Controller Backup Storage for Automatic Platform Recovery
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Solution Overview
Problem
In network control systems, the backup controller fails to take over when the primary controller is not synchronized, requiring user intervention for configuration restoration, especially in scenarios where hardware failure occurs and the application module needs to be replaced.
Innovation Solution
A storage appliance is communicatively coupled to the plant-wide network to backup and restore the control execution environment of controller platforms, ensuring synchronization and automatic recovery of the application module's state and configuration, even in the event of primary controller failure, using persistent memory devices and a control application module orchestrator for dynamic deployment and synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a backup controller is deployed to take over on primary controller failure, then controller platform availability is improved, but the backup controller can only take over when fully synchronized to the primary controller, requiring user intervention when synchronization is not complete
Solution Approach 1:
The storage appliance continuously receives and stores copies of application modules from controller platforms before failure occurs. This preliminary action ensures that when a primary controller fails, the backup controller can immediately retrieve and execute the stored application module copy without waiting for synchronization or user intervention, enabling automatic takeover regardless of synchronization state.
2Reliability
If hardware redundancy with primary and backup controllers is implemented, then control system availability is improved, but user intervention is required to restore configuration when primary controller hardware fails and application module replacement is needed
Solution Approach 1:
The storage appliance maintains persistent copies of application modules from controller platforms. When hardware failure occurs and an application module needs to be replaced, the backup controller automatically retrieves the copy from the storage appliance and restores the configuration without requiring user intervention, thereby simplifying the repair process while maintaining high availability.
3Reliability
If application modules are deployed in a 1:1 ratio with controller platforms, then each controller platform has dedicated control application, but the system requires user intervention to restore AM configuration when primary controller fails and is not synchronized
Solution Approach 1:
The storage appliance acts as an intermediary between controller platforms and backup controllers. It receives and stores application module copies from primary controllers and automatically provides them to backup controllers upon failure, enabling automatic recovery without user intervention while maintaining the 1:1 application module deployment ratio for dedicated control applications.
Data Source
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AI summary
A method and network control system for an industrial processing facility (IPF) including, a plant-wide network coupling at least one controller platform. The controller platform comprising computing hardware and a memory and at least one application module (AM) contained in the memory. The AM comprising a control application, data, configuration and state information for the controller platform, wherein the at least one controller platform is coupled by an input/output network to I/O devices coupled to field devices that are coupled to processing equipment on a field level of an industrial processing facility (IPF). A storage appliance coupled to the plant-wide network is arranged to receive a copy of the AM contained in the controller platform to a backup application in the storage appliance. The backup application returning the AM back to the controller platform to recover and restore a failed controller platform to normal operation.