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Nagesh Nama 11.15.24 16 min read

#036: Industrial DataOps Part III - DataOps + cPdM

#036: Industrial DataOps Part III - DataOps + Continuous Predictive Maintenance (cPdM) The integration of Industrial DataOps into Continuous Predictive Maintenance (cPdM) signifies a revolutionary approach to optimizing maintenance processes within industrial environments.
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Nagesh Nama 11.08.24 21 min read

#035: Industrial DataOps - Part II

#035: Industrial DataOps - Part II Industrial DataOps effectively addresses data security and compliance in industrial environments by utilizing a combination of strategic practices and technologies designed to safeguard sensitive information while ensuring adherence to regulatory requirements.
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Nagesh Nama 10.30.24 15 min read

#034 Industrial DataOps - Part I

#034 Industrial DataOps - Part I Industrial DataOps represents a revolutionary approach aimed at optimizing data management and analytics within manufacturing settings, particularly in the era of Industry 4.0.
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Nagesh Nama 10.25.24 24 min read

#033 Is your PLC an MTP based on Margo?

#033 Is your PLC an MTP based on Margo? PLCs are dinosaurs in the control system realm that have not evolved as compared to the "compute" in the IT world. At last, there is some hope.....
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Nagesh Nama 10.18.24 21 min read

#032: Can your AI/ML Stack do this? Predict, Monitor and Retrieve.....

#032: Can your AI/ML Stack do this? Predict, Monitor and Retrieve..... 1๏ธโƒฃ By utilizing intelligent Continuous Predictive Maintenance (cPdM), manufacturers can foresee equipment failures and substantially minimize downtime, potentially achieving cost savings of 30-50%. 2๏ธโƒฃ Continuous Temperature Monitoring (cTM) service is revolutionizing temperature mapping by automating data collection and analysis to comply with stringent FDA standards.3๏ธโƒฃ ContinuousGPT enhances this landscape by enabling seamless communication with data through conversational interfaces, thereby streamlining workflows and improving decision-making processes.
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Nagesh Nama 10.10.24 24 min read

#031: Can your SDLC do this?

#031: Can your SDLC do this? xLM's SDLC brings a new life into Software Development in the AI Era. Our SDLC is efficient, proven, compliant and you can believe it - "it works well"!
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Nagesh Nama 10.02.24 24 min read

#030: Can your ITOM do this?

#030: Can your ITOM do this? Continuous IT/OT Operations Management (cITOM): Boosting IT/OT Resilience with Smarter Alerts 1.0 Alarm & Incident Management for the AI Era 1.1 Status Quo My business trips have taken me to manufacturing facilities in 5 continents for three decades. One critical aspect of running an automated manufacturing facility is Alarms or Incident Management. This domain has various implications to the business: Production Efficiency, Product Quality, Regulatory Impact, to name a few. These are the common scenarios I have noticed in almost every GxP facility: Press the Acknowledge Button and then move on? You know an alarm is akin to nuisance. When you need only 20 alarms, the developers add another 80 to make it 100. The critical alarms that need attention are often neglected. Call this Alarm Overload! No one looks at the historical alarms to do some basic data mining to see what is really going on in the last 3 months, 6 months, or a year. Either the historical database is non-existent or it is backed up never to be seen again. If there are 5 identical manufacturing lines, I have not come across a facility where alarms are compared over a time horizon across identical lines. There is a wealth of information is such a comparison. When an alarm is triggered, can the operator query the database to see what was done in the past to quickly take care of the issue? Or Can the operator add to the knowledgebase to make it easy for operations in the future. These a just some of my observations. I am pretty confident you can add a few more based on your experiences. 1.2 What does a GxP Manufacturing facility need for efficient alarm or incident management? 2.0 Continuous IT/OT Operations Management (cITOM): Boosting IT/OT Resilience with Smarter Alerts Powered by Atlassian Industry 4.0 and the concept of "smart factories" are revolutionizing the manufacturing sector. In the realm of drug and device production, companies are embracing digital transformation and the convergence of IT/OT, thereby broadening their attack surface and heightening the risks associated with vulnerability exploitation, production interference, intellectual property breaches, and other security concerns. Given these inherent vulnerabilities, GxP firms find it challenging to adhere to the FDAโ€™s Data Integrity regulations. cITOM stands out as a robust incident management tool crafted to empower teams in swiftly and efficiently addressing critical alerts. By centralizing notifications from diverse monitoring systems, cITOM ensures that pertinent individuals receive timely updates. Equipped with features such as on-call scheduling, escalation protocols, and incident monitoring, cITOM empowers organizations to uphold operational continuity and reduce downtimes. Its seamless compatibility with popular collaboration and monitoring platforms renders it indispensable for teams seeking to bolster their incident response capabilities. 3.0 Benefits of cITOM 3.1 Enhanced Incident Response In cITOM, the system guarantees the swift delivery of alerts to designated team members. This process facilitates prompt detection and resolution of incidents. 3.2 On-Call Management The platform provides comprehensive on-call scheduling features, enabling teams to efficiently handle shifts and guarantee continuous availability for prompt alert responses. 3.3 Customizable Notifications Users have the flexibility to personalize alert notifications according to their preferences. This ensures that they stay informed with timely updates delivered through email, SMS, phone calls, or mobile push notifications. 3.4 Escalation Policies Within cITOM, teams can establish escalation policies to ensure that if an issue persists beyond a specified timeframe, it will automatically escalate to higher-level personnel. 3.5 Seamless Integration with Various Tools cITOM seamlessly integrates with a diverse array of monitoring, collaboration, and ticketing tools. This integration enhances current workflows and establishes a centralized alert management system. 3.6 Incident Tracking and Reporting: The platform offers comprehensive insights into incident history, enabling teams to analyze response times, identify trends, and enhance future performance. 3.7 Collaboration Features cITOM enhances communication among team members during incidents, enabling real-time collaboration and decision-making. 3.8 Mobile Accessibility Through a user-friendly mobile app, cITOM enables team members to receive alerts and promptly respond to incidents while on the move, ensuring uninterrupted coverage. 3.9 Data Security and Compliance cITOM prioritizes adherence to industry standards for data security, offering reassurance to regulated GxP organizations. 3.10 Flexible Alerting Rules Users have the ability to establish personalized alerting rules according to specific conditions, guaranteeing that alerts are pertinent and actionable. 4.0 Key features of cITOM 4.1 Actionable and Reliable Alerting cITOM guarantees you stay on top of critical alerts by integrating seamlessly with monitoring, ticketing, and chat tools. By grouping alerts, eliminating unnecessary noise, and delivering notifications through various channels, cITOM equips your team with essential details to kickstart issue resolution promptly. Moreover, cITOM directs alerts to the appropriate personnel based on predefined rules, escalation paths, and on-call schedules, streamlining the process and ensuring every notification receives attention. In cases of unacknowledged alerts, cITOM automatically escalates them to the next level, preventing incidents from being overlooked and ensuring swift resolution of critical issues. 4.2 Multiple Alerting Channels Monitoring tools commonly rely on email notifications, but this method falls short when dealing with time-sensitive alerts that demand quick responses. cITOM employs a variety of communication channels such as email, SMS, mobile push notifications, and voice calls to guarantee timely notifications for recipients. 4.3 Alert Enrichment Short text messages often lack the depth needed for users to make well-informed decisions. cITOM alerts go beyond mere characters! Enhance your alerts by including additional fields and attaching charts, logs, runbooks, and more to enrich them, offer context, and empower recipients to take appropriate actions. These alerts can leverage data from integrated monitoring tools such as Datadog, New Relic, or AWS to provide valuable insights into root causes, performance metrics, and system health. Furthermore, alerts can adapt in real-time by incorporating new information as the situation progresses, ensuring that responders stay up-to-date. 4.4 Custom Alert Actions Respond to alerts within the cITOM Application by taking necessary actions directly. Besides the standard alert responses like "Add Note" and "Close", you have the option to perform investigative and corrective actions. This includes tasks such as pinging or restarting a server, or generating a service ticket instantly with a simple click. 4.5 Automated Actions Establish action policies that can execute diagnostic or remediation tasks automatically upon receiving alerts. By integrating with AWS Systems Manager or other third-party automation platforms, cITOM will activate your response playbooks when an alert aligns with your specified conditions. This enables the system to implement necessary actions without the need for on-call engineers, thereby mitigating alert fatigue and minimizing Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR). 4.6 Heartbeats Opsgenie Heartbeats guarantee the functionality of your monitoring systems and alert generation. It verifies the active status and connectivity of monitoring tools, as well as the timely completion of custom tasks. In case of signal absence within a set timeframe, cITOM promptly notifies you about the issue. 4.7 On-call Management and Escalations cITOM simplifies on-call management by providing a user-friendly interface to create and adjust schedules and set up escalation protocols. This ensures clear accountability during incidents, with team members always aware of who is on-call. You can be rest assured that crucial alerts will never go unnoticed. You can generate on-call schedules effortlessly with options for daily, weekly, and customized rotations. Also take advantage of various scheduling rules to apply different rotations as needed, enabling complex scenarios like after-hours support, weekday/weekend coverage, and support for geographically dispersed teams. 4.8 Routing Rules and Escalations cITOM plays a crucial role in ensuring that no critical alerts go unnoticed. By leveraging cITOM's adaptable routing rules, notifications are directed to the appropriate teams based on factors like source, priority, and timing of the issue. Moreover, escalations guarantee that alerts receive prompt attention if they are not acknowledged within a specified timeframe. For instance, in the scenario where the designated person fails to respond to a high-priority alert within 5 minutes, an alternative individual or team can be automatically notified. 4.9 On-call Overrides When a user encounters scheduling conflicts, others can effortlessly swap shifts and transfer responsibilities without requiring administrative assistance. This feature allows you to specify the precise start and end times for the override, offering flexibility for both short-term and long-term adjustments. cITOM enables the support of multiple concurrent overrides, guaranteeing uninterrupted coverage in cases where several team members require replacements. Once the override period concludes, the schedule automatically reverts to its original rotation, ensuring a seamless transition back to normal coverage without the need for manual intervention. 4.10 On-call Reminder Notifications cITOM plays a crucial role in keeping your team informed about their responsibilities. By automatically alerting users about the start and end of their shifts, cITOM ensures timely notifications. These reminders can be customized to align with your team's preferences, whether it's an hour, day, or week before the shift commences. This feature aids in upholding team visibility regarding on-call schedules, thus minimizing confusion and enhancing the efficiency of shift transitions. Reminders are versatile, as they can be dispatched through various channels such as email, SMS, mobile push notifications, or chat platforms, guaranteeing that team members receive alerts through their preferred means of communication. 4.11 Incident Management and Response cITOM comprehends the significance of issues on business services and proactively communicates outages to all stakeholders. By planning in advance for service disruptions, cITOM can promptly send messages, establish status pages, and set up conference bridges when incidents arise. This approach minimizes distractions, enabling teams to maintain focus on resolving issues efficiently. 4.12 Team-based service management cITOM allows you to link alerts to the corresponding business services, providing a clear insight into the responsible teams and individuals who should be informed about the resolution progress. This approach ensures that all relevant teams are notified at once and equipped with the necessary tools for effective collaboration throughout the resolution process. 4.13 Post incident analysis Discover how teams managed major incidents through cITOM's comprehensive Post-Incident Analysis report. This report delves into the specific actions carried out by each team, their involvement in the resolution process, and the methods used to communicate status updates to stakeholders. It enables you to promptly pinpoint successful areas and areas that can be enhanced. 4.14 Incident Timeline The Incident Timeline serves as the primary reference point during an incident's lifecycle, documenting essential information such as the incident status, related alerts, activities at the Incident Command Center (ICC), and additional details. This chronological data is seamlessly integrated into the incident postmortem, enabling teams to access a comprehensive log of all occurrences from the beginning to the resolution of the incident. 4.15 Communication and Collaboration Efficient communication and collaboration play a vital role in achieving quick response times. cITOM offers extensive integrations with leading chat platforms, enabling seamless action-taking and collaboration. By leveraging cITOM, you have the ability to establish virtual war rooms for coordinating responses across various teams and ensuring stakeholders are promptly informed through its mass notification features. 4.16 ChatOps Create and manage alerts and schedules directly within your ChatOps tool. In the event of an incident, promptly establish a dedicated Slack or Teams Channel for immediate response. All team members swiftly gather in one centralized location, enhancing efficiency to resolve issues promptly. Enjoy smooth integrations with leading ChatOps platforms such as Slack and Microsoft Teams. For example, letโ€™s delve into the integration with Slack. 4.17 Web Conference Bridge cITOM simplifies communication with important individuals by allowing you to connect through your chosen web conferencing provider, be it Zoom or Twilio. The conference bridge information is included in the incident details and is automatically shared with your team. For example, initiate a Zoom call for incident #616. 4.18 Incoming Call Routing Phone calls are a prevalent means for customers to report problems and seek help. Leveraging cITOM's incoming call routing features allows you to utilize familiar tools for handling critical incidents, guaranteeing no crucial phone calls go unanswered. This approach provides valuable insights into the reasons behind the calls and helps enhance overall customer satisfaction. 4.19 Call Routing Never again will you overlook a customer support call. Utilize cITOM on-call schedules to direct phone calls to the appropriate individual. In instances where no one is accessible, cITOM will record a message, create an alert, and inform the designated person through their preferred notification method. The notification includes call specifics, allowing recipients to listen to the message promptly. 4.20 Advanced Reporting and Analytics Gain valuable insights into areas of success and opportunities for improvement within your operations. The cITOM system diligently monitors all aspects concerning alerts and incidents. Leverage robust reporting and analytics tools to uncover the root causes of the majority of alerts, evaluate your team's efficiency in acknowledging and resolving issues, and gain clarity on the distribution of on-call workloads. 4.21 Operational Efficiency Analytics Effortlessly grasp the number of alerts managed by your organization within a specific timeframe, along with the average time taken to acknowledge and resolve them. Visualize the trends of these metrics over time and swiftly delve deeper into problematic areas with just a click. Identify alerts that demanded extra time and focus for resolution. 4.22 Monthly Overview Analytics cITOMโ€™s standard dashboard is designed to analyze the monthly alert distribution and response trends. This allows you to effortlessly compare them with the previous month and delve deeper into any areas of interest. 4.23 Incident Investigation The Incident Investigation View allows you to directly investigate deployment-related incidents within cITOM. The dashboard presents a timeline showcasing both successful and unsuccessful code deployments originating from Bitbucket, GitLab, or Bamboo. It also includes records of past and current incidents. Consolidating all this data in a single location enables users to establish connections between incidents and code deployments, identifying the latter as potential triggers for incidents. 5.0 ContinuouscITOM - Delivered as a Managed Service In each of our services, we ensure continuous qualification of the software application and ongoing validation of the customer's instance. With each iteration, we conduct a thorough 100% regression testing. 6.0 Conclusion cITOM is your Alarms and Incident Dashboard to your entire manufacturing facility. It provides the โ€œbest of breedโ€ and โ€œbest in classโ€ continuously validated app that has all the advanced and useful features. It can streamline incident management and response, alert channels, automated actions, on-call management, advanced analytics and much more. cITOM can ensure alarms and incident management are never the same. It provides a sophisticated platform which is very simple to use. Can systematically handle routine low level warnings to critical alarms in a streamlined fashion that can increase your production efficiencies, reduce down time while meeting all your regulatory obligations. 7.0 ContinuousTV Audio Podcasts AP001: The Magic of ContinuousPdM - Future of PMs AP002: The University of Leedsโ€™ AI System Called Optimise that can identify those at high risk for heart problems AP003: What is cDI? The NextGen IT Stack for Life Sciences 8.0 Latest AI News AI in Robotics Statistics 2024 By Industry, Robot Type And Market Size Will you question Sam Altman's "sweetness" about the "Intelligence Age"? Will Meta's AI Glasses Replace the Phone? Future is coming to the eyes near you! 9.0 FAQs Question Answer 1. What is the current state of alarm management in manufacturing facilities? Many manufacturing facilities, particularly those adhering to GxP regulations, face challenges with outdated alarm management systems. Common issues include: 1๏ธโƒฃ Acknowledgement Without Action: Operators often acknowledge alarms without addressing the root cause, leading to recurring problems. 2๏ธโƒฃ Alarm Overload: An excessive number of alarms, many of which are non-critical, can overwhelm operators and result in important alerts being overlooked. 3๏ธโƒฃ Lack of Data Analysis: Historical alarm data is often disregarded, missing opportunities to identify recurring issues and improve processes. 4๏ธโƒฃ Limited Knowledge Sharing: Systems often lack integrated knowledge bases, preventing operators from accessing historical solutions or contributing their own insights. 2. What is Continuous IT/OT Operations Management (cITOM)? cITOM is an advanced incident management solution designed to address the shortcomings of traditional alarm management systems. It enhances IT/OT resilience by centralizing alerts from various monitoring systems and ensuring timely notifications to the appropriate personnel. cITOM empowers teams to: 1๏ธโƒฃ Respond to incidents swiftly and effectively. 2๏ธโƒฃ Maintain operational continuity and minimize downtime. 3๏ธโƒฃ Improve collaboration and communication during critical events. 3. How does cITOM improve incident response times? cITOM employs several mechanisms to expedite incident response: 1๏ธโƒฃ Centralized Alerting: Aggregates alerts from various monitoring tools for a unified view. 2๏ธโƒฃ Multiple Notification Channels: Delivers alerts through email, SMS, mobile push, and voice calls, ensuring timely receipt. 3๏ธโƒฃ On-Call Scheduling and Escalation: Routes alerts based on predefined schedules and escalates unacknowledged alerts automatically. 4๏ธโƒฃ Alert Enrichment: Provides context to alerts by including charts, logs, runbooks, and other relevant data. 4. Can cITOM automate incident response actions? Yes, cITOM enables the automation of diagnostic and remediation tasks. By integrating with platforms like AWS Systems Manager, cITOM can trigger pre-defined response playbooks based on specific alert conditions. This reduces the reliance on on-call engineers, minimizing alert fatigue and MTTR (Mean Time to Resolution). 5. How does cITOM enhance team collaboration during incidents? cITOM fosters team collaboration through: 1๏ธโƒฃ Shared Incident Timeline: Provides a centralized log of all incident-related activities, ensuring transparency and accountability. 2๏ธโƒฃ ChatOps Integration: Enables the creation of dedicated chat channels (e.g., Slack, Microsoft Teams) directly within cITOM for streamlined communication. 3๏ธโƒฃ Web Conference Bridge: Facilitates immediate communication with key stakeholders via integrated web conferencing tools like Zoom or Twilio. 6. What reporting and analytics features does cITOM offer? cITOM provides advanced reporting and analytics capabilities to gain operational insights: 1๏ธโƒฃ Operational Efficiency Analytics: Tracks metrics like the number of alerts, acknowledgement times, and resolution times, allowing for trend analysis and identification of bottlenecks. 2๏ธโƒฃ Monthly Overview Analytics: Delivers a comprehensive view of alert distribution and response trends, enabling month-over-month comparisons and insights. 3๏ธโƒฃ Incident Investigation: Correlates incidents with code deployments from tools like Bitbucket and GitLab to pinpoint potential causes. 7. Is cITOM suitable for regulated industries like pharmaceuticals and medical devices? Yes, cITOM prioritizes data security and compliance with industry standards, making it suitable for GxP-regulated organizations. Its robust features help these companies adhere to stringent data integrity regulations. 8. How is cITOM delivered? cITOM is offered as a managed service, ensuring continuous qualification of the software application, ongoing validation of the customer's instance, and thorough regression testing with each iteration.
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Nagesh Nama 09.26.24 14 min read

#029: What is cDI? Data Integrity at the Core

#029: What is cDI? Data Integrity at the Core cDI is Industry's #1 suite of managed services built on Data Integrity at its core. How do you benefit? You can have your entire IT stack up and running in a day with all best practices and continuous validation baked in. 1.0 What is Continuous Data Integrity (cDI)? cDI is based on ALCOA+. All our apps incorporate Data Integrity (DI) principles that cover Clinical, Manufacturing, and/or Laboratory areas within a life science company. The following DI principles form the foundational pillars on which cDI is built: 2.0 What are the benefits of cDI? 3.0 Use Case 01: Continuous Application Lifecycle Management (ContinuousALM) ContinuousALM aims to transform software development by incorporating compliance with Part 11 standards and optimizing workflows, especially in GxP-regulated environments. The platform introduces advanced System Under Test (SUT) Management for precise tracking and organization, ensuring clarity and accuracy throughout the testing process. Users benefit from the adaptable Coverage by Requirements, Specifications, and Tests feature, allowing manual adjustment of coverage levels and prioritization of specifications based on project objectives, thus enhancing testing precision and efficiency. Moreover, the platform facilitates Requirements and Specifications Management with seamless integration capabilities with external systems such as Jira and VersionOne. Its risk-based testing functionality empowers teams to assign risk levels to requirements, automate test selection, and streamline reporting by considering failure probability and impact. Noteworthy Test Management features offer a well-structured framework to boost productivity and expand capabilities for API testing, stress tests, and more. By incorporating Campaign Management and Defect Management, Continuous ALM ensures complete transparency and traceability across test campaigns and bug tracking. Real-time updates on status, intuitive visual metrics, and centralized repositories contribute to efficient defect resolution. Furthermore, the platform aids in compliance with regulatory standards through Audit Logs, Traceability Matrices, and Versioning tools, assisting users in maintaining data integrity throughout the software lifecycle. Lastly, the platform's Automation Integration and reporting functions establish ContinuousALM as a comprehensive solution for enhancing software development efficiency. It offers seamless integrations with popular tools like Jenkins, Selenium, and JMeter to support continuous testing and validation. With a robust reporting engine, the platform delivers automated insights, empowering teams to achieve software excellence at every phase of the project. ContinuousALM: Key Benefits 4.0 Use Case 02: Continuous Document Management (ContinuousDM) Continuous Document Management (ContinuousDM) revolutionizes the way organizations handle, collaborate on, and safeguard their documents. It is crafted to streamline workflows, ensure adherence to regulations, and boost productivity. ContinuousDM boasts powerful features like Audit Trails and Version Control that monitor document modifications and approvals to uphold data integrity. Real-time collaboration empowers teams to seamlessly collaborate on shared documents, while search capabilities deliver swift and easy access to vital content. With advanced customization options such as custom workflows, e-signature integration, and robust encryption, ContinuousDM is built to meet GxP Compliance out of the box without compromising on user experience. The platform seamlessly integrates with popular tools like Microsoft Teams, Slack, and Google Drive, enabling teams to collaborate efficiently without the need to switch platforms. The system is equipped with macros, whiteboards, and AI-powered insights for cutting-edge document analysis, enhancing decision-making and facilitating intelligent workflows. Users can harness these tools to automate tasks, generate dynamic content, and streamline document processes. ContinuousDM's data classification and permissions ensure heightened security by regulating access based on document sensitivity, while export functionalities in various formats offer versatility for sharing and archiving. ContinuousDM: Key Benefits 5.0 Use Case 03: Continuous Service Management (ContinuousSM) ContinuousSM revolutionizes service management in the life sciences industry by offering a robust and agile platform that seamlessly integrates compliance and operational efficiency. In the face of escalating complexity within processes, especially in regulated settings, the demand for a reliable service management solution becomes imperative. Conventional approaches often rely on outdated methods, resulting in inefficiencies and compliance vulnerabilities. ContinuousSM tackles these issues by delivering intelligent, automated workflows crafted to boost performance and guarantee adherence to GxP regulations. ContinuousSM: Key Benefits 6.0 Use Case 04: Continuous Risk Management (ContinuousRM) ContinuousRM revolutionizes risk management for organizations by introducing a proactive framework for continuous risk identification, assessment, and mitigation. In todayโ€™s intricate regulatory environment, especially in the life sciences sector, effective risk management is paramount. Conventional risk assessment methods often fall short, devolving into mere checklists rather than active processes. ContinuousRM combats this issue by providing robust tools and features that empower teams to effectively handle risks. Noteworthy components of ContinuousRM encompass customizable risk tables, dynamic risk models, and automated reporting. The Risk Matrix enables organizations to visualize and evaluate risks using customizable parameters, thereby facilitating well-informed decision-making. By automating risk identification, mitigation, verification, and tracking, ContinuousRM ensures organizations adhere to industry standards like ISO 14971 and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP). The significance of ContinuousRM in the life sciences domain cannot be overstated. It guarantees regulatory compliance, simplifies audits, upholds product quality, and bolsters business continuity by detecting potential disruptions early on. With an intuitive interface and comprehensive tools, ContinuousRM enables teams to seamlessly integrate risk management into their project cycles, transforming risk into an opportunity for enhancement and advancement. ContinuousRM: Key Benefits 7.0 Use Case 05: Continuous IT Operations Management (ContinuousITOM) ContinuousITOM is a robust incident management platform that aims to streamline IT operations by promptly addressing critical incidents. It boasts key features such as actionable alerting through various channels, customizable alert enrichment, and alert lifecycle tracking. These functionalities guarantee that teams never overlook crucial alerts and can efficiently prioritize tasks based on severity and impact. Moreover, the platform simplifies on-call management and escalations by allowing easy adjustments to schedules and escalation protocols through a unified interface. ContinuousITOM also offers advanced reporting and analytics capabilities, providing valuable insights into team performance, alert origins, and incident response times. This data empowers organizations to pinpoint areas for enhancement and optimize their incident management workflows. Additionally, ContinuousITOM supports service-oriented incident management, aiding teams in comprehending the effects of incidents on business services. It facilitates proactive communication with stakeholders during downtime. The platform also includes communication and collaboration features like ChatOps integration and an Incident Command Center (ICC), enabling teams to efficiently coordinate responses and keep stakeholders informed throughout the incident resolution process. ContinuousITOM: Key Benefits 8.0 Use Case 06: Continuous Mail Protector (ContinuousMP) ContinuousMP is a managed service designed to deliver advanced email security and compliance solutions, specifically crafted for organizations operating in GxP-regulated industries. Given the crucial role of email in communication and collaboration within the life sciences sector, ContinuousMP guarantees that your email system adheres to data integrity and cybersecurity standards. This service provides robust protection through key features like Real-Time Threat Detection, Spam and Virus Protection, and Email Encryption, effectively shielding against spam, phishing attacks, malware, and unauthorized data breaches. Through tools such as Bracket Email Encryption and SafeSend Compliance, it ensures the security of sensitive data during transmission and aids organizations in meeting compliance standards such as HIPAA and GDPR. Seamless integration with Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace simplifies setup and management for users. ContinuousMP also offers Email Continuity during outages, ensuring uninterrupted access to emails and seamless communication. Moreover, features like Archiving and Compliance ensure secure storage of email records to meet regulatory requirements, while Message Analytics enables detailed monitoring of email security incidents. The platform's AI-powered Shield provides state-of-the-art protection against sophisticated email threats by continuously monitoring and filtering emails in real-time, quarantining suspicious ones for further review. Spam Filtering, Virus Protection, and advanced email filtering mechanisms work together to block harmful content before it reaches the inbox. By incorporating a burner email address feature, ContinuousMP enhances user privacy by generating temporary email addresses for events or registrations. Additionally, the Shield's spy tracker blocker thwarts senders from tracking email opens and activities, preserving privacy and mitigating targeted threats. ContinuousMP further secures sensitive emails with multi-factor authentication, ensuring their safety even in the event of an account compromise. ContinuousMP: Key Benefits 9.0 Use Case 07: Continuous Managed Threat Response(ContinuousMTR) ContinuousMTR Cybersecurity-as-a-Service, developed by xLM in collaboration with Sophos, provides extensive protection for IT assets in the manufacturing sector. With the rise of Industry 4.0 and smart factories, manufacturers face increasing risks from cyber threats such as ransomware, data breaches, production interference, and intellectual property theft. ContinuousMTR plays a crucial role in minimizing business risk exposure and enhancing data integrity compliance, particularly for GxP-regulated companies. This service offers a range of key features, including 24/7/365 Managed Detection and Response (MDR), Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), Endpoint protection with Intercept X, and Extended Detection and Response (XDR) for comprehensive cybersecurity monitoring. It not only safeguards manufacturing IT assets but also industrial control systems, networks, cloud environments, and email accounts. Utilizing AI-driven tools and multi-layered security approaches, ContinuousMTR effectively tackles insider threats, supply chain vulnerabilities, and outdated legacy systems. It aligns with the FDA's data integrity requirements and meets industry standards like HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI DSS, making it particularly suitable for life sciences and other regulated industries. Core Capabilities: MDR: Round-the-clock monitoring by security specialists ZTNA: Ensures secure access with continuous validation of user identities and device health XDR: Provides a unified platform for identifying, investigating, and responding to sophisticated threats Supply Chain Protection: Mitigates risks from third parties through advanced threat detection Legacy System Security: Utilizes Firewall and SD-RED technologies to safeguard older, vulnerable systems Cloud Security: Protects multi-cloud environments with Cloud Optix and Intercept X for Servers Compliance: Adheres to GxP, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI DSS, and other global regulatory requirements Cyber Insurance Readiness: Establishes essential cyber controls to fulfill insurance prerequisites ContinuousMTR: Key Benefits 10.0 Use Case 08: Continuous Remote Monitoring and Management (ContinuousRMM) ContinuousRMM revolutionizes the way organizations oversee, control, and safeguard their IT assets with a robust Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) solution. Engineered to guarantee compliance, security, and operational effectiveness, ContinuousRMM empowers real-time monitoring of vital infrastructure and streamlines operations across GxP-regulated and non-regulated settings. This platform boasts advanced functionalities like Real-Time Monitoring, delivering immediate alerts for system performance issues, and Patch Management, which automatically updates systems to fortify security. ContinuousRMM also seamlessly incorporates AI-driven automation, diminishing manual tasks by optimizing ticket management and proactively addressing concerns. This system supports Network Discovery, Automated Reporting, and AI-fueled analytics, empowering IT teams to function more efficiently and tackle issues before they escalate. Continuous Validation guarantees asset compliance, mitigating risks and sustaining productivity. With its strong security measures, automation capabilities, and seamless integrations, ContinuousRMM empowers organizations to manage their IT infrastructure confidently. Continuous RMM: Key Benefits 11.0 ContinuousTV Audio Podcasts AP001: The Magic of ContinuousPdM - Future of PMs AP002: The University of Leedsโ€™ AI System Called Optimise that can identify those at high risk for heart problems 12.0 Latest AI News Can AI coding assistants outperform human developers? Latest benchmark study reveals surprising insights! ๐—˜๐—ป๐˜ƒ๐—ถ๐˜€๐—ถ๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ถ๐—ป๐—ด ๐˜๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—”๐˜‚๐˜๐—ผ๐—ป๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ผ๐˜‚๐˜€ ๐—™๐˜‚๐˜๐˜‚๐—ฟ๐—ฒ Clarivate has launched a new generative AI-powered research assistant for Web of Science, their popular academic research platform
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Nagesh Nama 09.18.24 12 min read

#028: ContinuousGPT - Chat with your GxP Data

#028: ContinuousGPT - Chat with your GxP Data Introducing ContinuousGPT. Where you can chat with your data irrespective of where it is stored and in what format. ContinuousGPT combines advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques with robust document retrieval systems, allowing you to interact with vast datasets through conversational queries. By shifting AI-driven chatting, you can streamline workflows, improve decision-making, and ensure that critical information is readily accessible. 1.0 Introducing ContinuousGPT How many document repositories do you have to juggle just to find the relevant information? In a typical life science enterprise, it could be 10 or even more. It is a chore to query information that is hidden in legacy โ€œbrick styleโ€ 1990s applications. An industry that thrives on paper and documents, digital information retrieval from desparate sources must be efficient. Applying common sense tells us this must be the truth. Common sense in a regulated world is uncommon. In the name of regulation, every task is an onerous task. Even finding digital information at times is worse than rummaging through reams of good old paper. Introducing ContinuousGPT. Where you can chat with your data irrespective of where it is stored and in what format. ContinuousGPT combines advanced natural language processing (NLP) techniques with robust document retrieval systems, allowing you to interact with vast datasets through conversational queries. By shifting AI-driven chatting, you can streamline workflows, improve decision-making, and ensure that critical information is readily accessible. ContinuousGPT can integrate with platforms like OneDrive, Teams, Confluence, SharePoint, Veeva and more, revolutionizing how you interact with digital information. Think โ€œchatโ€ and not โ€œclicksโ€ and โ€œfrownsโ€! Needless to say, ContinuousGPT is delivered โ€œvalidatedโ€! 2.0 Why ContinuousGPT? When there is ChatGPT, why do I need ContinuousGPT? The answer is simple: ContinuousGPT can be installed in your network ensuring that your data stays within your IT boundaries. Extracting data from 1990s โ€œbrick styleโ€ apps so that an AI agent can make quick sense needs some heavy lifting. We can do that for you. Connecting the dots to prepare the dataset for training also needs some heavy lifting. We can use various techniques like knowledge graphs to build meaningful relationships between desparate databases can be handled by our team. ContinuousGPT will be rolled out as the default Chatbot for all our products and services. We can use the same tech stack for your data gold mine. 3.0 Features Azure AD Authentication: Users can securely log in through Microsoft Azure Active Directory (AD) for seamless access. Platform-Specific Chat Agent: Users can connect to chat agents dedicated to specific platforms like (OneDrive, Confluence, SharePoint, Veeva, etc..). Start New Chat: Users can easily initiate a new conversation with an AI agent trained on the historical data. Conversational Responses: Users can interact with the AI agent and receive responses specific to the dataset and documents on the platform. Stored Chat History: All user conversations are stored server-side, ensuring continuity and reference for future use. Chat History View: Users can view all previous conversations similar to the ChatGPT interface. Continue Previous Chats: Users can pick up and continue any prior conversation from the chat history at any time. Citations: The chatbot's response will also contain a citation to the document from which the data has been extracted. 4.0 Architecture High Level Architecture 4.1 RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) is a groundbreaking approach in the realm of generative AI that integrates external knowledge sources with large language models (LLMs) to enhance response accuracy and reliability. By connecting LLMs to authoritative knowledge bases, RAG enables AI models to provide more precise and up-to-date information to users, fostering trust through source attribution and citations. This innovative technique offers developers greater control over chat applications, allowing for efficient testing, troubleshooting, and customization of information sources accessed by the AI model. RAG is transforming various industries by enabling AI models to interact with diverse knowledge bases and deliver specialized assistance tailored to specific domains. 4.1.1 Why RAG? RAG is favored over training traditional Large Language Models (LLMs) due to its significant advantages. RAG enhances LLM performance by delivering more accurate and relevant information, especially within their training domain, surpassing the capabilities of conventional LLMs. The ability of RAG to access a wide array of external data sources ensures responses are current and detailed, eliminating the risk of outdated or inaccurate information common in traditional models. Moreover, RAG allows for customization and fine-tuning, enabling models to be tailored to specific needs, domains, languages, or styles that were previously challenging for traditional LLMs to address effectively. By seamlessly integrating external knowledge sources, RAG models offer responses that are not only factually correct and up-to-date but also more accurate, detailed, and contextually relevant compared to their traditional counterparts. 5.0 User Interface (UI) The frontend of Intranet Chatbot is built using React, optimized with a Vite build for production, ensuring faster performance and efficient asset bundling. The application utilizes React's state management to maintain session data, manage chat history, and facilitate smooth navigation between chats. Authentication is handled through Microsoft Azure AD, providing secure login and access to the application. For data retrieval, the frontend communicates with a FastAPI backend API to fetch user-specific data and information. Additionally, a WebSocket connection between the client and server is used to send and receive messages in real-time, ensuring a dynamic and responsive chat experience. UI Key Features 6.0 Application Logic The backend of the Chatbot is powered by FastAPI, serving as both the server and API, facilitating smooth communication with the frontend. WebSockets are employed for real-time interaction, enabling seamless chat communication between the user and the system. The backend uses Langchain to create intelligent agents for each data platform, such as OneDrive and Confluence, ensuring that the information retrieved is relevant and platform-specific. User permissions are carefully handled to restrict access to agents based on predefined roles. App Logic Key Features 7.0 Deployment The deployment strategy involves containerizing both the React frontend and the FastAPI backend using Docker. These Docker images are stored in Azure Container Registry (ACR), which acts as a centralized repository for the application's containers. For hosting, Azure Container Instances (ACI) are created separately for both the frontend and backend services, ensuring that they run independently in isolated environments. To manage communication between the two, an Azure Load Balancer is set up, allowing the frontend instance to effectively route requests to the backend API, ensuring smooth data flow and responsiveness. Deployment Key Features 8.0 Graphs and Knowledge Graphs for Data Retrieval Graphs and knowledge graphs play a vital role in enhancing data retrieval and management efficiency. Utilizing a graph structure to represent data enables seamless modeling and querying of relationships between different entities. 8.1 Graph-based Data Management Systems Graph-based data management systems utilize a graph representation scheme to enhance the efficiency of data retrieval. In these systems, data is stored as nodes (entities) and edges (relationships), enabling swift data traversal and querying. 8.2 Knowledge Graphs Knowledge graphs represent knowledge in a structured manner, comprising entities (nodes) and relationships (edges). These graphs serve various purposes such as semantic search, similarity search, and retrieval-augmented generation (RAG). Knowledge graphs can be indexed and queried with high efficiency. 8.3 Graph Query Languages and Interfaces Various graph query languages and interfaces have been created to facilitate the querying of graph-structured data: SPARQL: Specifically designed for RDF graphs commonly utilized in knowledge graphs Visual graph query interfaces: Enable users to construct queries through a visual representation of graph patterns These tools significantly enhance user experience by simplifying the process of exploring and extracting pertinent data from graph databases. 8.4 Combining Graphs with Language Models The fusion of graph-structured data with large language models (LLMs) to enhance information retrieval and generation tasks: Knowledge graph creation and completion employing LLMs Retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) systems, which retrieve pertinent subgraphs to enhance language model results Graph-based RAG methodologies that utilize the structured nature of graphs for comprehensive summarization and retrieval focused on queries Through the integration of graphs and LLMs, these systems offer robust and adaptable approaches for querying and reasoning across extensive knowledge repositories. 9.0 Conclusion 9.1 Unleash the Power of Your Data with ContinuousGPT In today's fast-paced life science enterprise, the ability to quickly access and leverage critical information is paramount. ContinuousGPT emerges as a game-changing solution, transforming how you interact with your vast data repositories. 9.2 Seamless Integration, Unparalleled Efficiency By integrating with platforms like OneDrive, Teams, Confluence, SharePoint, and Veeva, ContinuousGPT breaks down information silos, allowing you to chat with your data regardless of its location or format. This seamless integration means you can say goodbye to the frustration of juggling multiple document repositories and struggling with outdated "brick style" applications. 9.3 Security and Compliance at the Forefront ContinuousGPT understands the unique needs of regulated industries. Delivered "validated" and installable within your network, it ensures your sensitive data remains secure within your IT boundaries. This commitment to data protection allows you to harness the power of AI-driven chatting without compromising on compliance. 9.4 Advanced Technology, Simplified Experience Leveraging cutting-edge technologies like RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) and knowledge graphs, ContinuousGPT offers unparalleled accuracy and relevance in its responses. Yet, for users, the experience is refreshingly simple โ€“ think "chat" instead of "clicks" and "frowns". Make the smart choice for your enterprise. Choose ContinuousGPT โ€“ where your data speaks, and success listens. 10.0 Latest AI News OpenAI's Strawberry reasoning artificial intelligence, initially released as o1-preview, represents a significant advancement in AI technology with several unique capabilities. Is this the dawn of a new AI era? ๐Ÿค–โœจ OthersideAI's Reflection 70B might just be the game-changer we've been waiting for. ๐—ง๐—ต๐—ฒ ๐—›๐—ผ๐—บ๐—ฒ๐˜„๐—ผ๐—ฟ๐—ธ ๐—”๐—ฝ๐—ผ๐—ฐ๐—ฎ๐—น๐˜†๐—ฝ๐˜€๐—ฒ: Post-apocalyptic education: the significant impact of AI on education and the challenges it presents to traditional teaching and assessment methods. 11.0 xLM Related Latest Products Continuous Temperature Mapping (ContinuousTM) Continuous Predictive Maintenance (ContinuousPdM) Continuous Intelligent Validation
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