Ensuring the High Availability of Data in Manufacturing Systems
With the dramatic advances in hardware and connectivity, requirements of an embedded system have become more complex. This has made it increasingly important to reliably collect large volumes of dynamic information with the utmost efficiency. Traditional data management methods have not always been up to the task and, more often than not, have resulted in significant performance degradation that has resulted in the loss of critical data.
In contrast to the early days of embedded systems, today’s systems are scalable allowing them to support the exponential growth of data. New multiple core processors provide the additional processing power to manage and manipulate data efficiently. Connectivity between field devices and enterprise systems means this new mountain of data can easily be shared and distributed, where it is needed.
The manufacturing industry is a good example of this change. In a traditional manufacturing architecture PLCs are used to provide data to a SCADA Environment or a standard computer. The data on this computer may reside there or be moved to another system depending on the application. However, this computer is often the weak link in the chain and data can be lost due to a power outage, through cyber-attacks such as the stuxnet worm, or just the general instability of the platform.
Figure 1.
Through the e-F@ctory Alliance, Mitsubishi Electric and Alliance partner RAIMA have improved this system design by using the high availability C Controller and adding an embedded RAIMA database application which can collect and store data directly on the device. Here the Raima Database Management System works easily and efficiently together with the C Controller.
The Database Management System securely maintains the data collected and can then immediately share this data amongst other devices as necessary. In figure 1 the data is collected on the C Controller and automatically replicated to a PC Management System or SCADA Environment. If the connection between the C Controller and PC goes down, or the PC becomes corrupt or fails due to a virus, all the data being collected is not lost. The C Controller keeps this and all new data until the connection is restored or the PC is repaired or replaced. Once restored the data continues to automatically replicate ensuring no data loss.
If a wireless network is present, this data can also be replicated to a smart device such as an iPad.
This e-F@ctory Partnership improves data integrity and security, and reliably provides data to those who need it, when they need. This combination is helping improve manufacturing, resulting in system uptime and improved application communication, securer data environments especially where compliance issues are of paramount importance.
About Mitsubishi Electric:
With 90 years of experience in providing reliable, high-quality products to both corporate clients and general consumers all over the world, Mitsubishi Electric Corporation is a recognized world leader in the manufacture, marketing and sales of electrical and electronic equipment used in information processing and communications, space development and satellite communications, consumer electronics, industrial technology, as well as in products for the energy sector, water and waste water, transportation and building equipment. Mitsubishi Electric has around 117.000 employees offices in over 30 countries. Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., Factory Automation European Business Group (FA-EBG) has its European headquarters in Ratingen near Dusseldorf, Germany. It is a part of Mitsubishi Electric Europe B.V., a wholly owned subsidiary of Mitsubishi Electric Corporation, Japan. The role of FA-EBG is to manage sales, service and support across its network of local branches and distributors throughout the EMEA region.
