How long have you been involved with The Open Group?

Stratus Technologies joined The Open Group in July of 2019. My membership in The Open Group and the Open Process Automation™ Forum (OPAF) started in November of 2017 at the OPAF kick-off event in San Francisco, CA, at which time I was representing Intel Corporation. I have found The Open Group under the stewardship of Ed Harrington to be extremely effective in guiding the OPAF Forum and Members to its current progress.  

What do you do, and how long have you been doing it?

As the CTO of Stratus Technologies, I joined the company in early March 2019. Previously, I was the CTO of the Industrial Solutions Division within the Intel IOT Group. I have been involved in developing and delivering Internet of Things solutions since 2012 and serving the industrial automation market since 2014. I have been involved in leading-edge R&D and delivery of modern computing and networking solutions for the broader IT industry since 1984.

Why did your organization become a Member of the Open Process Automation Forum and what does your involvement look like?

By becoming a Member of OPAF, we’re hoping to help define next-generation edge computing standards that address HW/SW infrastructure, systems management, security and connectivity challenges for industrial operators on their digital transformation journeys. We’re looking forward to expanding our work with industrial automation partners through OPAF by delivering innovative solutions that simplify and protect the connected world our customers and partners rely on. 

We’re also planning to collaborate with other OPAF Members to turn data into actionable insights at the edge, unlocking the true potential of Digital Transformation. 

How has Membership in The Open Group benefited you, your organization, and the industry at large?

With new technologies, standards are an area of need. With the automation industry specifically, standards are necessary to repair fragmented processes, especially as the OT and IT professions converge. It’s consortia initiatives like OPAF that are trying to address this fragmentation and improve industry operations through innovative and cutting-edge standards. At Stratus, we’re really looking forward to working with the network of global leaders that are currently involved with OPAF – including ExxonMobil, Shell, Merck, Georgia Pacific, and others – to create secure, reliable, and interoperable solutions that help these businesses modernize their operations and capture untapped value.

What contributions do you hope to bring to The Open Group?

As one of the global leaders in simplified, protected, autonomous edge computing solutions, at Stratus we feel like we understand the needs of OPAF Members and can offer strategic advice on the direction of edge standards that will shape the future of automation. We’re really excited to collaborate with other industry leaders to respond to the market requirements for our customers in diverse industries such as manufacturing, oil and gas, water and waste water, and also to define them.  

Why is it important for other organizations to join The Open Group?

In the automation industry, computing modernization (cloud/edge computing, AI, Internet of Things) is fundamentally changing the automation and control infrastructure, processes, and workflows that have existed for decades. While this is an exciting time, it’s also a trying time for industrial operators who are at a crossroads in their businesses. It’s important for organizations to join OPAF so they can have a voice in establishing standards-based, open, secure, and interoperable process control architecture for the industrial automation industry – making a mark on an industry that’s truly in the midst of another industrial revolution.

What are your hobbies?

I enjoy traveling abroad, physical fitness, gardening, playing and watching sports with our kids and enjoying family time in our sunny California backyard.

What book are you currently reading?

I am currently reading AI Super-Powers China, Silicon Valley and the New World Order by Kai-Fu Lee.

Brief Bio

John Vicente is Chief Technology Officer at Stratus Technologies. He is a senior officer and the chief architect for the company. John is defining and evangelizing Stratus’ technology strategy in Edge Computing and Industrial IoT (IIOT). Prior to Stratus, he held senior leadership roles across multiple organizations at Intel for over 25 years. John led Intel’s Industrial IOT CTO Office and was responsible for strategy, architectural definition, and roadmaps for Intel’s industrial Edge Computing technologies and products. John also worked at Digital Equipment Corporation. He earned a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Columbia University, an MS in Electrical & Computer Engineering from USC and a BS in Electrical & Computer Engineering from Northeastern University.