EnergyTech Podcast

How MQTT Became the Backbone of Modern Industrial Data Infrastructure- Arlen Nipper - Ep 082

What does the future of industrial data architecture look like? In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, recorded live from ENTELEC 2026 in Galveston, Texas, Jeff Perry and Mike Flores sit down with MQTT co-inventor and Cirrus Link President, Arlen Nipper, to discuss the evolution of MQTT, the next generation of Sparkplug, and why a Unified Namespace is becoming the foundation for AI-ready industrial operations. Topics include: ⚡ The future of MQTT and Sparkplug C ⚡ Native Sparkplug-enabled PLCs, RTUs and flow computers ⚡ Why data centers are driving new growth opportunities ⚡ The rise of the Unified Namespace (UNS) ⚡ Building a true single source of truth ⚡ Data quality and AI readiness ⚡ Sparkplug namespace enhancements and JSON support ⚡ MQTT scalability at enterprise scale ⚡ Industrial AI, agents and operational intelligence ⚡ Chariot MQTT Broker and edge architectures ⚡ Why clustered MQTT brokers can create operational risks ⚡ The future of industrial infrastructure and edge computing Arlen also reflects on receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award and shares his vision for the next phase of industrial digital transformation. Whether you're involved in SCADA, industrial automation, manufacturing, oil & gas, data centers, AI initiatives, or digital transformation, this conversation is packed with insights from one of the pioneers who helped shape modern industrial communications. 🎙️ Presented by OpSite Energy 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on SCADA, MQTT, AI, industrial automation, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and energy technology. Chapters 00:00 Introduction from ENTELEC 2026 00:38 Meet MQTT Co-Inventor Arlen Nipper 01:29 Data Centers and New Growth Opportunities 02:19 Sparkplug Adoption Accelerates 02:52 Introduction to Sparkplug 03:30 The Vision for Native Sparkplug Devices 04:04 Eliminating Data Mapping and Configuration Complexity 05:49 Lifetime Achievement Award Recognition 06:53 Cirrus Link as Industrial Infrastructure 07:52 MQTT Growth Beyond Oil & Gas 09:35 Unified Namespace and Single Source of Truth 11:45 Common MQTT and Sparkplug Mistakes 12:47 What's New in Sparkplug C 14:34 Data Engineering vs Data at the Source 16:24 AI Readiness and Industrial Data Quality 17:35 AI, Claude and Industrial Operations 19:01 The Best Role for AI in Industrial Systems 20:00 Looking Back at MQTT Design Decisions 22:32 Cirrus Link's Roadmap for 2026 22:53 Chariot MQTT Broker in Docker 23:03 Why Clustered MQTT Brokers Can Be Risky 25:02 The Future of Edge-Based MQTT Architectures 26:01 Closing Thoughts Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

PHMSA Control Room Management Series - Part VIII Internal Communications and Manual Ops - Ep 072

In Part 8 of the Energy Tech Podcast Control Room Management miniseries, Mike Flores and Daniel Netto discuss one of the most important CRM topics for pipeline operators: internal communication plans and manual operations during SCADA outages. This episode covers what happens when SCADA visibility is lost, why PHMSA expects operators to maintain safe pipeline operations during full or partial outages, and what a strong manual operations plan should include. Topics include: Internal communication plan requirements Manual operations during SCADA failures Partial vs. full SCADA outages Field-to-control-room communication expectations Manual readings, valve lineups, pressure checks, and update frequency Annual testing requirements Tabletop drills and real-world event documentation Lessons learned and CRM recordkeeping Common audit gaps and misconceptions If you manage a control room, support pipeline operations, work in SCADA, or are responsible for PHMSA Control Room Management compliance, this episode provides practical guidance for building and testing a defensible internal communication and manual operations plan. 00:00 Introduction to Part 8 of the CRM Miniseries 01:13 What Happens When SCADA Fails? 03:29 Why PHMSA Cares About Manual Operations 04:46 Internal Communication Plan Requirements 07:12 When to Activate the Plan 09:30 What the Plan Must Cover 10:46 Backup Communication Methods 14:53 Field Readings, Valve Lineups, and Update Frequency 18:09 Vague Plans vs. Tested Plans 19:16 Can a Real Outage Count as a Test? 23:48 What Inspectors Focus On 25:37 Annual Testing and Tabletop Drills 30:27 Field Personnel and Controller Roles 34:14 Four-Step Guidance for Operators 36:30 Common Misconceptions 39:02 Partial Outages and Annual Test Coverage 44:10 Building Better CRM Forms and Records 46:34 Key Action Items 47:35 Real-World Best Practices 50:33 Preview of the Next Episode: Backup SCADA Systems Presented by Opsite Energy: www.opsitenergy.com Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

AutoSol’s Suzette McDaniel on MQTT, Women in Energy Tech & the Future of Industrial Automation Ep 80

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, recorded live at ENTELEC 2026 in Galveston, Texas, Mike Flores and Jeff Perry sit down with Suzette McDaniel, Executive Vice President of Global Business Development at AutoSol. Suzette shares her remarkable 32-year journey at AutoSol, from starting as a receptionist to becoming a senior executive in one of the most recognized companies in industrial automation and SCADA communications. The discussion explores the evolution of industrial technology from OPC to MQTT, the role of customer relationships in long-term business success, the growing convergence of energy, telecommunications, and data centers, and the increasing influence of women in industrial technology leadership. Topics include: ✅ AutoSol's evolution over three decades ✅ MQTT and modern industrial communications ✅ AI's impact on industrial operations ✅ ENTELEC's role in industry education and innovation ✅ Energy, telecom, and data center convergence ✅ Women in industrial technology leadership ✅ Building professional communities and mentorship ✅ Industrial automation trends for 2026 and beyond ✅ AutoSol's new MQTT broker initiative ✅ The future of digital transformation in OT environments Whether you're involved in SCADA, industrial automation, energy operations, telecommunications, OT cybersecurity, or digital transformation, this episode provides valuable insight from one of the industry's most experienced leaders. 🎙️ Presented by OpSite Energy #IndustrialAutomation #SCADA #MQTT #AutoSol #ENTELEC #DigitalTransformation #EnergyTech #IndustrialIoT #OT #automation 00:00 Introduction & Welcome 00:50 Suzette McDaniel's 32-Year Journey at AutoSol 02:15 How Industrial Technology Has Changed 02:58 AI's Growing Role in Industrial Operations 03:20 ENTELEC's Impact on Industry Education 05:20 Innovation Labs & Industry Collaboration 06:30 What's Next for ENTELEC? 07:15 Energy, Telecom & Data Center Convergence 08:00 Women in Industrial Technology Leadership 10:00 Building Industry Communities & Mentorship 11:45 Why Diverse Perspectives Matter 13:15 Leadership, Relationships & Business Development 14:20 AutoSol's MQTT Broker Initiative 15:00 Final Thoughts from ENTELEC 2026 🎙️ Presented by OpSite Energy 🌐 www.opsiteenergy.com Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

How Opto 22 Powers AI-Ready Data Centers with MQTT & Unified Namespace - Ep 079

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, recorded live at Inductive Automation's Data Center Discovery Day 2026 in Tysons, Virginia, Jeff Perry and Mike Flores sit down with Benson Hougland, Vice President of Product Strategy and Marketing at Opto 22. The discussion explores how data centers are evolving into AI factories, the growing importance of edge computing, MQTT, Unified Namespace (UNS), cybersecurity, and why contextualized data is critical for AI-driven operations. Benson shares insights from Opto 22's decades of experience in industrial automation, telecommunications, and edge computing, explaining how organizations can build scalable, secure, and AI-ready architectures. Topics include: ✅ Data Centers as AI Factories ✅ MQTT and Sparkplug B Architectures ✅ Unified Namespace (UNS) Strategies ✅ Edge Computing and Data Contextualization ✅ Cybersecurity and Zero-Trust Architectures ✅ Decoupled Publish-Subscribe Systems ✅ AI Readiness in Industrial Operations ✅ Ignition Edge and Industrial Ecosystems ✅ Operational Technology (OT) and Enterprise Integration ✅ Scaling Industrial Infrastructure for AI If you're involved in industrial automation, SCADA, data centers, AI infrastructure, manufacturing, or digital transformation, this episode provides practical insights into building the next generation of operational technology architectures. 🎙️ Presented by OpSite Energy 🌐 Insight Driven Remote Optimization #DataCenters #AI #MQTT #UnifiedNamespace #UNS #EdgeComputing #IndustrialAutomation #SCADA #Ignition #Opto22 #IIoT #DigitalTransformation #energytechpodcast 00:00 Introduction & Data Center Discovery Day 2026 00:59 How Data Centers Have Changed in One Year 02:06 Data Centers as AI Factories 03:17 Opto 22's History in Telecom & Infrastructure 05:57 MQTT Growth in Data Centers 06:33 Unified Namespace & Edge Computing 07:18 Data Democratization & Contextualized Data 09:10 Energy, Tokens & Business Visibility 10:17 Why the Edge Matters 12:22 Common Edge Architecture Mistakes 13:21 Decoupling Systems with MQTT 15:52 Cybersecurity Benefits of Publish-Subscribe Architectures 18:28 AI in Operations: Hype vs Reality 20:40 Opto 22's Role in AI-Ready Infrastructure 21:35 Connecting Technology to Business Outcomes 22:36 The Power of Industrial Ecosystems 24:16 What's Next for Opto 22? 25:01 Closing Remarks Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com

Nazomi Networks, OT Cybersecurity & AI Threat Detection | Live at ENTELEC 2026 - Ep - 077

In this episode of the Energy Tech Podcast, recorded live at ENTELEC 2026, Jeff Perry and Mike Flores sit down with Mike McCabe from Nazomi Networks to discuss the growing importance of OT cybersecurity in industrial environments. The conversation explores how industrial cybersecurity has evolved over the past decade, the increasing threat from nation-state actors, and why energy operators, manufacturers, and critical infrastructure companies must rethink their OT security posture. Topics include: OT vs IT cybersecurity challenges Industrial asset visibility and threat detection East-west traffic monitoring in OT networks AI and machine learning in cybersecurity Protecting critical infrastructure and industrial operations Nation-state attacks and operational disruption Drone and wireless threat detection Asset inventory, vulnerability management & proactive defense AI guardrails and secure industrial AI workflows How Nazomi Networks approaches OT monitoring and visibility If you're involved in industrial operations, SCADA, energy infrastructure, manufacturing, or OT cybersecurity, this episode provides practical insights into protecting operational environments from modern threats. 🎙️ Presented by OpSite Energy 🎧 Subscribe for more conversations on industrial automation, OT cybersecurity, SCADA, AI, and energy technology. #OTCybersecurity #NazomiNetworks #IndustrialCybersecurity #SCADA #CriticalInfrastructure #EnergyIndustry #IndustrialAutomation #AI #OperationalTechnology #ENTELEC2026 #Cybersecurity #ICS #EnergyTechPodcast Chapters 00:00 – Intro from ENTELEC 2026 00:18 – Meet Mike McCabe from Nazomi Networks 01:03 – Entering the OT cybersecurity space 01:47 – When OT cybersecurity became a major priority 02:26 – The real cost of operational downtime 03:13 – Nation-state attacks and equipment damage 04:04 – Why OT environments remain vulnerable 05:10 – Where Nazomi Networks fits into OT security 05:44 – Asset visibility, AI & proactive monitoring 06:54 – North-south vs east-west traffic visibility 08:04 – IT/OT convergence and security challenges 09:03 – Real-world customer deployment examples 10:32 – Proactive OT asset management 10:41 – Private LTE, wireless & cloud-connected OT 11:19 – Drone traffic detection and wireless threats 12:12 – Nation-state cyberattack concerns 13:19 – Protecting human safety through OT security 14:00 – Security strategy for regional operators 15:10 – Outcomes-based OT cybersecurity 15:41 – Asset inventory and threat landscape visibility 16:26 – AI agents and cybersecurity guardrails 17:18 – How Nazomi uses AI and machine learning 17:56 – AI-assisted alert triage and automation 18:06 – How to get started with Nazomi Networks 18:34 – Closing thoughts from ENTELEC 2026 Presented by Opsite Energy: www.opsitenergy.com Music: Uygar Duzgun / “Fast Life” courtesy of www.epidemicsound.com