Belden integrates CloudRail software with AWS IoT SiteWise for enhanced Industrial Data Solution

Saint Louis, United States (Metro Rail Today): Belden Inc., a prominent global supplier of network infrastructure and digitization solutions, has announced a significant integration of its CloudRail software with AWS IoT SiteWise. This integration marks a pivotal step forward in industrial data management and analytics, leveraging the capabilities of both CloudRail and AWS to provide customers with a comprehensive data solution.

Acquired by Belden in 2023, CloudRail enables efficient cloud-based device management, allowing users to deploy, manage, and update edge devices on a global scale. The software pre-processes data locally, ensuring that it is ready for cloud utilization. This new integration brings together AWS’s robust data services with CloudRail’s protocol management software, effectively catering to both brownfield and greenfield data acquisition needs.

The integration of CloudRail with AWS IoT SiteWise offers a seamless connection between industrial assets and sensors to the AWS cloud. With CloudRail's capabilities, users can standardize the discovery, acquisition, and normalization of data from diverse industrial environments. The processed data is ingested into AWS IoT SiteWise Edge for local handling and monitoring, while also synchronizing with AWS IoT SiteWise for broader enterprise visibility and advanced analytics.

Key Benefits of the Integration

1. Accelerated Time-to-Value: With plug-and-play access to over 12,000 sensor definitions and robust data normalization capabilities, customers can connect their industrial assets to AWS IoT SiteWise rapidly—enabling data utilization within hours rather than weeks.

2. Simplified Edge-to-Cloud Data Flow: The unified solution allows customers to acquire, process, and transfer data from edge devices to the cloud effortlessly, removing the complexities of multiple integrations and ensuring consistent data handling throughout the process.

3. Scalable and Secure Device Management: CloudRail’s cloud-based management features allow users to securely deploy and update thousands of distributed edge devices from a centralized platform, enhancing operational efficiency.

4. Broad Asset and Protocol Support: CloudRail is designed to work with both modern and legacy industrial equipment. Modern machines can connect using standard protocols like OPC-UA, while older assets can be retrofitted with secondary sensors. Additionally, Modbus facilitates efficient connectivity for devices such as energy meters.

Matthew Wopata, Global Product Line Management Leader for Data Software Applications at Belden, emphasized the impact of this integration, stating, “The integration of CloudRail with AWS IoT SiteWise Edge provides our customers with a powerful and streamlined solution for industrial data acquisition and analysis. This marks the latest way Belden and its brands are helping companies around the world gather data at the edge so they can leverage it to improve processes and increase efficiency.”

The integration setup is designed for simplicity. Users can easily add CloudRail’s software as a data source for their IoT SiteWise Edge gateway through a drop-down selection in the AWS Console. For setting up sensors, smart meters, and OPC UA servers as field devices, users will be directed to the CloudRail Device Management Cloud (DMC). The automatic configuration within AWS means that users can enjoy the benefits of CloudRail without needing to deploy physical edge gateways.

The collaboration between Belden Inc. and AWS through the integration of CloudRail with AWS IoT SiteWise represents a significant advancement in the industrial data landscape. By simplifying data management and improving accessibility, this solution is set to empower businesses to harness the full potential of their data, driving efficiency and innovation in various industrial sectors.