The Challenge:
Computing Platform Standardization

There are significant advantages associated with standardizing on a single computing architecture for process control applications. The most commonly cited benefits of hardware / software standardization include:

• Reduced software development time/cost through:

  • wider use of object-oriented design

  • module re-use

  • reduced testing time.

• Reduced commissioning time.

• Reduced life cycle cost.

• Reduced maintenance and support staff requirements.

• Reduced user and technical support personnel training costs.

Despite the potential advantages, few organizations have been able to implement such standardization. The primary reason for this is the difficulty of identifying a single computing platform that satisfies all criteria for a standard architecture. A common platform applicable across a variety of applications must be: scalable, upgradeable, flexible, and cost-effective.

Scalable

Scalability addresses the requirement to host applications ranging from the most demanding and complex to the relatively simple while remaining cost-effective across the entire spectrum. For example, systems capable of satisfying the requirements for very high-speed applications are often times not cost-effective for slower applications. Likewise, as the number of I/O points increases, system complexity and cost often increase.

Upgradable

Upgradability describes the ease with which a computing architecture can be modified to incorporate hardware and software advancements. This is a particularly important consideration given today's rapid rate of change in computing technology. The most effective strategy for managing the risk of a standard platform becoming technically obsolete is to insure that the selected architecture is easily upgradeable.

Flexible

A standard platform must be flexible enough to support a variety of automation functions. These may range from dedicated, high-speed device control and digital signal processing applications to high-level supervisory and shop floor management functions. This means that the platform must interface to a wide range of auxiliary systems and instrumentation. It should also support a wide range of special-purpose hardware and software. Examples include high-speed signal processing hardware, reflected memory communication processors, optical and video scanning systems, relational databases, and so on. In each case, the system must meet the functional requirements as cost effectively as possible.

Cost Effective

Finally, a standard architecture must be cost effective. The benefits of hardware and software standardization are mostly associated with reducing cost. Clearly, a system that is scalable, upgradeable and flexible, but not cost-effective, is unlikely to deliver the desired benefits.

With the introduction of the TelePro Tsentry system it is now possible for a single architecture to satisfy all these criteria.