPC-UA ensures secure industrial data exchange. This approach enhances real-time processing, predictive analytics, and AI-driven automation, reducing costs and unlocking scalable, future-proof architectures.