Frequently Asked Questions

ei3 provides an industrial IoT platform that connects machines securely, collects and standardizes machine data, and delivers applications for remote service, monitoring, production, downtime, quality, maintenance, recipe management, and sustainability.

ei3 is used by machine builders, OEMs, manufacturers, plant operations teams, service teams, engineering teams, IT/OT managers, and executives who need secure machine connectivity and actionable industrial data.

ei3 supports both machine builders and machine owners. Machine builders use ei3 to deliver connected, service-ready equipment and digital service programs. Manufacturers use ei3 to improve uptime, OEE, quality, energy performance, and operational visibility.

ei3 combines secure remote access, machine data collection, industrial applications, and cybersecurity architecture in one platform. Instead of relying on broad VPN access or disconnected tools, ei3 provides controlled connectivity, standardized data, and applications built specifically for industrial assets.

ei3 has focused on secure industrial machine connectivity since 1999. Its platform was built specifically for connected industrial assets rather than adapted from general-purpose IT, remote access, or business software tools.

The ei3 platform is a secure industrial IoT platform for connecting machines, collecting data, managing remote access, and running applications that help teams monitor, service, optimize, and protect industrial assets.

ei3 includes applications for secure remote service, monitoring, production performance, downtime analysis, lifecycle and predictive maintenance, quality management, recipe tracking and management, and sustainability insights.

Yes. Companies can start with one use case, such as secure remote service or machine monitoring, and expand over time into additional applications such as downtime, OEE, quality, maintenance, and energy optimization.

ei3 supports a broad range of industrial use cases, including secure remote service, real-time monitoring, OEE tracking, downtime analysis, quality workflows, predictive maintenance, recipe management, and energy and sustainability reporting.

Yes. ei3 applications are designed to be used without custom software development. Teams can configure applications, dashboards, alerts, reports, and workflows without building or maintaining custom code.

Secure remote service gives technical teams a controlled way to access, diagnose, and support machines remotely. It combines secure connectivity, access control, session visibility, machine data, troubleshooting workflows, and audit records.

Remote access is the connection to the machine. Remote service is the full operating model around that connection, including access approval, troubleshooting, documentation, auditability, customer support, and service management across a machine fleet.

No. ei3 is not a traditional VPN. ei3 uses a secure industrial remote access model with outbound-only communication, machine-level segmentation, centralized access control, session approval, and audit logging.

No. ei3 is designed around outbound-only connectivity. Machines and gateways initiate secure outbound communication, reducing the need to open inbound firewall ports into customer or plant networks.

Remote sessions in ei3 can be controlled through user permissions, approval workflows, authentication, time limits, and session logging. This gives teams visibility into who accessed a machine, when they accessed it, and what activity took place.

Yes. ei3 can support multiple secure sessions to the same machine environment, allowing different authorized users to work on specific devices or troubleshooting tasks without requiring broad network access.

ei3 connects to industrial machines through secure gateways and virtual deployment options. These connections allow teams to provide remote access, collect machine data, and activate ei3 applications while maintaining controlled access to industrial environments.

ei3 offers multiple gateway options, including dedicated hardware gateways, virtual gateway options, and legacy upgrade paths. This helps teams choose the right deployment model based on machine type, customer environment, and connectivity requirements.

Amphion is ei3’s dedicated hardware gateway for secure industrial connectivity. Zethus is a virtual or software-based gateway option for environments with existing edge compute. Portara supports legacy upgrade paths where teams want to modernize existing remote access infrastructure.

Yes. ei3 can connect to both new machines and existing installed-base machines. Many teams begin by validating one machine, site, or customer environment, then expand to additional equipment over time.

Yes. ei3 can support connectivity to PLCs, HMIs, IPCs, controllers, machine networks, and related industrial automation devices. Compatibility depends on the specific equipment, protocol, network setup, and deployment model.

ei3 helps teams modernize legacy equipment by using secure gateways and data collection methods that work with existing controllers and machine networks. This allows organizations to add remote service, monitoring, and data capabilities without replacing entire machine fleets.

ei3 can collect machine states, production counts, process parameters, alarms, downtime events, quality data, energy data, cycle information, and custom machine signals from industrial equipment.

ei3 supports a wide range of industrial protocols, controllers, and machine data sources. This allows teams to collect data from mixed fleets that may include different machine generations, PLC brands, and automation architectures.

Yes. ei3 can often read existing PLC data points and create derived tags without changing controller logic. This helps reduce deployment risk and makes machine data collection easier to scale.

Yes. ei3 can integrate machine data with enterprise systems such as ERP, MES, CMMS, BI, CRM, field service, and analytics platforms. This helps teams connect machine-level insight with business workflows.

Yes. ei3 provides APIs that allow machine data, performance metrics, downtime information, quality results, maintenance indicators, and other industrial data to flow into enterprise systems and custom applications.

Yes. ei3 helps build the data foundation for predictive maintenance and predictive quality by collecting consistent machine data, tracking usage and performance patterns, and supporting applications that identify trends, deviations, and early warning signs.

ei3 protects OT networks through outbound-only connectivity, machine-level segmentation, controlled user access, authentication, session visibility, and audit logging. This helps reduce broad network exposure while enabling secure service and data collection.

ei3’s CPS Protection Platform is the security foundation behind ei3’s industrial connectivity and applications. It is designed to protect cyber-physical systems by combining secure gateways, controlled access, network segmentation, encrypted communication, and platform-level governance.

ei3 applies zero trust principles by limiting access to specific machines and sessions, verifying users, controlling permissions, requiring approval where needed, and avoiding broad network-level access. Access is granted based on identity, role, context, and approved need.

ei3 gives IT teams centralized security controls, audit trails, and policy-based access while giving OT and service teams the tools they need to troubleshoot and support production equipment. This creates a shared framework for secure and practical industrial operations.

ei3 supports enterprise IT governance through rigorous security practices and industrial cybersecurity principles. Its security program includes ISO 27001 certification and alignment with relevant industrial security, governance, and compliance expectations.

ei3 stores data in secure cloud infrastructure designed for industrial applications. Hosting and access requirements can vary by region, customer requirements, and deployment needs, and ei3 supports customers with data governance requirements for global industrial operations.

Deployment timing depends on the machine, network environment, gateway model, data requirements, and use case. Many projects begin with a focused pilot so teams can validate connectivity, security, workflows, and rollout requirements before scaling.

An ei3 pilot usually focuses on a defined set of machines, customer environments, or service use cases. The goal is to validate machine connectivity, remote access, data collection, security requirements, application workflows, and the path to broader deployment.

Yes. ei3 is designed to support global machine fleets, multi-site manufacturers, and OEM installed bases. Teams can standardize secure connectivity, data collection, applications, and governance across different facilities and machine types.

Yes. ei3 supports OEMs that need to service machines across customer sites and manufacturers that need visibility and control across their own plants. The platform can be configured to support different ownership, access, and service models.

ei3 provides technical support, platform guidance, and deployment expertise to help teams connect machines, configure applications, manage users, and expand use cases over time.

ei3 typically begins with a focused pilot to validate the machine environment, connectivity model, security requirements, and application use case. After the pilot, ongoing pricing is based on the number of connected machines, applications deployed, and any advanced capabilities added.

Yes. Many ei3 deployments begin with a focused pilot to validate connectivity, security requirements, machine compatibility, application workflows, and business value. Once the pilot is complete, teams can scale to additional machines, applications, sites, or customer programs.

No. ei3 supports both hardware gateways, such as Amphion, and virtual gateways, such as Zethus, deployed on existing edge infrastructure. Both options use the same zero-trust security architecture. If you already have existing gateways, ei3 also offers a legacy security upgrade through Portara.

Yes. Most customers begin with the Service application for secure remote access and then expand to Monitor, Production, Downtime, Quality, Sustain, or other applications as their program grows.

Yes. Standard integrations and full REST API access are included in deployments, not treated as an add-on. Custom integration development is available through Professional Services.

Yes. Pricing scales with the number of connected machines and applications deployed. OEM fleet programs and enterprise licensing options are available.