ARC Advisory Group and MDT Software

ARC Advisory Group features MDT Software in a solution guide revealing the importance of configuration management in automation systems

Why software change management? Software change management is necessary in any environment where there are doubts about: The location of the latest backup – Is it on a local or mapped drive? Could it be on a memory stick in someone’s pocket? If there’s more than one developer, who has the latest backup and who knows if his/her version is the latest. Does it incorporate changes made by the others? Programme file status - Which file has the latest changes? Is it the one called 10_07_09 PLC001 or 11_07_09 PLC001? If changes were made to the 10th July version, were they restored over that version or saved as the 11th July version? Which is really the latest? Change status – Time and a busy schedule often make it difficult to remember what was changed and when.

A new solution guide from the ARC Advisory Group examines the impact of configuration management on the performance of automation assets. This solution guide titled “Configuration Management for Automation Assets” features MDT Software as a leading configuration management solution provider. MDT’s flagship product, AutoSave, is the market-leading change management software designed to protect, save, restore, discover and track changes in PLCs, HMIs, SCADA systems, robots and other industrial programmable devices and documents.

An automated configuration management system is a centralised system that manages changes to programme logic for automated controls programmes and devices. An effective configuration management system will have the following features:

• An archive of prior revisions of programmes
• The ability to detect and provide notification of changes
• Secured user and workstation access
• A historical record of who made the programme change, when and from where it was made
• The ability to compare programmes on-demand and through automatic scheduling

According to ARC Vice President, Consulting Services, Dave Woll, “…an overwhelming majority of users struggle to maintain accurate and current records of the configuration and programming of their automation assets. At the same time, users indicated a clear understanding of the consequences of not having accurate records. Obviously, there is both a need and a strong value proposition.”

“As the inventors of change management software for automation devices, MDT is in complete agreement with the ARC Solution Guide in its findings on the value of configuration management,” said Gary Gillespie, vice president and general manager of MDT software. “We are pleased to be recognised by ARC as a leading solution provider and the only provider that focuses solely on configuration management.”

For more information on how MDT Software solutions can safeguard your PLC and HMI software, contact your Wonderware Southern Africa account manager without delay.