PAS (Houston; www.pas.com), a leading supplier of software products and consulting services to the processing industries worldwide, announces the release of Integrity Recon software, which improves the reliability of automation systems composed of Microsoft-based computing platforms. These platforms reside on Process Control Networks (PCNs) and include hardware, operating systems, applications, and databases, which are essential to the effective operations of industrial facilities.
Integrity Recon monitors and reports vital information and vulnerabilities about automation infrastructure. This not only helps the automation organization to better manage their system infrastructure, but it also allows IT to securely monitor different aspects of the control systems, such as license management.
Integrity Recon simplifies compliance with Common Operating Environments (COEs), which are uniform configurations of hardware and software that enable security, reliability, and facilitate troubleshooting. Integrity Recon monitors the installed software, hardware, and operating system configurations for the servers, work stations, and desktop computers on the PCN and provides notification of any discrepancies from the defined COE. This capability of Integrity Recon also facilitates software and hardware upgrades by identifying existing components and versions, while simultaneously verifying the prerequisites for new ones.
Integrity Recon also contributes to automation system security and accessibility. It verifies that Active Directories, which are employed to protect and maintain the integrity of critical networks and systems, operate correctly. Additionally, as personnel who interact with the facility’s automation systems are not always located on-site, Integrity Recon’s web-based capability makes it accessible from virtually anywhere through the facility’s virtual private network.
“Since Integrity Recon supports a wide-variety of automation systems, our clients can now manage their entire automation infrastructure from the same application,” says Chris Lyden, PAS President. “Properly managing compliance with common operating environments and the performance of plant automation infrastructure is an essential element of safety, reliability, and profitability for process manufacturers.”