• PICMG IoT.1 interoperable data modeling capabilities have been included in the latest release of the DMTF Redfish specification.
• Ongoing work will extend the Redfish job model to support factory orchestration and management via cloud-based platforms like AWS.
• A reference Redfish server based on PICMG IoT.x is being developed on GitHub to demonstrate the potential of plug-and-play Industry 4.0 use cases.

WAKEFIELD, MA. PICMG, the consortium driving open standards for modular, scalable computing, and DMTF, have announced that an IP submission containing the PICMG IoT.x firmware specification was accepted and included in the most recent Work in Progress phase of the Redfish^® standard. The extensions to Redfish will streamline the creation of plug-and-play Industry 4.0 systems by connecting interoperable data models on IoT.x-enabled endpoints to software-defined converged infrastructure via the Redfish API.

Redfish is an IT industry standard commonly used for data collection and device management in equipment such as data center fans and coolant pumps. Since 2018, PICMG and DMTF have worked collaboratively to extend the capabilities of Redfish to automation and factory equipment, enabling remote management and control of robotic motion platforms, contextualized sensing systems, and other advanced control endpoints.

The result of those efforts is PICMG IoT.1 and IoT.2, which add extensions to DMTF’s Redfish standard, now included in the latest publication.

“DMTF specifies protocols, data formats, and models for interoperable management on control plane infrastructure including edge systems,” said Jeff Hilland, DMTF president. “Since a lot of what we do is applicable to edge hardware, it makes sense to work with PICMG as part of our alliance partner program.”

Extending Data and Control Capabilities

The PICMG IoT.1 firmware specification defines a standard data model for sensor makers and systems integrators, while PICMG IoT.2 addresses the data model and network architecture requirements for the integration of larger sensor/effector networks.

Together, the two specifications accelerate the development and deployment of smart sensors in Industry 4.0 applications. Redfish extensions integrate these capabilities in a larger system of systems context while remaining fully compatible with the PICMG IoT.x specifications.

PICMG is also working on extending the Redfish job model to support cloud-based scheduling and orchestration of factory equipment. This will allow industrial operators to leverage powerful cloud platforms like AWS to manage jobs all the way to control endpoints on a factory floor.

“Imagine a modular factory where every component is interconnected and fully plug-and-play not just at the sensor and effector level, but across the entire assembly line,” said Doug Sandy, CTO of PICMG. “A factory where every piece of equipment has its own associated Redfish service, workloads, and processing could happen wherever they need to, while operators could manage and monitor everything through a top-down hierarchy of building, floor, and line controllers.”

“That’s what PICMG and DMTF ultimately want to support. And with our current work on Redfish, we’ve taken a big step in the right direction,” he added.

Building the Factory of the Future

PICMG’s IP submission recently entered DMTF’s Work in Progress phase and is slated for a projected full release in 2025. During the Work in Progress phase, the development community will have the opportunity to review and comment on the new content of the specification so changes can be incorporated prior to the next Redfish release.

PICMG and DMTF also currently have a team working on an example implementation of the interoperable data environment, expressed in the form of an open-source server. Accessible on the PICMG GitHub repository, new functionality is being added to the server each month with the goal of it becoming fully functional in time for the next Redfish specification release.

The PICMG extension is publicly available on the DMTF website at: www.dmtf.org/sites/default/files/PICMG_DMTF_Work_Register_v1.1.pdf.

Learn More

• PICMG Industrial IoT Overview: https://www.picmg.org/industrial-iot-overview
• PICMG IoT Firmware Specification: picmg.org/product/iiot_firmware
• DMTF Website: dmtf.org
• PICMG Redfish Submission: dmtf.org/sites/default/files/PICMG_DMTF_Work_Register_v1.1.pdf
• PICMG Redfish Server on GitHub: https://github.com/PICMG/redfish_server_maker
• E-mail Contact: [email protected]

About DMTF

DMTF, an industry standards organization, creates open manageability specifications spanning diverse emerging and traditional IT infrastructures including cloud, virtualization, network, servers, and storage. Member companies and alliance partners worldwide collaborate on standards including Redfish, SPDM, SMBIOS, MCTP, PLDM, and more to improve the interoperable management of information technologies. Nationally and internationally recognized by ANSI and ISO, DMTF standards enable a more integrated and cost-effective approach to management through interoperable solutions. Simultaneous development of Open Source and Open Standards is made possible by DMTF, which has the support, tools, and infrastructure for efficient development and collaboration. For a complete list of our standards and initiatives, visit the Standards and Technologies section of the DMTF website.

DMTF is led by a diverse board of directors from Broadcom Inc.; Cisco; Dell Technologies; Hewlett Packard Enterprise; Intel Corporation; Lenovo; Positivo Tecnologia S.A.; and Verizon.

About PICMG

Founded in 1994, PICMG is a not-for-profit 501(c) consortium of companies and organizations that collaboratively develop open standards for high-performance industrial, Industrial IoT, military & aerospace, telecommunications, test & measurement, medical, and general-purpose embedded computing applications. There are more than 150 member companies that specialize in a wide range of technical disciplines, including mechanical and thermal design, single board computer design, high-speed signaling design and analysis, networking expertise, backplane, and packaging design, power management, high availability software and comprehensive system management.

Key standards families developed by PICMG include COM-HPC, COM Express, CompactPCI, AdvancedTCA, MicroTCA, AdvancedMC, CompactPCI Serial, InterEdge, ModBlox7, SHB Express, IoT.x, and HPM (Hardware Platform Management).

For more information, visit https://www.picmg.org.

More than 45 PICMG members will be exhibiting at Embedded World 2024. For the first time at the world’s largest trade fair dedicated to embedded technology, PICMG is the subject of two technical conference tracks. We’ll be hosting a 30th Anniversary Reception on Wednesday, April 10th, that’s open to all PICMG members as well as the press; we expect more than 150 attendees.

There is a lot of excitement around PICMG at Embedded World 2024, but those activities don’t even mention all the PICMG-related news released ahead of and during the show. From exciting industry partnerships to new branding, here are some of highlights from the PICMG news releases you’ll see around Embedded World 2024.

• PICMG Celebrates Its 30th Anniversary—To celebrate this milestone, PICMG is rolling out all new branding, with new logos for all related specifications, in Hall 5, booth 5-342 at this year’s Embedded World in Nuremberg.
• PICMG, OPAF Partnership to Advance Open Process Control Technology—The partnership fills a gap in edge controller hardware that exists in the O-PAS™ Standard—an open architectural framework for developing industrial process automation systems, currently being defined by OPAF initiatives.
• PICMG ModBlox7 Specification To Be Showcased at 2024 Embedded World—In support of the ModBlox7 ratification, one of PICMG’s newest specifications, multiple members are collectively showcasing their newest products based on the spec at the 2024 Embedded World exhibition.
• PICMG Announces Release of InterEdge Standard for Open, Modular Process Control Systems—The IEC 61499 and IEC 61131-compatible InterEdge specification promises to revolutionize the industry with an interoperable, multi-vendor alternative to proprietary Industrial PCs (IPCs), Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), and Distributed Control Systems (DCSs).
• PICMG Bolsters New COM-HPC “Mini” Form Factor with Release of Carrier Design Guide Revision 2.2—This comprehensive document contains interface schematics, diagrams, design rules and requirements, and more for PCB layout engineers and hardware developers looking to create application-specific carrier boards that pair with COM-HPC modules.
• TO COME! An Announcement from PICMG and the DMTF!

The Show(s) Must Go On

We’re only through the first quarter of 2024 and we’ve seen two new specification families introduced, multiple new specifications released, a call for participation on a new version of a familiar technology (AdvancedTCA), strengthened partnerships with multiple standards organizations, and more.

Later this month PICMG will be sponsoring the IEEE Real-Time Conference (RTC) in Vietnam, which serves as rallying point for a critical emerging deep tech economy (https://indico.cern.ch/event/940112/program). We will act as an umbrella for multiple members who develop and deliver products into this sector, and also participate in a Women in Engineering (WiE) event (https://indico.cern.ch/event/940112/page/33210-women-in-engineering-wie-event).

Later this year we will visit Embedded World North America in Austin, the MicroTCA Summit in Hamburg, and many more in-person and virtual events in between. Right now is one of the more exciting times in PICMG’s 30-year history, and I feel fortunate to be part of it.

(Editor’s note: If you’d like to attend the 30th Anniversary Reception and have yet to receive an invite or RSVP, contact [email protected], [email protected], or [email protected] to get on the list or schedule a meeting).