In the ISA-95 architecture for industrial automation, Level 3 represents Manufacturing Operations Management (MOM). Applications at this level, such as Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and process historians (e.g., Aspen IP.21), act as a bridge between real-time control systems (Level 2) and enterprise systems (Level 4, like ERP).
High availability (HA) for Level 3 applications is critical because they are essential to the continuous operation of manufacturing facilities. HA ensures that these systems are accessible and functional with minimal or no downtime, even in the case of hardware failures, network issues, or software faults.
Key Reasons Why High Availability is Critical for Level 3 Applications
Real-time Process Monitoring and Control
MES systems like Aspen MES provide real-time monitoring of production processes. Downtime in these systems means that operators lose visibility into critical KPIs like production throughput, downtime, and quality metrics. Any delay in detecting and resolving issues can result in inefficiencies, production losses, or even safety risks.
Production Execution
MES systems are used to execute production plans by coordinating the flow of raw materials, labor, and equipment. If the MES system goes down, production scheduling and execution can halt, causing costly downtime and operational delays.
Data Integrity and Traceability
Many industries, such as pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, and chemicals, rely on MES for compliance with regulatory standards. HA ensures continuous logging of production data, which is crucial for traceability and audits. If an MES system is unavailable, data loss or gaps in data collection could lead to non-compliance with industry regulations.
Quality Assurance
MES systems monitor process variables and ensure that quality standards are met throughout production. If the system fails, the production of substandard or defective products may go unnoticed, leading to costly rework or product recalls.
Downtime and Lost Production
Unexpected outages in MES systems can result in lost production hours, which translates to lost revenue. In industries with continuous operations, such as oil and gas or chemical processing, even short interruptions can have significant financial impacts.
Use Case: High Availability in Aspen MES
Scenario: Aspen MES in a Chemical Manufacturing Plant
In a large chemical manufacturing plant, Aspen MES manages real-time data collection from production lines and tracks work orders, raw materials, and finished goods. The plant runs 24/7, and any disruption in the MES system could result in severe operational delays.
The Challenge
The Aspen MES system is responsible for tracking production quality, ensuring that chemical formulations meet exact specifications, and monitoring KPIs like downtime and equipment utilization. The plant produces highly regulated chemicals, and any deviations from prescribed processes must be documented for compliance. Regulatory agencies also require full traceability of every batch produced.
Without a high-availability setup for Aspen MES:
- Loss of real-time monitoring: Operators lose visibility into production metrics. This delays response times for any issues on the production floor, such as machinery breakdowns or deviations in chemical composition.
- Regulatory non-compliance: Gaps in data collection can lead to missing records for certain production batches, making it impossible to provide accurate documentation during an audit. This can lead to fines or forced production shutdowns.
- Production downtime: If the MES goes offline, the entire production line can come to a halt. Since MES systems control work orders and manage the flow of raw materials and finished goods, this interruption could lead to unplanned downtime, costing the company substantial losses.
The Solution: Implementing High Availability for Aspen MES
To address these risks, the plant implements a high-availability solution for Aspen MES:
1. Redundant Application Servers: Multiple Aspen MES servers are deployed in a clustered configuration. If one server fails, another can automatically take over, ensuring continuous access to the system.
2. Database Replication: The MES system’s database is set up with real-time replication across geographically separated locations to ensure data redundancy. In case of a primary database failure, the secondary database takes over without data loss.
3. Failover Mechanisms: A failover system is implemented for both application and database servers. This setup ensures that, in the event of hardware or software failure, the backup servers can instantly take over with minimal disruption.
4. Load Balancing: Load balancers distribute traffic across multiple MES servers, ensuring that no single server becomes a point of failure.
5. Regular Backups and Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of the system health and automated backups ensure that the plant is prepared for any unexpected failures and can quickly recover lost data.
The Outcome
With high availability in place, the plant experiences:
- Zero unplanned downtime: Even in the event of server failures or maintenance windows, the production process continues uninterrupted.
- Full compliance: Continuous data collection and integrity allow the plant to maintain full regulatory compliance and provide detailed records during audits.
- Improved production efficiency: Operators always have real-time visibility into production processes, allowing for quick intervention when issues arise.
Real-World Impact
In an industry where every minute of downtime translates to thousands of dollars in lost revenue, implementing HA ensures that the Aspen MES system is always available, safeguarding both the plant’s production output and regulatory standing.
Conclusion
High availability for Level 3 applications like Aspen MES is essential for maintaining operational efficiency, ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements, and minimizing production downtime. By deploying HA solutions, industrial operations can ensure continuous monitoring, data integrity, and production execution, which are critical to business success.
Relianoid load balancer plays a pivotal role in ensuring high availability for Aspen MES by distributing traffic across multiple servers, preventing any single point of failure. In a high-availability environment, the load balancer ensures that user requests are dynamically routed to the healthiest and most responsive MES servers. This capability is critical in the event of server failure or during routine maintenance, as the load balancer will automatically reroute traffic to available resources, preventing disruption to production operations. Additionally, Relianoid load balancer supports session persistence, which ensures that ongoing user sessions are maintained without interruption, even if traffic is redirected. By balancing loads efficiently and ensuring continuous access to MES applications, Relianoid load balancer greatly enhances system resilience, reduces downtime, and ensures seamless performance, which is crucial for process-heavy industries relying on Aspen MES for real-time monitoring, quality control, and compliance.
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