Virtualization For existing BO-lines

Virtualization

Extended product lifecycle and availability

A Brückner film stretching line is built to last for decades. But what about the line’s “brains”, the hardware and software which form the basis of its sophisticated process control system?

Due the developments within their industry, these components, such as servers, PC workstations and versions of operating systems and application software, show a shorter life cycle than other parts of the machine. If the hardware for servers and workstations of the IPC-system has become obsolete and compatible replacement hardware can no longer be found, then the original system installation needs to be updated with new, state-of-the-art hardware.

A simple restore of a system backup (hard disk image) will not work in most cases, because of differences in hardware design. Various original operating system drivers will fail, because they are not able to handle the new hardware correctly. This is where the technology of virtualization comes into place.

The newly supplied hardware is prepared for virtualization. It presents a standardized virtual hardware environment (Hypervisor) to the original operating system, which will run in this new environment with a relatively small number of required system modifications and adjustments.

This state-of-the-art technology secures your investment in an IPC upgrade (Integrated Process Control System), since migration of a virtualized system to new hardware in the future will be much easier and the life cycle of such a system installation is extended considerably.

Which parts can be virtualized?

 

  • IPC server
  • ILM and RDH server
  • Workstations
  • Thin-client workstations
  • Engineering station and notebook

Advantages

  • Most cost-efficient way to preserve the control system as it is and keep it in operation for many more years.
     
  • Once virtualized, the system can easily be migrated to new or different hardware in the future without any further modifications (provided the new hardware has a Hypervisor).
     
  • Up-to-date hardware with improved performance.
  • Simplified backup and restore. A backup includes the entire virtual machine. A restore does not require the re-installation of any software.
     
  • Virtual machines can be cloned for testing and training purposes.