Cisco has added new visibility and security software to its cloud-based dashboard for managing the configuration and applications of IoT devices in industrial environments.
The company has upgraded its IoT Operations Dashboard with Cisco Cyber Vision, software that automatically builds a detailed inventory of all operational technology (OT) devices and identifies vulnerabilities.
Cyber Vision can share its inventory with Cisco’s enterprise extended detection and response (XDR) platform SecureX to provide a combined inventory of IT and OT assets, which can streamline threat investigation and build remediation workflows, said Vikas Butaney, senior director at Cisco Cloud Connectivity and Vice President and General Manager of Industrial Internet of Things.
Cyber Vision can provide a vulnerability threat score, identify which threats are being exploited, and prioritize how to address them, Butani said. Prioritization of threat assessment and remediation is technology Cisco acquired when it acquired security risk management company Kenna in 2021.
Cyber Vision also provides a common toolset that both IT and OT teams can use to work together more effectively to reduce infrastructure downtime, Butaney said. Cyber Vision is now in beta.
IoT Operations Dashboard complements Cisco IoT Control Center for managing IoT devices connected over cellular networks. “IoT environments are broad and use cases require different configuration and management capabilities,” Butaney said.
Cisco has added another new service called Secure Equipment Access Plus for remotely deploying, maintaining and troubleshooting hardware connected to Cisco industrial routers. “Through a web-based interface on a browser, customers can access machines and make software upgrades or changes without having to visit the site, saving time and money,” Butaney said. Secure Equipment Access Plus is available now.
New Catalyst Switch
Cisco has expanded its portfolio of rugged Catalyst switches with a series of boxes designed to fit in tight spaces. The Catalyst IE3100 Gigabit Ethernet switch is a small, fully managed switch designed to connect robots, controllers and other industrial equipment. Like all Catalyst switches, they run the IOS-XE operating system and are managed by Cisco DNA Center. They will be available in March.
The company has also added Catalyst-based rugged wireless clients, a hardware device that connects to vehicles, autonomous robots and other mobile assets. The IW9165 can provide location services and power device switching. It can also connect to standard Wi-Fi networks or participate in Cisco ultra-reliable wireless backhaul. URWB is a wireless technology that Cisco describes as providing high availability, low latency, and zero packet loss, with seamless handover over unlicensed wireless spectrum. It is designed to connect mobile assets or extend networks that cannot run fiber optics.
“Factories, distribution centers and warehouses are becoming more automated, and now we have a client that you can put into your robot or machine to communicate reliably in those environments,” Butaney said. IW9165 Will be available in April.
Another new device, the Catalyst IW9165D heavy-duty access point, provides Wi-Fi backhaul via a built-in directional antenna when fiber or cellular networks are not an option. The company says external antennas can be added to support both fixed and mobile use cases.