Modern industrial control systems (ICS) face growing challenges, such as how to ensure consistent performance, minimize downtime, manage increasingly complex applications, the expansion of edge devices and central servers over distributed architecture, and maintain security— all without requiring advanced technical skills. In our previous post, we discussed how containers bundle applications with their dependencies for reliable, lightweight deployment across IT and OT environments. Now, let’s explore how Rockwell Automation’s FactoryTalk Optix and ThinManager use containers to address these issues head-on, simplifying operations and empowering your team.
Tag: industrial solutions
It’s in to be thin
ThinManager was mentioned in a recent LinkedIn Post from InSource Solutions about how thin client technology is more manageable, scalable and mobile.
Below are excerpts written by Jason Paquette, Product Marketing Manager at InSource Solutions, from his post regarding thin client management and mobility with an HMI.
Show Me ThinManager
The question we get asked the most is, “What is ThinManager?” (If you don’t know the answer, take a look here at a post we did in August.) The second question we hear is, “Can you show me ThinManager?”
With ThinManager, seeing is believing. In fact, with all the amazing capability packed in to ThinManager, you =&0=& to see it to believe it. Luckily, we’ve got you covered!
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Most months of the year, some of our crew is on the road in North America and Europe to show live what ThinManager can do. There is no cost to attend so there is really no excuse not to. Visit the Roadshow Page for details.
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We offer in-depth training of ThinManager just north of Atlanta, GA at our headquarters many times a year. We also offer scheduled Systems Integrator training in cities around North America. There is no better way to truly get your hands dirty and learn ThinManager like a pro. See our Training Schedule.
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Interested in learning about ThinManager from the comfort of your desk? Take a look at ThinManager TV and the rest of our website to watch videos at your leisure. There you can find walk through webinars, interesting ThinManager facts, and even a video or two that are just fun.
No matter how you get your eyes on ThinManager, we know you will leave impressed. Check it out today.
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Believe In Innovation
Technology moves fast. But never as fast as it has in the last 20 years. In 1995 Windows 95 brought personal computers even more into everyone’s homes, and the internet entered commercialized public consciousness.
Most all of us now carry small personal computers (in the form of smart phones) in our pockets, and a day without using the internet doesn’t exist. Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality hardware are predicted to become main stream next year while many already use a digital personal assistant like Siri or Amazon Echo.
Manufacturers were once the leaders in “state of the art” technology. Today, many are using dated hardware and not thinking forward or embracing the possibilities of today’s technology.
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Keeping up with technology is no easy task. We work feverishly to decide what to integrate into ThinManager to help our customers stay innovative and in the forefront of productive possibility.
We encourage you to come see ThinManager and Relevance in action at no cost to you. We are scheduling live roadshow demonstrations all over the U.S. Contact your local ThinManager reseller to get registered or to request a stop near you.
Happy Manufacturing Day
Today, October 2nd, 2015, is Manufacturing Day. Manufacturing Day℠ is a celebration of modern manufacturing meant to inspire the next generation of manufacturers. This is an exciting opportunity as many manufacturers are opening their doors to the public today to offer tours and to show just how the manufacturing process works for them.
As a “tip of the cap” to all those in this great industry, we have put together a video about ThinManager in a sit down interview with ACP’s CEO, Matt Crandell, asking where it all started, and where it is going. ThinManager is the global leader in thin client management and industrial mobility. Without our partners and customers in the manufacturing industry, we simply would not be where we are today.
To download and try ThinManager free for 30 days, please click the link below. Thank you to all that support us and the manufacturing industry. Happy Manufacturing Day!
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Using ThinManager – Safety and Security
Data Security – not just a buzzword. Today we know all too well that our data is important and keeping it secure and safe is often even more important.
This video focuses on the security and data safety in ThinManager. ThinManager gives you complete control in your production environment over who sees what, where and when. Secure data management has always been in the forefront when creating ThinManager. Our location-based resolvers create “Geo-Fences” for total security when integrating mobility in to your production environment.
The Factory of the future runs on ThinManager. Start a free trial of ThinManager today.
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User Authentication with ThinManager
With so much sensitive data and information out there in your network applications and tech these days, security and proof of identity are of the utmost importance. When people think security with technology they think first about user authentication. Most likely they think usernames and passwords, maybe pass-codes as on most mobile devices.
In a modern factory or production environment using ThinManager, there are several options at your disposal to make user authentication fast and amazingly safe and secure. ThinManager syncs with your existing Windows network Active Directory to provide an easy entry to your users and user authentication.
=&0=& – The tried and true method to proof of identity. ThinManager allows for keyboard incorporation giving users the ability to provide their network credentials and access the information you determine, at a terminal in which you have granted them the permission.
=&1=& – Faster than the traditional username and password, badge readers allow for the swipe or tap of a card badge, or insert of a smart card, to prove the identity of that user. Handy for touchscreen terminals where a keyboard might not be optimal. Card readers can also be used in part with a password for even more security. ThinManager now supports NLA (Network Level Authentication) policies depending on the configuration and desired method of use.
=&2=& – The newest module to ThinManger, finger print scanners add a unique level of security that can not be lost or forgotten by the user. Truly unique to each user, a fingerprint scanner allows quick proof of identity and is easily incorporated with ThinManager version 8 and higher.
Each method has pros and cons to their implementation and use, but ThinManager allows for each one in an effort to be flexible and incorporate with your business practices and company policies.
We all know that data security starts with user authentication. ThinManager remains the front runner in supporting secure methods for your users to show proof of identity.
Build The Ultimate Control Room
In today’s modern production environment visualization is not only important, it is essential.
Visualization is one of the cornerstones of ThinManager and building your ultimate control room to see everything in your production environment is simply put… “A Piece of Cake”!
Start by obtaining a capable thin client, one that can support multiple monitors. We like a configuration for at least 4 large monitors. Need suggestions, look at the ThinManager Knowledge Base of ThinManager ready hardware. Install and layout your monitors.
Using ThinManager you can now assign your control room thin client with all the applications, HMIs, IP Camera Feeds and Desktops that you will need to operate in complete control with optimal visualization of what is happening in your production environment.
Quickly and easily “Shadow” plant floor terminals or take control if needed. You have options for “Tiling” on each individual monitor, as well as using camera overlays for even more visualization. You can ever move content from screen to screen on the fly!
Simply restart your control room terminal and you now have the set up you always wanted. It is just that easy and all simply built in to the functionality of ThinManager.
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MailBag Friday (#12)
Every Friday, we dedicate this space to sharing solutions for some of the most frequently asked questions posed to our ThinManager Technical Support team. This weekly feature will help educate ThinManager users and provide them with answers to questions they may have about licenses, installation, integration, deployment, upgrades, maintenance, and daily operation. Great technical support is an essential part of the ThinManager platform, and we are constantly striving to make your environment as productive and efficient as possible.
Q- I have one user that runs multiple applications. I want to restrict permissions so when that user is running a session, they only log into the current application they are using and not log in for the others. Optimally, that user would have the option of manually logging into their other individual applications. I’m assuming that the Terminal Server itself would do the clean up and log users off after 5, 10 or 15 minutes of inactivity?
A – There are two settings that are set per display client that should get you the behavior that you want. On the Display Client Options page of the Display Client Wizard, make sure you have “Connect at Bootup” unchecked and “Always Maintain a Connection” unchecked.
-TM
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Q- We’re adding individual user smart cards with PIN numbers as an enhanced security measure, and I want this to get passed through to Thin Manager to avoid having to reset user passwords every 60 days as they expire on each individual Terminal Server. Can ThinManager help me avoid this tedious step?
A – This should currently work WinTMC clients connecting to Windows Server 2003 or newer servers.
-TM
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Q- We’re currently running ThinManager version 4, and looking to upgrade to ThinManager 6.0. I’m trying to get a list of things together that are the changes/additions from version 4 to 6. I’m not finding them on your site. It is probably one of those obvious links that I’m overlooking. Please advise.
A – We have two Tech Notes on this subject.
What’s New – http://www.thinmanager.com/technotes/01_Intro/WhatsNew.pdf
This covers what features are added in each release.
Evolution of ThinManager Terminology http://www.thinmanager.com/technotes/01_Intro/EvolutionOfThinManager.pdf
This covers the changing of terms as the product has evolved.
-TM
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Q- One of our previous installations is going into the hands of our IT Department. They are looking for automatic windows updates on Windows Server 2003. Do you think this could cause any issue for ThinManager?
A – It shouldn’t be an issue. There are no known issues with ThinManager regarding Windows updates.
-TM
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MailBag Friday (#11)
Every Friday, we dedicate this space to sharing solutions for some of the most frequently asked questions posed to our ThinManager Technical Support team. This weekly feature will help educate ThinManager users and provide them with answers to questions they may have about licenses, installation, integration, deployment, upgrades, maintenance, and daily operation. Great technical support is an essential part of the ThinManager platform, and we are constantly striving to make your environment as productive and efficient as possible.
Q- Is Microsoft Windows Server 2008 is supported on ThinManager version 5.0? We are having a connection issue where the thin client will not connect to the Remote Desktop Host (Terminal Server). We have tested normal RDP sessions with the users and they connect fine. We get the error message “could not start session on server XXXXX. An error occurred on the connection to the server”, when trying to establish a connection through ThinManager.
A – ThinManager and thin clients work with Windows Server 2008 and 2008 R2. They do take some additional configuration compared to Windows 2003. Microsoft has configured Windows Server 2008 to connect to a desktop by default, but you can’t run an initial program unless you allow it.
This doesn’t affect terminals connecting to ThinManager to get their configuration, but it prevents a thin client that is using AppLink to run a single app from connecting to the server. This sounds like the issue you mentions.
Page 8 & 9 of the PDF ( http://www.thinmanager.com/technotes/10_Microsoft/2008ServerTips.pdf) tell you how to allow any initial program. You can then use ThinManager to tell the thin client what app to run.
Page 10 & 11 explain how to allow individual programs, tightening it down further.
-TM
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Q- We have encountered an issue while upgrading from ThinManager 5.0 to ThinManager Platform 6. The thin clients are not talking to the Terminal Servers? Is
this a “package” issue? We had no problems completing this in our test environment. Any ideas?
A – The first thing you should do is make sure that you have the most up to date firmware patches installed on your clients . Then make sure your ThinServer has been updated to 6.0. This is usually a sync issue. Simply unsync, stop ThinServer, and reinstall. With everything upgraded your communication problem will be eliminated.
-TM
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Q- If a terminal is configured with the sound module, does that mean that audio out is permitted/enabled?
A – Yes it is. No additional steps should be required
-TM
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