The importance of remote management in Industrial IoT

In a scenario where most people are working from home, the remote access and management of devices and systems is crucial. But beware of the security risks

2020 will be remembered as the year where a microscopic organism called COVID-19 put the whole world against the wall. An extremely contagious virus is forcing governments across the globe to take exceptional measures such as closing shops and other businesses, or forbidding their own citizens to move freely outside. 

Most people in the countries where these measures are being applied are aware of the importance of them staying home as a means to avoid the huge escalation of cases and the collapse of the Health System. Hashtags such as #FlattenTheCurve, #StayAtHome or #YoMeQuedoEnCasa in Spain, are reminders on Twitter of our role as citizens to stop the spread of the virus.

The economical consequences of this crisis is difficult to foresee, but it seems there is a consensus that this will hugely impact the commercial activity worldwide. Most companies in the (so far) affected areas are closing their offices and sending their workers home. This is challenging companies’ ability to keep business as usual when all their workforce is working from home.

As a consequence, there is a ‘boom’ in the use of remote tools to communicate and collaborate among colleagues and companies, such as Zoom, Teams, Slack…, specially in the services sectors. In fact the increase is so big that some of these tools are struggling to offer their usual service. But, what happens with the industrial companies? How are they facing this crisis? Are they being able to keep their normal activities? Are they, at least, being able to monitor and control part of their activity remotely?

In a situation such as the one we are currently facing with the risk of a virus spreading and collapsing our healthcare systems, companies should be able to send their workers home. However, the lack of tools in the industrial sector so that workers can remotely access, monitor, and maintain their assets and infrastructure is preventing many companies from proceeding in that sense. 

Of course companies producing physical products (cars, hardware pieces, appliances…) will suffer a bigger impact as there is part of the job that needs manual intervention that can’t be done remotely. But even in those companies there are many tasks and activities that actually should not require physical access to the factory.