Honeywell recently announced it is offering virtualization technology for its distributed control system as a way to streamline system management and lower total cost of ownership for manufacturers.
Honeywell’s Experion Process Knowledge System (PKS) can run using VMware Inc.’s virtualization software, which allows a single server to simultaneously run multiple operating systems and applications. It also improves reliability by insulating these operating systems from hardware changes, the company said.
For many manufacturers, the process control environment requires separate servers to support different applications. When process manufacturers use this technology with Experion they can improve server utilization rates, reduce disruptive operating system and hardware changes, simplify overall system management, and lower TCO by up to 30%, Honeywell said.
“Every manufacturer today is being asked to do more with less, and virtualization is a key to helping them achieve that goal because it can change how process control systems are installed and maintained,” said Vimal Kapur, Honeywell’s vice president of strategy and global marketing, in a statement.