M4E #106: What is the Unified Namespace
We are back to a really interesting topic related to digital transformation and Industry 4.0: the Unified Namespace. Check it out what this is in the following 4.0 Solutions video!
Time for Insights
The Unified Namespace (UNS) aggregates and organizes data from machines, control systems, enterprise software (like ERP or MES), and even cloud platforms into a unified, structured namespace. This structure is typically hierarchical and modeled on industrial standards such as ISA-95, making it intuitive and scalable for representing operations across different levels of a factory—from devices on the shop floor to entire enterprises.
Implementing a UNS has some challenges. It demands well-defined data governance, including naming conventions, access control, and system scalability. Integrating older systems may require custom gateways or wrappers to translate their outputs into the standardized namespace.
One thing I don’t agree with the video is to build security after a proof of concept. Security must be incorporated from the beginning, taking into account the concept of security by design.
You can check more info here, for example.