Automated system for reliable and secure operation of iot device fleets

A device for monitoring a plurality of edge devices, wherein the edge devices are provided at a plurality of locations at an industrial plant and are adapted for collecting and/or handling technical data related to production processes and/or production assets in the industrial plant, wherein the device comprises:

• a monitoring data providing unit for providing monitoring data that are based on collected technical data for at least one of the plurality of edge devices, wherein the monitoring data has been generated by the edge devices and is indicative of a functional state of a respective edge device,
• a device model providing unit for providing for a respective edge device a respective virtual device model, wherein a respective virtual device model is adapted to model a functional behaviour of the respective edge device based on monitoring data of the respective edge device,
• an edge device behaviour prediction unit for applying for a respective edge device the respectively provided virtual device model to existing monitoring data of the respective edge device to determine an expected current and/or future functional behaviour of the respective edge device,
• an abnormality detection unit for detecting an abnormal behaviour of a respective edge device based on the expected current and/or future functional behaviour of the respective edge device, and
• a controlling unit for providing control signals for causing a reaction based on the detected abnormal behaviour of a respective edge device.