Beyond ISA-95: How Unified Namespace Solves Manufacturing's Data Silo Problem

Manufacturing plants generate large volumes of data daily that ranges from traditional business systems to massive equipment-level signals. While manufacturers have long recognized the value of this data, simply knowing it exists isn’t enough. You need to access, understand and utilize it.

For decades, standards like ISA-95 have provided a solid foundation for organizing manufacturing data. However, traditional implementations often fail to fully utilize modern, real-time technologies. Enter the unified namespace (UNS).

The UNS builds on the modeling principles of ISA-95 but adjusts them for today’s open architectures. Instead of relying on rigid, point-to-point integrations that create data silos, a UNS uses modern communication methods to provide real-time, contextualized data across the enterprise. The result is better integration, increased agility and more effective access to large volumes of critical information.

Beyond point-to-point integration

In traditional architectures, connecting a machine to a database or an ERP system usually requires a direct, custom connection. As more machines and software are added, these connections proliferate, forming a complex, fragile “spaghetti” of integrations that are costly to maintain and hard to scale.

A UNS changes this dynamic. It typically depends on a central broker — usually an MQTT broker — to establish a real-time data fabric. Instead of communicating directly, controllers, sensors and software publish data to this shared namespace. This makes the data instantly accessible to any other system in the organization that subscribes to it.

Crucially, this data adheres to standardized naming conventions. It is consistently organized, often including elements such as: company, site, area, line, asset and specific data descriptors.

When applications subscribe to the UNS, they access data in a consistent and easily understandable format. This method greatly reduces the need for complex middleware, as numerous industry-specific connectors and data models are already available.

Operational benefits of UNS

Manufacturers see UNS as a flexible and cost-effective way to boost operational efficiency because the architecture is highly scalable and overcomes the limitations of traditional integration methods. Following are some of the key benefits of UNS for manufacturers:

• Simplified access: Engineers, analysts, data scientists and business users can all access and collaborate on the same trusted data foundation. 
• Advanced capabilities: Simplified structure and real-time data access enhance advanced analytics, machine learning and large language models. 
• Faster decisions: Standardized integration reduces implementation costs, while real-time data access allows for quicker, more informed decision-making.

While the journey requires planning and investment, the reward is substantial. Simplified integration, effortless access to contextualized data from millions of devices and faster innovation transform traditionally chaotic manufacturing data environments into a clear, accessible enterprise asset.

UNS and the role of control systems integrators

Implementing a UNS requires a careful, step-by-step process. It’s not just about installing a broker; the centralized data hub must be clearly defined and systems must be implemented to transform and publish raw data. This is why a strong network infrastructure is crucial, both within facilities and across sites.

Retrofitting legacy equipment is also often necessary, which should be balanced against the advantages of investing in UNS-compatible assets.

Control systems integrators are ideally suited to implement a UNS because it exists precisely at the crossroads of OT, IT and real-world manufacturing operations. Successful UNS deployments require publishing meaningful, contextualized data from PLCs, DCSs, SCADA systems, smart devices and legacy equipment, not just raw tags.

Integrators understand how equipment truly functions. We know how ISA-95 models connect to real plant hierarchies and how to create naming and data structures that mirror actual production environments.

Additionally, control systems integrators focus on securely connecting plant-floor systems with enterprise and cloud platforms. As a result, we bring practical experience in several key areas:

• Retrofitting legacy assets to support modern protocols. 
• Normalizing inconsistent data from various machine vendors. 
• Deploying edge gateways for local data processing. 
• Working with multiple vendors and technologies without being tied to a single ecosystem. 

This practical, vendor-neutral execution capability enables integrators to transform UNS from an intriguing architectural idea into a scalable, operational data foundation that provides real value.

We view the UNS not as a replacement for current systems, but as the glue that enhances their effectiveness. By decoupling devices from applications, we enable the plant floor to adapt and grow without disrupting the enterprise systems that depend on it.

Whether you’re looking to support a predictive maintenance model or simply want real-time insight into production counts across multiple sites, the UNS marks a transition from the rigid hierarchies of the past to a more flexible, responsive data ecosystem where your data works as hard as your machines.

• Why AI and Cloud Analytics Fail Without Proper Plant Floor Data Architecture
• Designing Workflows that Link the PLC, Unified Namespaces and AI
• 6 Steps to AI-Readiness in Manufacturing