OPC Foundation Launches OPC UA Cloud Initiative
OPC基金会启动OPC UA云倡议

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基金会启动了一项新倡议，旨在利用OPC UA增强跨IT和云平台之间的互操作性，针对的应用包括：使用AI进行数据分析、工业数据空间、数字产品通行证和工业应用程序元宇宙以及数字孪生。该计划旨在创建一个云参考架构，为更广泛的数据共享提供OPC UA标准的最佳实践和优化配置文件，符合欧盟数据法案或欧盟网络弹性法案 (CRA) 等全球法规。此外，该计划还将涵盖OPC UA配套规范和其他OPC UA信息模型在云服务中的使用。

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.

数字化正在导致一个世界分化，一方面是拥有并有效利用数据的人，另一方面是缺乏这些资源访问权限的人。这是企业成功和宏观经济增长的障碍。作为回应，立法者要求供应商在更广泛的生态系统中共享数据。此外，诸如数字产品护照（DPP）和电池护照（DBP）等可追溯性的多种用例，将创造对数据模型互操作性的更大需求。《网络弹性法案》等政府安全要求也对数据通信标准提出了进一步的要求。IEC标准OPC UA能够很好地满足这些需求。

“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基金会主席Stefan Hoppe表示：“OPC UA已成为本地、OT环境、现场级通信以及工业边缘应用中的工业互操作性标准。因此，OPC UA用户理所当然希望利用他们对OPC UA信息模型和通信模式的现有投资，并通过增强用于高级数据分析、数字孪生和人工智能的安全、可互操作的云架构，将其用于IT和云应用。”

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，该倡议得到了阿里云、AWS、华为、微软、SAP等云行业领导者以及各大厂商的大力支持。这项协作工作将协调现有工作组，并为以云为中心的应用程序启动新的工作组，旨在利用和扩展OPC UA并促进云解决方案之间的互操作性。这一战略举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。