Advanced cloud-based solutions to share agricultural data
Almost everybody in the agricultural sector handling data, while ag-platform providers achieve data exchange through individual connections, not all platforms are interconnected, this limiting operational efficiency. The cloud-based solution under consideration by AgIN
Agricultural equipment requires data to operate efficiently and support precision farming. For the farmer, managing the farm effectively is dependent on getting all of this data into the best location so it can be analysed to optimize decisions for the future. Farmers use a wide variety of product brands to achieve their goals, creating a need to access and share data. “Almost everybody in the agriculture industry today is handling data: farmers, their staff, accountants, agronomists, partners, suppliers,” says Slawi Stesny, Senior Product Manager, AGCO and Team Lead Agricultural Interoperability Network (AgIN), Agricultural Industry Electronics Foundation (AEF). While ag-platform providers achieve data exchange through individual connections, not all platforms are interconnected. This creates gaps in data integration and limits operational efficiency. Farmers are painfully aware of the problem: how to share their farming data with various platforms to allow them to be more efficient while also being good stewards of the land. Aggregating data into a single location from all of the farm's multiple sources is currently a very complicated and technical process. Although cloud technology has evolved quickly, today’s cloud solutions often result in isolated groups of compatible data platforms but incompatible to other groups, creating lock-in effects and exposing operational complexity.
Up in the Clouds. Almost every cloud has a unique infrastructure for providing Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) between servers, apps and storage. However, there are differences, such as network topology and architecture, directory services, firewalls, routers, data hubs, identity services, naming services, etc. There are also differences in security policies, rules for updating software, policies for using data, etc. Application users and owners usually have little choice in cloud security matters. “For years, everyone has solved it on their own in a different way, using middleware to provide common services and capabilities to applications outside of what’s offered by the operating system. Many different players have started creating their own solutions independently and as the agricultural industry expands, the use of data in making crop and livestock decisions is increasing,” affirms Stesny. A number of solutions enabling multiple platforms to exchange data are on the market today, but there still is no guideline for the overarching data exchange in the agriculture industry. “The differences in data, interfaces and context make data processing and interpretation difficult and resource intensive,” explains Stesny.
From Cologne to the Clouds. In 2019, Stesny met Norbert Schlingmann, the General Manager of the AEF at a workshop about standardized interfaces between ag manufacturer clouds in Cologne, Germany. During that meeting, they discussed how the interoperability between machines and companies could be improved. “We saw a great opportunity to do something that will help the farmer to get data from all these machines in an effective and efficient way,” says Schlingmann. Fast forward to 2021 where the AEF introduced the project team for the new Agriculture Interoperability Network, or AgIN, with Stesny as a team lead. According to AEF, AgIN will facilitate the seamless sharing of worldwide agricultural data among OEMs, data hubs, and FMIS solutions, allowing participants to establish direct connections for their users. Initial use cases will involve sharing machine data, work orders and work records. Simply put, the standardized cloud-to-cloud data exchange will create an easy way to save both time and money. “Players in the ag industry need to be interconnected and interoperable to enable the exchange of data to have a feedback channel to improve operations. AEF’s approach of interconnecting clouds will resolve it, making life much easier for everyone”, states Schlingmann.
AEF is striving to create a concerted and non-discriminatory governed network that streamlines peer–to-peer interfaces to other platforms. According to Schlingmann, “Unlike the multitude of solutions on offer today, the AgIN ensures reliability and trust of the services in the network. AgIN is really just one level higher to bring interconnectivity in the clouds.”
Data Spaces and Connectors. The data space principle is defined as peer-to-peer connections without using a central data hub, or data management area, and no additional user accounts. This provides a flexible framework for managing distributed datasets with minimal upfront and maintenance effort while enabling incremental improvements in integration over time. The peer-to-peer data exchange is done through connectors, which immediately speed up the onboarding process because no one has to implement the specification of a data space, or of a network. This reduces complexity and compatibility issues between different datasets and different machines. The AEF has developed a software component they call the “common connector.” Available now, the standardized connector manages the network APIs, the set up, and the participants in the network, allowing visible peer-to-peer connections to all other participants in the network, and improving interoperability.
“You can take this container and deploy it in your environment, and then you can just run it. It can be put into every participant’s environment in the network. For example, companies would take this component, spin it off, and make the configuration happen to make the data exchange connected to the proprietary domain, which is the platform where the user sits in”, explanes Stesny. “It connects the user data and account with the connector and exposes a secure access gateway on every participating platform. Users accounts can be now linked with each other. This technique is also used with all other users in this individual data spaces. said Stesny”, affirms Stesny. With this common connector, AgIN participants get one piece of software which immediately is able to communicate among all the other connectors to interconnect all of the user accounts on user demand. The user is a controller of the data flow: he sets the scene for the data exchange, and OEM companies and FMIS providers are providing the frontend and infrastructure so that the user can feel comfortable. What’s important to understand is that the data space itself is not storing data; it is a decentral peer-to-peer data exchange environment. No central data exchange platform is needed, thus reducing complexity and costs significantly.
Entering Through the Connector. A platform or a portal that wants to join the AgIN network will need to sign the legal framework with the AEF to integrate this common connector. “It'll run a test, and we will get a certificate that the test integration was successful. It will then be listed on the AEF ISOBUS database. The next step: this entry will be shared with other participants in the data space”, affirms Schlingmann. Everyone in the AgIN network will receive information about the new participant and the services provided by the participant. The presentation layer of this participant will show the new platform. The user logs into their platform of choice, types in his credentials, selects the platform he wants to connect to, and types in the credentials of the other platform. This will enable the data flow between these two portals, and that's it. You can use this equipment in the portal of choice, reflecting your business needs and processes best.
Optimizing for the Future. The AgIN project team is made up of approximately 60 participants from various AEF member companies from different corners of the globe. AEF members will be able to use AgIN to make sure their data flows through this whole network.“We have all the main agriculture OEMs onboard and together we intend to reduce the complexity in the sector. The AEF member companies are comprised of the brightest and best the ag industry has to offer. The ability to manage the farm more effectively revolves around the ease of getting all of the data into the best location for reporting and analysis, and to derive insights for future operations,” adds Schlingmann. In the future, to be able to use the AgIN network, each participant must be registered as a member in the network and then certified for conformity for each of the services they want to provide to the network. When platforms want to connect they must first do the security handshake to verify that the other platform is certified and for which services. Telematics data or task data are just some examples of the services that each platform could be providing or consuming. “If you work for a company that is an AEF member and have an interest in AgIN, we welcome you to volunteer time to support the AgIN project team,” syas Schlingmann. The AEF will be introducing its first AgIN use case at Agritechnica in Hannover, Germany November 9th – 15th. Member companies are welcome to join the Showcase environment at Agritechnica.
