What We Showed at Automate 2026
At Automate 2026 in Detroit, the EmberNet team ran a continuous live demo on real production-grade hardware: an x86 DIN-rail node running EmberRTOS with a rotating stack of containerized and VM payloads. Visitors could watch payload deployments happen from scratch in under 90 seconds, with no cloud dependency and no pre-staged image on the target node.
The core demo covered three capabilities. First, containerized payload deployment via EmberCORE: a CODESYS Runtime container, a Modbus-to-MQTT bridge, and a custom HMI application were each deployed, restarted, and rolled back live. Second, EmberFLUX zero-trust networking: the demo node sat behind a strict network policy enforced at the OS layer, with an encrypted maintenance tunnel opened on demand for remote diagnostics without a VPN or open inbound ports. Third, fleet management: a second node was enrolled mid-demo, joined a device group, and received the same payload stack automatically through EmberCORE group policies.
A recurring question from the floor was whether EmberNet requires cloud connectivity to function. The answer is no. EmberRTOS runs immutably on bare metal or in a hypervisor. EmberCORE, the management plane, can be self-hosted on-premises or air-gapped. The demo illustrated this by toggling the management connection off mid-session: the running payloads continued without interruption, and re-connected to sync state when the link came back.
For OT engineers evaluating edge platforms, the critical differentiator is the separation of OS, networking, and payload concerns. EmberNet does not require a general-purpose Linux distribution, does not rely on SSH for remote access, and does not expose the control plane to the factory network. Each payload runs in an isolated execution environment. Pricing is published at embernet.ai/pricing, which was a frequent ask from procurement contacts at the show.
Key Questions from the Floor
Can we run our existing CODESYS application on EmberNet without modification?
Yes. CODESYS Runtime deploys as a managed container payload on EmberRTOS. Your existing CODESYS project and I/O configuration load normally. The demo showed a live SFC program running inside the CODESYS Runtime container, with real-time cycle times verified on the hardware.
What does zero-trust networking mean for our OT environment?
EmberFLUX enforces a default-deny posture at the OS layer. No inbound connections are accepted unless explicitly permitted by policy. Remote access for maintenance uses an outbound-initiated encrypted tunnel that closes automatically when the session ends. There is no persistent VPN, no open port, and no flat access to the plant network from the edge node.
Does the fleet management tool require an internet connection?
No. EmberCORE can be deployed on-premises inside your plant network. Nodes reach out to EmberCORE over your LAN or WAN. Internet connectivity is never required for core platform operation.