IIC Publications | Authoritative Resources on Industrial IoT from Digital Twin Consortium
The IIC publications library offers a comprehensive collection of authoritative resources developed by the Industry IoT Consortium (IIC). These publications provide in-depth guidance on digital transformation, Industrial IoT architectures, security frameworks, testbeds, and best practices. Whether you're implementing industrial digital twins or shaping your enterprise's IoT strategy, IIC publications are an essential knowledge base.
Architecture
Explore key architectural frameworks that enable scalable, secure, and interoperable industrial IoT deployments.
- Industrial Internet Reference Architecture - Addresses the need for a common architecture framework to develop interoperable IIoT systems for diverse applications across a broad spectrum of industrial verticals. (2022-11-07)
- Industrial IoT Key System Concerns - Highlights key system concerns in Industrial IoT systems as special topics and provides additional analysis to assist architects, designers, and implementers to be fully cognizant of their importance. (2018-08-07)
- Implementation Aspect: IIoT and Blockchain
Provides an overview of typical IIoT use cases and how blockchain can be used (2020-07-22)
-From the IIC Industrial Distributed Ledger Task Group - Key Safety Challenges for the IIoT
Highlight four key safety challenges for the IIoT, explains why the current safety frameworks and approaches are inadequate, and recommends how the greater IIoT community should address them (2017-12-01)
-From the IIC Safety Task Group - Advancing the Industrial Internet of Things – Co-authored by oneM2M (2019-12-12)
- Applying the Industrial Internet Reference Architecture to the Smart Grid Testbed
Representing an emergent microcosm of the larger power grid, a microgrid is a strong solution for addressing some of the problems outlined above and presents an ideal Industrial Internet demonstration project for the power sector (2016-07-18)
-From IIC Members National Instruments, RTI and Thingswise
Business Strategy
Learn how industrial IoT is transforming business strategy by enabling data-driven decision-making and operational efficiency.
- Business Strategy and Innovation Framework - A high-level identification and analysis of issues that any enterprise will need to address to capitalize on the opportunities emerging from this current revolution that is the IIoT. (2016-11-15)
- Industrial Internet Investment Strategies: New Roles, New Rules
Traditional investment models simply don’t work. As one Venture Capital executive told us, IoT is turning the Venture Capital model upside down (2015-11-06)
-Industry IoT Consortium Thought Leadership Task Group
Business Strategy and Security
Understand how aligning security with business strategy is critical to the success and resilience of industrial IoT initiatives.
- The Business Viewpoint of Securing the Industrial Internet – an Executive Overview
Highlights the need for every organization across every industry to secure their IIoT systems and to deploy best-practice security solutions immediately (2016-09-08)
-From the IIC Marketing Security Task Group
Business Strategy and Toolkit
Leverage toolkits and strategic guidance to accelerate industrial IoT adoption and optimize return on investment.
- Industrial IoT Artificial Intelligence Framework - Provides guidance and assistance in the development, training, documentation, communication, integration, deployment and operation of AI-enabled industrial IoT systems. (2022-02-22)
Connectivity
Discover how industrial IoT connectivity standards ensure reliable communication across complex, distributed systems.
- Industrial Internet Connectivity Framework - Helps practitioners unlock data in isolated systems, enable data sharing and interoperability between previously closed components and subsystems (brownfield), and accelerate the development of new applications (greenfield) within and across industries. (2022-06-08)
- Industrial IoT Networking Framework - Provides guidance answering the fundamental question, How do I design, deploy, and operate a successful networking solution for my industrial IoT applications? (2022-08-03)
- IT-OT Convergence Impact on Networking
An Industry IoT Consortium Tech Brief - (2022-08-02) - Impact of Distributed Ledgers on Provider Networks
Analyzes the operational impact of peer-to-peer distributed ledgers on the service provider network. (2022-01-10)
– From the IIC Distributed Ledger Tiger Team - Distributed Ledgers in IIoT
Investigates distributed ledger characteristics, key drivers for implementation, current deployments, future opportunities, challenges, standards, and practical guidance on how distributed ledgers may be deployed in IIoT systems (2020-07-27)
-From the IIC Industrial Distributed Ledger Task Group - Industrial Networking Enabling IIoT Communication
Briefly introduces the IIC IINF, an IIC foundational document intended to be used to select the appropriate solution for IIoT communication (2018-08-29)
-From the IIC Networking Task Group - Time Sensitive Networking for Flexible Manufacturing Testbed – Characterization and Mapping of Converged Traffic Types
Describes application traffic types that are found in industrial and process control systems and supported in the IIC’s Time Sensitive Networks for Flexible Manufacturing testbed (2019-03-28)
-From the IIC Testbed Working Group
Data & Analysis
Explore how industrial IoT data analysis drives insights, automation, and continuous improvement across industries.
- Characteristics of IIoT Information Models
-IIC Distributed Data Interoperability and Management Task Group (November 10th, 2020) - Industrial IoT Analytics Framework- Guidance for or system architects, technology leaders and business leaders looking to successfully deploy industrial analytics systems. (2017-10-23)
- Industrial Analytics: the Engine Driving the IIoT Revolution (ENGLISH) (JAPANESE)
Discussion and research to speed up the development and maturity of Industrial Analytics, am indispensable technology (2017-03-29)
-From the IIC Industrial Analytics Task Group. - Identification of Information Entities
Presents what identifiers are and what they are for; describes the key characteristics of identifiers such as their syntax, governance and assignment; looks at several standards for object identifiers; and provides an overview of identifier solutions as adopted in several major international initiatives. (2022-08-23)
– From the Technology Working Group
Data & Analytics and Industry
See how advanced analytics applied to industrial IoT data is unlocking new levels of performance in manufacturing, energy, and more.
- Beyond Digitization: The Convergence of Big Data, Analytics and Intelligent Systems in Oil & Gas
Focuses on the evolution of next generation “digitalized” industrial assets. The convergence vision where enterprise-wide analytics will drive all elements of industrial operations (2015-10-09)
-From the IIC Energy Task Group
Data & Analytics and Security
Understand how secure data management and analytics frameworks are critical for protecting industrial IoT systems.
- Data Protection Best Practices
-IIC Security Applicability Task Group (2019-07-15)
Digital Transformation
Industrial IoT is a driving force behind digital transformation, helping organizations modernize infrastructure and create competitive advantage.
- The Industry Digital Transformation Framework
The Industry Digital Transformation Framework builds on the IIC Digital Transformation in Industry whitepaper. It outlines key concerns and viewpoints for developing and implementing DX initiatives across industries. It also discusses the drivers for Industry DX and the connected digital technologies that enable this transformation. (2025-05-09)
– From the Digital Transformation Working Group - Digital Transformation Enabler: Machine Learning
This whitepaper is a playbook that provides a high-level description of digital transformation and of machine learning (ML) technology (artificial intelligence). It offers examples and insights into ways ML has been successfully deployed in industrial IoT environments to transform those businesses and their operations digitally. (2023-03-21)
– From the Industry Working Group and the Digital Transformation Working Group - Digital Transformation Enabler Playbook Templates To create a Digital Transformation Enabler playbook for your organization’s featured technology, you are invited to download these MS Word templates (2023-03-21):
> Digital Transformation Enabler – MS Word Template
> Digital Transformation Enabler – MS Word Template for Your Technology Example (Toolkits) (Playbook Section 3)
– From the Industry Working Group and the Digital Transformation Working Group - BizOps for Digital Transformation in Industries
Defines commonly appearing features of BDXI processes of firms, of creation of solutions achieved by integrating OT and IT, and proposes several IIC initiatives to help guide BDXI processes. (February 25, 2021)
-From the BizOps for Digital Transformation in Industries (BDXI) Contributing Group - Digital Transformation in Industry
Provides a general overview of digital transformation (DX) in industry and the types of better outcomes that organizations seek when they embark on DX journeys (2020-07-29)
-From the Digital Transformation Working Group - Enabling Digital Transformation with IoT Performance and Properties Measurement (Exec Summary)
Investigates the need for measuring various aspects of an industrial DX solution at various stages of its lifecycle and how measurements are essential to manage it (2020-05-07)
-From the Digital Transformation Working Group - How Digital Transformation and IoT Can Contribute to the UN Sustainable Development Goals – Co-authored by IoT Alliance Australia (2020-06-22)
Digital Twin
Uncover the role of digital twins in industrial IoT as virtual models that optimize assets, processes, and lifecycle management.
- Digital Twins for Industrial Applications
Provides practical guidance on digital twin, including the definition, benefits, architectures and the necessary building blocks to implement one (2020-02-18)
-From the IIC Digital Twin Interoperability Task Group
Digital Twin and Architecture
See how digital twin architecture underpins the integration of industrial IoT data, simulation, and analytics for real-time decision-making.
- Digital Twin and Asset Administration Shell Concepts and Application – Co-authored by Industrie Plattform 4.0 (September 15, 2020)
Edge Computing
Learn how edge computing extends industrial IoT intelligence to the edge, improving latency, bandwidth, and autonomy.
- Automated Onboarding and Device Provisioning Best Practices
- IIC Security Working Group (2022-10-04) - Trusted and Transparent Asset Tracking on the Edge
–An Industry IoT Consortium Tech Brief. (2022-01-27) - Tech Brief: Virtualized Programmable Logic Controllers
A paradigm shift toward industrial edge and cloud computing. Describes the integrated, edge-based architecture, implementation considerations, a look into the future, business considerations, and related IIC presentations. (2022-04-17)
–From the IIC’s Edge Computing Task Group - Tech Brief: Augmented Reality and the Edge
Examines the juxtaposition of the IoT edge with AR technology. Three main classes of AR technology are considered: AR headsets, AR on smart phones and spatial AR that projects light directly onto physical reality (2020-09-18)
-From IIC Member SAS - The Edge Computing Advantage
Demystifies edge computing, discusses its benefits, explains how it works, how it is realized. and the future opportunities and challenges it presents (2019-10-24)
-From the IIC’s Marketing Working Group - Introduction to Edge Computing in IIoT
Provides practical guidance on edge computing, architectures and the building blocks necessary for an edge computing implementation. Defines edge computing architectural functions and highlights key use case considerations (2018-06-18)
-From the IIC’s Edge Computing Task Group - Our Collection of Edge Computing Publications
This collection supporting the IIC effort to guide best practices in edge computing
-From the IIC merger with the OpenFog Consortium
Edge Computing and Architecture
Explore architectural patterns that support edge computing within industrial IoT environments for faster, decentralized processing.
- Distributed Computing in the Edge
Describes a framework for distributed computing in the edge that brings computation, networking and storage closer to data producers and consumers for the IoT (2020-10-18)
-From the IIC’s Fog Computing Task Group and Distributing Computing Task Group
Industry
Examine how industrial IoT is driving innovation across verticals such as manufacturing, healthcare, energy, and transportation.
- A Practical Way to Get Started in Manufacturing IIoT: Cultivate a "Green Patch" in Your Brownfield
-IIC Smart Factory Task Group. (Industry: Manufacturing) (2017-11-14) - Material Circularity Framework Principles for Discrete Manufacturing - Aims at helping discrete manufacturing industries, such as automotive, electronics, and machinery, to lower the environmental impact of their products through recycling and offer new value to customers and stakeholders. ( Manufacturing) (2024-06-05)
- Compilation of Views on the Smart Manufacturing Industry
Discusses insights from end-users—the people and companies that implement IIoT systems. You need those insights. They have been running this factory for years, perhaps decades. You need their knowledge, and even more their buy-in. (Manufacturing) (July 2022)
-From the GIO Smart Manufacturing Working Group - Synchronized and Business-Ready Microgrid
Outlines an approach to address operational challenges faced by existing electric grids by integrating communications and control technology directly to the grid. (Energy) (2018-04-26)
-From the IIC Testbed Working Group - Optimal Use of Cloud and Edge in Industrial Machine-Vision Applications
– An Industry IoT Consortium Whitepaper. (Manufacturing) (2022-11-30) - Tech Brief: Digital Transformation in Manufacturing: Key Insights &Future Trends
Tackles digital transformation, which promises to disrupt manufacturing processes and improve business outcomes in the next decade (Manufacturing) (2020-09-21)
-From the IIC Manufacturing Industry Leadership Council - Smart Factory Applications in Discrete Manufacturing
Explores some of the key challenges and best practices that you should consider as you evolve your Smart Factories (Manufacturing) (2017-02-22)
– From the IIC Smart Factory Task Group - Usage of Standards in the Smart Factory Web Testbed
Describes the usage of the principal pivotal standards in the IIC Smart Factory Web Testbed. Provides guidance in the deployment of the three main SFW standards, OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA), AutomationML, and OGC SensorThings API (Manufacturing) (2020-06-29)
-From the IIC Testbed Working Group - Smart Manufacturing Connectivity for Brownfield Sensors Testbed – Initial Deployment – Report after Completion of Phase 1
The Smart Manufacturing Connectivity for Brownfield Sensors Testbed addresses the discrete manufacturing domain where PLCs typically govern local control loops of sensors and actuators (Manufacturing & Testbeds)(2018-10-23)
-From the IIC Testbed Working Group - Time Sensitive Networking for Flexible Manufacturing Testbed – Description of Converged Traffic Types
Describes application traffic types that are supported in the IIC’s Time Sensitive Networks for Flexible Manufacturing Testbed, including different types of critical control traffic and other traffic that may be in a manufacturing network. (Manufacturing & Testbeds) (2018-04-17)
-From the IIC Testbed Working Group
Interoperability
Interoperability is essential to industrial IoT, enabling seamless integration across platforms, devices, and ecosystems.
- System of Systems Models Enabling Interoperability for Value Creation
- Digital Twin Consortium and Industry IoT Consortium Joint DTC-IIC Digital Twin Interoperability Working Group (2024-09-13) - Digital Twin Core Conceptual Models and Services
- IIC Digital Twin Interoperability Task Group (2023-11-02)
Security
Security is foundational to industrial IoT, with strategies designed to protect data, infrastructure, and critical operations.
- Guidance for Creating IoT Security Maturity Model Profiles
- IIC Security and Trust Working Group (2024-02-29) - IoT Security Maturity Model Digital Twin Profile
-An Industry IoT Consortium and Digital Twin Consortium Whitepaper. (2022-06-20) - Industry Internet of Things Security Framework (IISF) – Provides a common security framework and an approach to assess cybersecurity in Industrial Internet of Things systems. (2023-06-12)
- Security Maturity Model Read more and download - (2020-05-05)
- IoT Security Maturity Model: Mining Extraction Profile
This paper an industry profile extension that specifically focuses on the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices deployed in the mineral extraction aspect of a mining operation and is intended for the mining community. It draws on the detailed analysis conducted through collaboration of the IIC security and mining groups. This profile can also be extended or combined with other profiles as needed by communities that adopt it. (2024-02-07)
– From the IoT SMM Mining Profile Tiger Team - IoT Security Maturity Model: Retail Profile for Point-of-Sale Devices – Co-authored by Object Management Group (2020-08-01)
Security and Business Strategy
Aligning security with business strategy is essential for mitigating risk and building trust in industrial IoT implementations.
- IoT Security Maturity Model: Description and Intended Use
-IIC Security Applicability Contributing Group (2020-05-05) - IoT Security Maturity Model: Practitioner's Guide
- - IIC Security Applicability Contributing Group (2020-05-05)
- IoT Security Maturity Model: ISA/IEC 62443 Mappings for Asset Owners, Product Suppliers and System Integrators (August 9, 2023) – Co-authored by International Society of Automation
- IoT Security Maturity Model: 62443 Mappings for Asset Owners and Product Suppliers (August 16, 2022) – Co-authored by International Society of Automation
Security and Industry
Review sector-specific approaches to securing industrial IoT systems in high-risk, regulated, and mission-critical environments.
Security, Trustworthiness and Edge Computing
Discover how security and trustworthiness are embedded into edge computing frameworks within industrial IoT systems.
- Tech Brief: Decentralized Identity for Edge Computing
Describes how to create a unified, interoperable and tamper-proof device identity registry on top of the blockchain by introducing DIDs and VCs into the lifecycle of IoT devices (2020-09-18)
– From IIC Member IoTex
Standards
Industrial IoT standards provide the foundation for interoperability, scalability, and long-term success across use cases.
- Industrial Internet Vocabulary Technical Report - Specifies a common set of definitions for effective communication within the industrial internet ecosystem. (2023-12-19)
- Horizontal IIoT Standards Landscape
- IIC Standards Task Group - (2024-09-20) - Global Industry Standards for Industrial IoT
-IIC Standards Task Group - (June 2, 2021) - Vertical Standards Landscape
This paper addresses the question of which standards are relevant to certain vertical industries as they design and deploy IIoT capabilities. It also explains the rationale behind the choice of those vertical industries. The paper concludes with recommendations and with a call to submit additional or revised material for future updates. (2023-07-14)
– From the Standards Task Group
Trustworthiness
Trustworthiness in industrial IoT encompasses reliability, privacy, resilience, and security—key to sustainable digital systems.
- Software Trustworthiness Best Practices
-IIC Trustworthiness Task Group. (2020-03-23) - Managing and Assessing Trustworthiness for IIoT in Practice
-IIC Digital Transformation Working Group (2019-07-29) - MILS Architectural Approach Supporting Trustworthiness of IIoT Solutions
Describes the details of the MILS architectural approach, which has emerged as a strategy for cost-effective construction of systems requiring dependability with high assurance. MILS Architectural Approach Supporting Trustworthiness of the IIoT Solutions. (March 10, 2021)
–From the IIC Trustworthiness Task Group
Trustworthiness & Architecture
Explore how architectural design reinforces trustworthiness principles in the deployment of industrial IoT technologies.
- Industrial IoT Trustworthiness Framework Foundations - Designs and motivates trustworthiness, highlights the need to consider trustworthiness throughout the system lifecycle, and raises awareness of technologies, processes, and practices. (2021-07-15)
