5 Tips To Help You Choose The Right SCADA System For Your Business

The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is a crucial aspect of your business's automation system; choosing the right one is an important decision. The best SCADA software will guarantee successful and seamless coordination between the PLCs and the HMI system. Selecting the wrong order will be an expensive venture that will cost your business a lot of money in upgrades. Read on to know a few factors to help you choose the right system.

Works with existing hardware

Most Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems usually offer OPC connectivity alone. This can be a significant problem for a business that uses older equipment that does not support OPC. In such a case, you will be forced to purchase drivers that support your legacy equipment or buy a costly OPC wrapper. You can avoid all these extra expenses by getting a package that works perfectly with your existing hardware. Some systems have a range of native drivers that work well with the vendors’ equipment irrespective of its age.

Scalability

You need a system that will support your current and future needs. Most vendors believe that scalability involves buying more I/O. However, suppose you plan on expanding your industrial plant by adding another production line or building another plant. In that case, you need an industrial system with an architecture supporting that kind of growth. Ensure that your Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is thoroughly tested to help a more significant number of I/O points so that you can avoid a slower response time or other problems in the future.

Security is crucial

Countless cases of SCADA systems being compromised by internal or external intrusions. Owing to the mission-critical nature of these systems, protection from hackers and unauthorized uses is of great importance. The vendor's commitment to security and safety is crucial in safeguarding your software.

Simple upgrades

You need Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition systems that adapt to the ever-changing technologies and requirements. Also, backward compatibility is essential since replacing the whole system is costly. Furthermore, migrating to another SCADA platform can result in data loss and cause downtime, affecting your business. To avoid such situations, you should ensure that the vendor you choose has an extensive history of providing 100% backward compatibility to ensure that your upgrades are simple and straightforward.

Unmatched support

The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is not disposable software. This means that if the systems go down, they can have severe consequences for your business. This can range from data loss impacting regulatory compliance to unscheduled downtime affecting your customers. This is why the vendor should offer support whenever and wherever necessary. They should also have certified integrators to offer routine coursework and training.

The Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition system is a significant purchase for any business. Therefore, it should meet your current needs and future needs. With such a crucial investment, you want to be confident that the vending company will be in business for many years. Also, they should have vast experience in your specific industry. This is because you do not just want someone who will install the system but also understand the particular needs of your industry.