To migrate or not to migrate: that is the upgrade question?

Constantly in the network the discussion about system migration rises and each time the antithesis battle begins.


So, does anyone have or had any requests in the past for SCADA migrations from your customers? - The typical answer - Yes, but “customer postponed this question” or “the longer we talked to the customer about it the more and more questions arised, and as a result we haven’t undertaken this project”. As strange as it is the main reason is not financial. 

It's all about “cruft”, that stuff that builds up over time and relationships with industrial automation partner. Cruft includes systems functions you no longer use, preferences you don't really remember setting, bits and pieces scattered around your system that accumulate with use. 



If you are not scared about “cruft”, the next hurdle for you - Choosing a Migration Partner.  The choice is simple: a) Vendor b) System Integrator c) Customers own team. The pros and cons of each will not describe here. They are clear to all.
Choosing a Migration Partner addressed the issue - Types of migration: 1. Migrate within a legacy systems vendor family  2. Migrate from one legacy systems vendor to another  Proven solutions are most often based on products as they normally are a part of a supplier (Vendor or SI) migration plan. If the supplier has no proven solutions – do not choose this way. You expose yourself to consider a guinea pig.

Whatever you choose the answer to the question - Who should take the lead role a) b) or c)? On the other hand, may be exists choose d)? Why not create a multidisciplinary team consisting of people that are trained on these solutions? It is normally relatively easy to find people who have the knowledge and solutions in parts of migration. Sure, it's a much harder process, but what is the migration goal? I believe it is cheaper and technically elegant solution.

To migrate or not to migrate? - is not a question. The question is: How to migrate to avoid late for your plant/business? You can evaluate the Risks based on your requirements for each of the options before making a right choose.