Devices with wireless communication using proprietary radios have been installed in tough industrial applications for several decades.
With the modernization of industrial networks and the rapid adoption of technologies related to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), there has been an increasing demand for non-proprietary (i.e. open) wireless communication technologies.
Proprietary protocols
Proprietary protocols are those designed and created by a single manufacturer. One of the advantages of using proprietary protocols is that they can be highly customized to the user’s application since the manufacturer has ownership of the protocol design and how it is implemented.
On the downside, however, once users are locked into a proprietary protocol, it is hard to migrate to a different system. There is also the danger of the manufacturer discontinuing the product line with its associated proprietary protocol, or even its entire operations. Users are held captive to a vendor’s proprietary technologies, which is risky.
Open protocols
Open protocols are typically viewed as being more secure and safer compared to proprietary technologies
Open protocols (e.g. WirelessHART, ISA100) are collaboratively developed by a consortium or group of users; and while it may be frowned upon as a one-size-fits-all approach to wireless communication technologies, its benefits far outweigh its limitations.
For example, open protocols facilitate interoperability between devices from different brands. As a user, they have the freedom to purchase from various vendors operating on the same protocol.
No longer are users bound to a single proprietary vendor. Secondly, open protocols are typically viewed as being more secure and safer compared to proprietary technologies. This is because multiple groups of users are actively contributing to the improvement of the technology design and implementation.
Key features
As a user exploring the implementation of wireless technologies here are some starting considerations:
- Interoperability– Do users currently use a variety of instrumentation brands in the facility? If so, the majority of main instrumentation brands are already open-protocol enabled.
- Scalability– Do users plan to scale the wireless operations in the future? Open protocols are the most cost-efficient to scale.
- Technology development– How important is staying technology-relevant to the organization? Open protocols are continuously enhanced through working user groups and their relevancy is benchmarked to leading vendors and end users in the industry.
Depending on the application, both proprietary and open protocols have their own benefits. The industry is definitely trending towards more end-users being increasingly drawn to the advantages of open wireless technologies.
