Use Kubernetes to Maximize Manufacturing Output on the Hybrid Cloud
One of the ripple effects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been the disruption of production and supply chains worldwide. Commodity and worker shortages have sparked increased costs and delivery delays. Demand has also been impacted: where public health restrictions have led to sharp declines in demand for many manufacturers, other firms, such as those that produce medical equipment, have struggled to keep up.
Faced with this situation, the manufacturing industry has used technology to adapt its operations and fuel innovation. Many assembly lines continue to move thanks to the industrial internet of things (IIoT), or the interconnected sensors, instruments, and other devices whose connectivity increases efficiency and productivity.
One indispensable tool for networking these systems on the hybrid cloud is Kubernetes (K8s), an open-source container orchestration platform. Kubernetes allows manufacturers to spin up production environments and application clusters that eliminate downtime and maximize profitability. With these clusters, industry leaders have at their disposal an automated means of deploying flexible IT solutions.
But the digital transformation of production raises scalability and security concerns. Manufacturing firms can respond to these issues—as well as to the continued impacts of COVID-19—by using Kubernetes to manage data and applications on the hybrid cloud. Using Kubernetes will help manufacturers become production ready, network globally to improve product quality, and protect IP and actionable data.
Become production ready with Kubernetes
With a smart deployment of production-ready clusters, K8s can pave the way for a seamless shift from product development to manufacturing. A cloud-based approach to deployment keeps mission-critical applications and data secure and accessible, ensuring that innovative ideas can be turned into exceptional products without lapses in security or technical capacity.
On the factory floor, the benefits of Kubernetes are manifold. For starters, K8s allows users to automate much of their IT environment, from application health-checks and debugging to data back-up and analytics. Application deployment, for instance, can be scheduled to coincide with the time constraints and demands of the assembly line. This type of automation has the secondary effect of decluttering physical workspaces and
driving savings by eliminating the need for outdated legacy hardware.
By crafting a Kubernetes production environment on the hybrid cloud, manufacturers can take full advantage of the security and customizability of private cloud infrastructure as well as the scalability made possible by public clouds (such as AWS or Google). This hybrid model permits stakeholders to manage not only resources but also the huge amounts of data and metrics generated by the IIoT.
Network globally to improve product quality
In addition to enabling product development, Kubernetes helps organizations recruit the talent required to power premium products by simplifying hiring and onboarding. On the hybrid cloud, organizations can meet the demands of remote talent acquisition. Employees can also easily get familiarity with company protocols—be they manual or digital—thanks to native K8s integration.
Native Kubernetes integration makes it simpler for employees to connect in real-time regardless of their location or device. New team members and veterans enjoy streamlined communication through K8s container pods, and IAM details can be centralized and automated to avoid production and delivery delays. This sidesteps authentication issues and allows employees and managers to dedicate themselves to collaborating on product execution.
In addition to personnel administration, Kubernetes allows for smarter resource management. Its ability to capture and instrumentalize the data produced by the IIoT empowers team leaders to monitor and react to supply-chain disruptions without missing a beat. Container orchestration on the hybrid cloud decreases time to market, allowing manufacturers to remain lean while producing high-quality products
Protect data and navigate complexity
Despite the benefits of using K8s in the manufacturing space, moving operations to the cloud can give rise to security concerns. If any of the proprietary data or IP fueling an organization’s use of the IIoT is hacked, for example, unwanted legal and financial consequences could follow.
Securing this data is therefore key to ensuring companies’ competitive edge. This is where a platform to manage Kubernetes such as Diamanti’s Kubernetes platform can come in handy, equipping manufacturers with end-to-end backups and restoration. This keeps sensitive data private, actionable, and profitable.
In addition to simplifying access to and use of IIoT data streams, Diamanti helps industry leaders navigate the complexity of Kubernetes strategy and implementation. With its easy-to-use, centralized K8s platform and dedicated support teams, Diamanti makes networking production effortless and cost-effective.
Once connected to the hybrid cloud with Diamanti, manufacturers can navigate their products through any storm and into the hands of the customer with greater ease, saving time and beating competitors to market with the help of hybrid cloud infrastructure
