Digi International announced the Connect EZ, a family of device servers delivering reliable connectivity for business, commercial, and industrial automation applications.

Most security discussions today are focused on either device application software, or the network systems connect to. But there’s a whole world of sensitive data that can be accessed from beneath those entry points: in the device hardware.

Today's system designers need to do more with less, and one of the best ways to accomplish that is through pin multiplexing, or pin muxing. Pin muxing allows a processor or SoC's various pins to be repurposed for different functions, which on today's advanced chips, means a few dozen pins can carry hundreds of signals.

Historically, the embedded electronics deployed in industrial applications have been relatively simple, both to keep costs down but more importantly to ensure safe, reliable system operation by keep complexity to a minimum.

Boy, have things changed.

Digi International announced the expansion of its ConnectCore family of products with the introduction of the Digi ConnectCore 8M Mini System on Module (SOM).

Power efficiency and power management are both key specs when it comes to embedded systems, particularly for industrial applications. However, they are quite different from each other and must be handled differently. Managing your power comes through fine tuning all your components, both hardware and software, and operating all devices only when required and at the intensity levels required. By contrast, power efficiency is the art of being able to maximum your processes with less power.

Modern SoCs are so powerful and complex that it’s difficult to extract all of their speed and performance on an embedded module that can get you to market quickly. In most cases, your best bet is to turn to an expert.