Recent global events have stressed manufacturing companies and their processes to the breaking point. From crippling supply chain disruptions to growing security threats, mounting challenges are driving manufacturers of all sizes to look to technology to help increase agility and resilience while opening the door to a more innovative future.

IT systems used in manufacturing environments of the past have been disconnected and disparate, built over time to meet the needs of the day.

Creating the ‘Factory of the Future’ requires manufacturing focused IT solutions providing speed, reliability, and low cost, while supporting critical production systems, distributed
development, 24/7 availability, scalability, and heightened security. IT hardware also needs to be flexible enough to run in the data center and yet ruggedized to tolerate the harsh
environment of the factory floor.

Modernizing IT infrastructure for manufacturing is no longer a one-time event. Continuous innovation on the factory floor requires continuous innovation in IT. Data security needs will
continue to be paramount, as will high availability. Bringing cloud innovation into the factory can help fuel this innovation, while maintaining local control when needed.