Two-Edged Swords Should Cut Both Ways

I saw a recent press release about two edge solutions working together and decided I should write about it. However, the press release was only from one of them and talked about a partnership with another company. So, I went to the other company’s website searched for company names and concepts and came up with other similar announcements, but not with the company I was looking for. It got me wondering…

Now comes the tricky part. The aforementioned announcement was about the two companies collaborating to have their edge servers work together. On their sites, both companies talk about their expertise “Industrial DataOps.”

Industrial DataOps represents the concept of détente between Ops and IT to gather useful information and distribute to all interested parties.

Here is a better blended definition thanks to Chat GPT.

Industrial DataOps is a strategic framework designed to optimize the collection, integration, management, and utilization of data within industrial and manufacturing sectors (from SymphonyAI.com). By applying principles from agile methodologies and DevOps, Industrial DataOps emphasizes automation, collaboration, and continuous improvement to ensure high-quality, real-time data availability for analytics and decision-making (from The IT/OT Insider).

SymphonyAI goes on to explain:

A key component of Industrial DataOps is the integration of data from diverse sources – such as Information Technology (IT), Operational Technology (OT), and engineering systems – into a unified system. This integration simplifies access, enhances decision-making, and enables the deployment of AI-driven solutions at scale. 

In other words, as an AIoT system, the edge solution understands the requirements for relevant data and provides insight for all layers of management.

If both companies are doing DataOps, where does the one system start and the other end? Here are some concerns to consider if you find yourself being pitched to use multiple edge solutions.

1. What advantages does one company bring that the other does not? Is one a better dashboard than the other, or has a better API to be integrated into your existing systems?
2. Is one system capable of faster processing and designed to be at a corporate level, while the other is designed to gather information at the plant? In the case of the press release that caught my attention, it was clear that the one at the plant had stronger vertical expertise.
3. How often have these two companies collaborated and are there reference accounts? Does the reference account have insight as to the building of the language set, the flexibility of the systems and the integration into the company’s workflow?
4. What happens if one of the companies is bought by a competitor? How are you protected from the solutions being no longer compatible? Who will maintain or update the solution, and when would additional costs be applied?

A key question to consider is how did the initial sales call start? It’s rare that two companies account executives come and pitch you cold but, if this the result of an RFP, can you see where they decided to collaborate based on the proposal’s “voice?” Many successful companies have entire information pages about who they collaborate with and what the listed partners bring to the table. Often, they have several partners that do the same thing, so you want to understand which one does the most business with them and why.

This entire rant from me is the result of a poor release on one site. Strangely, on the silent site about this collaboration there was a similar press announcement, where it was clear where the delineation was between the two edge solutions. If I were doing my homework, the two that explained the collaboration would be the more logical solution to hear from.

I have been in my share of joint meetings with two companies that saw synergies but could not collaborate well. I have also worked with companies that love to announce partnerships to the point where their websites look like a Formula 1 racecar with logos all over the place. My advice: Make sure the collaboration is more than a press release.