Invensys expands virtualisation technology for high availability and disaster recovery
March 2012
News
Invensys Operations Management has expanded its certification for virtualisation technology to include high availability, disaster recovery and fault tolerance in supervisory control applications, leveraging both the VMware and Microsoft Hyper-V virtualisation platforms. The company’s ArchestrA System Platform 2012 and Wonderware InTouch 2012 software are now certified for the latest VMware solutions, including VMware vSphere version 5.0 and ESXi version 5.0 for mission-critical applications.
“Historically, high availability and disaster recovery solutions in supervisory control systems were expensive to implement, not only because of hardware and software costs, but also because of additional administrative burdens,” says Maryanne Steidinger, director of product marketing, Invensys Operations Management. “Now, after a rigorous validation period, our ArchestrA System Platform 2012 and Wonderware InTouch 2012 software are also certified for disaster recovery and high availability using VMware virtualisation. All this is possible on commercial operating systems using COTS hardware, further reducing cost and easing implementation of mission-critical applications.”
Virtualisation software, like that offered by Microsoft and VMware, transforms a computer’s hardware, ie, CPU, hard drive and network controller, to create a virtual computer that can run its own operating system and applications. By sharing hardware resources with each other, multiple operating systems can run simultaneously on a single physical computer. By eliminating dependencies between the physical hardware and the software, customers have more choices to manage their applications, servers and equipment. One of the benefits is the ability to move virtual machines between host computers, which enable a variety of different fail-safe scenarios to be implemented, each providing options for different levels of redundancy that make systems more resilient, less prone to equipment failure, less prone to site failure and simpler to upgrade.
“At OpsManage’11 last year, we set up and demonstrated a scenario where an entire primary system in Florida failed over to a backup disaster recovery system in California,” says Steidinger. “Customers were impressed with the ease and speed with which the backup system took control, using only commercial hardware. That is the flexibility they are looking for to modernise and optimise their business. As the first industrial automation provider to be certified for high availability, disaster recovery and fault tolerance on the two major virtualisation platforms, we look forward to continuing to offer the products our customers need to achieve the highest levels of compliance, collaboration and operational excellence.”
For more information contact Jaco Markwat, Invensys Operations Management, +27 (0)11 607 8100, [email protected], www.iom.invensys.co.za
Further reading:
BMG achieves GBCSA Net Zero Waste Level 2 Certification
Bearing Man Group t/a BMG
News
BMG has achieved Green Building Council South Africa Net Zero Waste Level 2 Certification after diverting more than 90% of operational waste from landfill, demonstrating how practical sustainability measures can deliver measurable environmental and commercial benefits.
Read more...
Pump spares and parts for Africa
News
KSB Pumps and Valves explains how its decentralised stockholding and local manufacturing keep spares and parts available across its installed base in Africa.
Read more...
Inspiration for times of change
Endress+Hauser South Africa
News
More than 2000 customers, partners and experts gathered in Basel, Switzerland, for the Endress+Hauser Global Forum in April 2026. Under the theme of driving sustainable transformation together, the event combined keynote sessions on strategy, technology and the future of work with practical case studies from across the process industry.
Read more...
Local energy solutions rewiring resilience across Africa
News Fieldbus & Industrial Networking
Engineers across Africa are developing practical, scalable energy and mobility solutions supported by the Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation.
Read more...
The gender gap in SA’s engineering sector
News
South Africa’s engineering sector is facing a critical gender imbalance, with women making up just 16% of registered engineering professionals compared to 84% of men.
Read more...
Safe removal of the historic US 181
News
Mammoet provided the heavy-lift expertise that helped remove the 2300 ton centre span of the historic US 181 Harbor Bridge in Corpus Christi, Texas, using a precision lift-and-lower method that protected nearby marine environments and reopened navigation channels swiftly.
Read more...
Going Green initiative sees African Group Lubricants adopt electric forklift fleet
News
African Group Lubricants is transitioning most of its forklift fleet to electric power, a move expected to cut diesel consumption by around 85% and improve conditions across its manufacturing facility while delivering a positive return on investment in the near term.
Read more...
Africa Energy Indaba 2027 aims to ignite the power revolution
News
Africa Energy Indaba 2027 takes place from 2 to 4 March 2027 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre, bringing together ministers, utilities, investors and developers to accelerate energy generation, unlock investment and drive the continent’s industrial future.
Read more...
Major bearing tender for SKF
SKF South Africa
News
SKF has secured a major bearing supply tender from an Algerian steelmaker, reinforcing its position in the metals segment across North Africa.
Read more...
Mining’s decarbonisation journey requires putting ESG commitments into action
Schneider Electric South Africa
News
Schneider Electric specialists explain how mining and heavy industry can turn environmental, social and governance commitments into measurable decarbonisation results.
Read more...
printer friendly version