ASRock Industrial’s IoT Controller Now O-PAS Certified for Open Automation

ASRock Industrial recently announced that its iEP-5010G-010 industrial IoT controller is now certified under the Open Group’s O-PAS Certification program. This achievement demonstrates the industry’s growing interest in open and interoperable automation systems.

ASRock Industrial’s iEP-5010G is now an O-PAS certified industrial controller. Image (modified) courtesy of ASRock Industrial

O-PAS Certification for Process Automation

The Open Process Automation Standard (O-PAS) encourages a more open approach by allowing products and systems from different vendors to work together. In the past, industrial automation often depended on proprietary communication, software, and hardware, making upgrades and integration with other vendors difficult.

O-PAS uses standardized interfaces and requirements to create a shared framework for compatible technologies. This helps operators build flexible systems and avoid being locked into one vendor for the long term. ASRock Industrial’s iEP-5010G-010 certification is important because it is an independently verified example of hardware built for this open approach.

iEP-5010G-010 Meets O-PAS Standard 2nd Edition Requirements

The iEP-5010G-010 earned its certification through the O-PAS Certification Program for O-PAS Standard 2nd Edition. ASRock Industrial says the platform meets the requirements of the OSM-003 Redfish System Management Profile and the PP-003 Regulatory Physical Platform Profile.

A look at Open Group’s O-PAS certification process. Image courtesy of Open Group

Enterprise Transformation Partners and IECEE independently verified the certification, which is important for users who want to be sure the product meets industry standards. Independent verification provides greater confidence than self-declared compliance because the product undergoes assessment against relevant requirements, which is crucial for evaluating critical automation infrastructure. These factors form a foundation for deploying industrial computing hardware within an open and interoperable process automation architecture.

Redfish Brings Standardized System Management

Redfish-based system management is a key technical feature of the new certification. Redfish is a standards-based interface that gives users a consistent way to access and manage computing hardware. For the iEP-5010G-010, this means it can offer standardized management for operating system details, hardware, DCN visibility, and system metrics.

Instead of relying only on vendor-specific management methods, system operators can now use standardized interfaces. This is especially helpful as automation systems use platforms from different suppliers and add more edge computing. 

The iEP-5010G-010 features comprehensive I/O connectivity, including HDMI, USB, Gigabit LAN ports, and serial COM connections. Image courtesy of ASRock Industrial

As more industrial devices become connected, cybersecurity is just as important. The iEP-5010G-010 also has IEC 62443-4-2 certification for industrial automation and control system parts, adding another layer of security.

Besides its certifications, the iEP-5010G-010 is built for tough industrial settings, with a rugged fanless design, wide input voltage range, and the ability to work in extreme temperatures.

A Milestone for Open Process Automation

As process industries look for automation systems that can adapt over long equipment lifecycles, open architectures help them add new technologies, connect equipment from different suppliers, and update systems without replacing everything.

O-PAS focuses on making systems like the iEP-5010G-010 work across many platforms. Still, the wider impact will depend on more companies adopting the O-PAS Certification Program and other open standards throughout the industry.