You can read more about the reference architecture model for Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0), published by ZVEI: http://www.zvei.org/Downloads/Automation/5305%20Publi

You can read more about the reference architecture model for Industrie 4.0 (RAMI 4.0), published by ZVEI: http://www.zvei.org/Downloads/Automation/5305%20Publikation%20GMA%20Status%20Report%20ZVEI%20Reference%20Architecture%20Model.pdf http://www.zvei.org/Downloads/Automation/5305%20Publikation%... Interestingly, they've settled on OPC UA as the standard for the communications layer. The reference architecture (IIRA) for the American-led effort can be downloaded from the Industrial Internet Consortium: http://www.iiconsortium.org/IIRA.htm http://www.iiconsortium.org/IIRA.htm Last year, the OPC Foundation seemed to be "lobbying" for OPC UA to play a similarly key role in IIRA as it now has in RAMI 4.0, but that did not come to pass. I expect that IEEE P2413 will use IIRA as a starting point. Perhaps OPC UA will be "blessed" as one of several options for the communications layer, but we'll have to wait and see. See: https://standards.ieee.org/news/2015/iic_liaison.html https://standards.ieee.org/news/2015/iic_liaison.html