General manager Mfanasibili Nkonyane (left) thanking Paul Sikhakhane.
The Durban branch monthly technology evening was held on 5 March 2025 at the Premier Splendid Inn, and as is always the case with Paul Sikhakhane’s presentations, it drew a large audience. Paul didn’t disappoint, and his presentation on ‘The ABCs of Interoperability and Protocol Standards’ was interesting and well presented.
For those who don’t know (and there probably aren’t many) Paul is a long-standing, active and well-known member of the SAIMC, and his presentations are always interesting and topical. He is a director of Mzukulu Technologies and NIC Instruments. He’s enthusiastic, knowledge-hungry, eager to meet new challenges and excited to find out what new technologies are available, and how these can be used to improve the operations of companies.
Achieving interoperability is complicated by factors such as legacy hardware, proprietary systems, data silos and cyber security vulnerabilities. Addressing these challenges requires careful planning, integration strategies and a focus on robust security measures. In his presentation, Paul delved into the critical role that interoperability and protocol standards play in modern control systems and industrial automation.
As Paul demonstrated, the core objective is to illustrate how diverse systems ranging from legacy equipment to modern IoT devices can communicate effectively to enhance operational efficiency, safety and scalability. Effective interoperability is foundational to the success of modern control systems, and by leveraging the ABC framework − Adaptability, Bridging and Communication − and adopting standardised protocols, organisations can navigate the complexities of mixed-vendor environments and achieve a more secure, efficient,and scalable operational framework.
The Durban branch would like to thank Paul for presenting and bringing his knowledge and enthusiasm to our members.
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