From the beginning, we’ve built the Ignition platform on open standards like SQL, Python, MQTT, and others. Ignition’s interoperability gives you many choices in the devices and systems you can connect to and the vendors you can choose from. It’s also made many leading technology companies eager to integrate their solutions with Ignition. As we’ve formed relationships with other tech companies over the years, it’s been thrilling to witness the explosive growth of the technology ecosystem around Ignition.
To respond to this growth and facilitate even more growth in the future, we are evolving our existing technology-partnership framework into the new Ignition Technology Ecosystem Program. We’re truly excited to launch this new program because it’s going to make it even easier for you to discover complementary third-party technologies that extend the power of Ignition — which means that the Ignition ecosystem is about to get much bigger!
In this blog post, I’ll briefly explain how this new program works and how it will benefit you as someone who works with Ignition.
How The New Program Works
In the new Ignition Technology Ecosystem Program, the tech companies that we work with are now referred to as “technology providers” instead of “partners” (with one exception: Cirrus Link Solutions, the maker of MQTT modules for Ignition, continues to be Inductive Automation’s sole Strategic Partner). This change in terminology represents an important shift. The concept of “partnerships” carries the expectation that IA will promote the partners to our community so we can co-sell more products to them. Well, as you may know, this is not the way that we tend to work; instead we want to show real value to our community and let them explore the best solutions for their use, focused on removing obstacles and leveraging Ignition’s open standards and interoperability to the fullest. These provider relationships will be focused on the solutions and how they accomplish these goals for our community members.
The new Ignition Technology Ecosystem Program has four levels: Registered Technology Provider, Verified Technology Provider, Gold Technology Provider, and Premier Technology Provider. Similar to our Integrator Program, this new program has tiered requirements at each level. This is designed to benefit you as well as the providers by motivating them to continually become stronger contributors to the Ignition ecosystem and to your success.
The first level of the program is Registered Technology Provider. This is the entry level for companies that have taken their first steps into the ecosystem by aligning their solutions with Ignition and demonstrating initial value.
The second level is Verified Technology Provider. Companies that fit into the Verified category have provided a clear path for community members to integrate the two technologies with ease. For example, the provider would offer an integration guide, a self-validation process for hardware, architecture documentation, or another resource.
The third level is Gold Technology Provider. The providers at this level have devoted internal resources to gain a deeper understanding of Ignition. They have engineers on staff who have completed Inductive University and Certification levels in order to ensure reliable development and support of the joint solution.
The fourth level is Premier Technology Provider, a designation reserved for the top-tier companies in the Ignition ecosystem. To reach the Premier level, providers must demonstrate a proven track record of delivering innovative solutions, empowering users, and collaborating on major initiatives.
As you can see, the new program is starting off with a robust lineup of tech providers, offering everything from cyber security, orchestration, and analytics to predictive maintenance, anomaly detection, and more. And with many technology companies expressing interest in joining the program, the range of compatible solutions is sure to expand.
Program Benefits For You
The Technology Ecosystem Program is built with you in mind as an Ignition user or integrator. We know that starting to work with a new tech provider, even when their products seem impressive, often involves a degree of uncertainty. We hope that the new program, in addition to helping you easily find Ignition-compatible technologies, will give you greater confidence as you forge new relationships.
You can be confident that, whatever your particular needs may be, you'll find multiple qualified providers to choose from. All of our ecosystem technology providers possess strong expertise, so you’ll always know that you’re working with certified professionals who are deeply knowledgeable about Ignition as well as their area of specialty. This makes them uniquely well-positioned to extend Ignition's capabilities to match your needs and help you build innovative joint solutions.
When you choose to work with members of the Ignition Technology Ecosystem Program, you are not just using a product — you are joining a thriving community of innovators dedicated to your success.
Learn More
We’re very excited for the growth that this new program will bring and for the solutions it will enable you to build. To explore the solutions and services offered in the Technology Ecosystem Program, click here.
