congatec secures aReady.COM edge architectures with patented OT-IT communication

congatec has introduced newly patented hypervisor mechanisms for its aReady.COM hardware and software modules to secure communication in edge environments. The company plans to utilize this technology to provide pre-integrated system building blocks that simplify the deployment of secure, connected industrial applications.

The development introduces a patent-backed approach to securing communication between operational technology and information technology networks using a consolidated hypervisor and communication software system. This technical solution targets industrial manufacturing and machine automation, where artificial intelligence processing and real-time control systems require strict isolation from broader enterprise networks.

Hardware Partitioning for Industrial Edge Architecture
Patent WO2025186118A1 details the underlying mechanism of this architecture, which operates by integrating the conga-zones hypervisor with the conga-connect communication software on a single computing module. The hypervisor creates isolated system partitions, allowing different operating environments to run concurrently without interference. A dedicated gateway acts as a security barrier to strictly separate the data acquisition processes on the operational technology side from the data transmission functions on the information technology side. By utilizing data projection mechanisms, the system blocks direct data forwarding between domains. This structural separation prevents external agents from accessing operational devices via the corporate network while equally restricting access to the information technology infrastructure from embedded endpoints.

System Consolidation and Functional Domain Isolation
By isolating functional domains at the hypervisor level, the technology allows industrial operators to consolidate diverse machine operations onto a single hardware platform. This secure-by-design approach enables the simultaneous execution of applications such as artificial intelligence inference, real-time machine control, and user interface rendering. Integrating these functions onto application-ready computing blocks reduces total cost of ownership and shortens system development times by minimizing integration risks. The architecture ensures that critical operational functions remain decoupled from potentially vulnerable external communication layers.

Virtual Private Networking for Secure Remote Integration
Andreas Bergbauer, Manager Solution Management at congatec, notes that the integration of the hypervisor and communication tools establishes isolated functional domains necessary for running artificial intelligence and real-time control securely. Konrad Garhammer, Chief Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer at congatec, adds that the combination of partitioned environments, controlled data routing, and virtual private network communication serves as the fundamental mechanism for maintaining security by design in edge architectures. These secure data exchange mechanisms simplify the use of complex embedded technologies within industrial facilities.

Additional Context:
This section details technical specifications and competitive benchmarking not included in the original product announcement

The implementation of separation kernels and hypervisors for isolating operational technology from information technology is a recognized requirement in mixed-criticality edge computing environments. In comparison to the congatec aReady.COM approach, the Wind River Helix Virtualization Platform similarly utilizes a Type 1 hypervisor to consolidate multi-OS and mixed-criticality applications onto a single edge computing device. Wind River focuses on reallocating pooled CPU and memory resources to maintain strict operational boundaries. Alternatively, Lynx Software Technologies provides the LynxSecure Separation Kernel Hypervisor, which operates on a least privilege model. LynxSecure immutably allocates processing resources at the hardware level to provide cyber resilience and determinism without relying on traditional operating system service interfaces. While LynxSecure is heavily benchmarked against aviation certification standards like DO-178C DAL A, the congatec solution leverages its conga-zones and data projection gateway specifically to target industrial machine consolidation, operational data acquisition, and secure virtual private network connectivity on commercial computer-on-module form factors.

Edited by Natania Lyngdoh, Induportals editor, assisted by AI.

www.congatec.com