Glossary · System coordination, integration and orchestration
System gateway
Also known as: Integration gateway, Edge gateway
German: System-Gateway
In industrial integration, a system gateway is a device or software component that connects two systems or network domains, for example a machine network and the plant network or cloud, and handles communication between them, including protocol conversion, data transformation, filtering and security functions.
- System integration
In one sentence
A system gateway connects two systems or network domains and handles protocol conversion, data transformation, filtering and security between them.
Example
An edge gateway collects data from a machine's PLC, converts it into an OPC UA information model and forwards selected values to the plant MES over an encrypted connection.
How it applies
- Engineering: Define the gateway's responsibilities: which data passes, in which direction, with which transformations and at which rate. Keep the machine's control functions independent of the gateway.
- Security: Gateways often sit at zone boundaries and act as conduits in IEC 62443 terms. Restrict allowed traffic, harden the device, and manage its credentials and updates.
- Operation: Monitor gateway health; data gaps in higher-level systems are often gateway failures.
- Documentation: Document configuration, data mappings, network settings, firmware version and backup and replacement procedures. For products, state which functions the gateway provides for integration and which security measures remain the operator's responsibility.
System gateway vs. protocol gateway
A Protocol gateway focuses on translating communication protocols. A system gateway connects systems at a broader level and may add data modeling, buffering, filtering and security. Many edge devices serve both roles.