This post is meant to give you an introduction to Industry 4.0. This is a topic that generates many questions and opinions and the purpose of this post is to give a brief overview with future posts going a little more in depth.

What is it?

Industry 4.0, you’ve heard of it, but what does it really entail and what will it do for your organization? That’s not an easy question to answer because it can and likely does mean something very different for each and every organization.

Industry 4.0, or Industrie 4.0 as it’s also known, was originally defined as the computerization of manufacturing. The term derives from the fourth industrial revolution. Its goal is to leverage computing and information technology in manufacturing environments -- increasing productivity, flexibility, and quality, all while decreasing costs. It accomplishes this by defining four key concepts to help guide manufactures and stakeholders in their Industry 4.0 implementations.

What is it not?

It’s not a set standard. While we are used to industry standards like ISA 88 and ISA 95 guiding the implementation of control systems and technology in manufacturing organizations, Industry 4.0 is not a standard. It encompasses principles for driving your organization forward.

The advantage comes with the flexibility to implement in the most appropriate way for your organization. Industry 4.0 implementations are not one size fits all. The benefit of this is that it allows you to choose a scope that’s appropriate for your organization.

Who is it for?

Manufacturing organizations with a strategic look forward for progressing both their Greenfield and Brownfield operations.

The Four Principles

These principles are in place to guide your strategic directions and implementations. The principles will mean something different for every organization.

1. Interoperability - Communications between people, machines, devices, and sensors allowing unencumbered flow of information.
2. Information Transparency - Embedding data collection and aggregation systems from low level sensors all the way up and through advanced Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems. This allows for the culmination of limitless data collection and advanced record keeping.
3. Technical Assistance - Provides services, support, and aid to people. This increases the tools available to all manufacturing stakeholders.
4. Decentralized decisions - Automating decisions and reducing human interaction as much as practically possible.

What concepts and technologies can Industry 4.0 include?

• Internet of Things (IoT) and Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT)
• Operational Technology (OT) and Information Technology (IT) convergence
• Smart Manufacturing
• Digitalization and Digitization
• Cloud Computing
• Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI)
• Digital Twin
• Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA), Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES), and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems

Wow, that’s a mouthful, and not even an exhaustive list. What’s important to keep in mind is the four principles and to adopt the technologies and concepts above. This will allow your organization to achieve your goals.

What's next?

This post was meant to give you an introduction to Industry 4.0. Future posts will include various topics like example applications, benefits, and implementation strategies. Let me know if you'd like to see anything specific!

When performing an upgrade of Microsoft SQL Server 2014 to SQL Server 2016 the install/upgrade seemed to hang at the very end.

The following status was displayed:
sqlrsconfigaction_upgrade_configrc_cpu64

I found that the only SQL Server service still running was:
SQL Full-text Filter Daemon Launcher

Manually stopping this service allowed the upgrade/installation to continue and complete successfully!

The following procedure outlines the process of setting up and configuring Rockwell FactoryTalk Historian SE on Windows Server 2012 R2.

1. Install the FactoryTalk Services Platform. If you need assistance, follow the link Installing Rockwell FactoryTalk Services Platform (FTSP).
2. Launch Setup.exe from the install directory
3. Select Install FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition
   
4. Select Install FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition
   
5. Select Install FactoryTalk Historian Asset Framework
   
6. Select Install Microsoft SQL Server 2012 Express
7. Select New SQL Server stand-alone installation or add features to an existing installation
8. Select the first radio button, Perform a new installation of SQL Server 2012 and then Select Next
9. Read the End User License Agreement, if you accept it Select Next
   
10. Select all three check boxes and Select Next
    
11. Select Next
    
12. Select Startup Type to Automatic for both services and Select Next
    
13. Select Next
    
14. Select Next
    
15. Select Close
    
16. Close the SQL Server Setup window
17. Select FactoryTalk Historian AF Server
    
18. Select Next
    
19. If you accept the license agreement Select Next
    
20. Select Next
    
21. Select Next
    
22. Select AF Application Service and AF SQL Database and Select Next
    
23. Select Install
    
24. Select Finish
    
25. Select Back
    
26. Select Install FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition
27. Select Next
    
28. Select Next
    
29. Enter User Name, Organziation, Serial Number, and Select Next
30. Select Next
    
31. Select Next
    
32. Select Install
    
33. You may be warned that the server will need to be restarted after installation, if this is acceptable Select Yes
    
34. Wait for the install to complete
    
35. Select OK to stay in the existing FactoryTalk Directory
    
36. Select Finish
    
37. You may be prompted to restart the server, if this is acceptable Select Yes
    

The following procedure outlines how to install the Rockwell FactoryTalk Services Platform on Windows Server 2012 R2.

1. Ensure you have the .Net Framework installed. If not, you may receive the following error:
   Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 is not installed.
   To install the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1, open an elevated Powershell prompt and enter the following command:
   PS C:\Windows\System32> Install-WindowsFeature -Name Net-Framework-Core -IncludeAllSubFeature

2. Install FactoryTalk Services Platform

3. Launch the installer and select Install FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition
   

4. Select Install FactoryTalk Historian Site Edition
   

5. Select Install FactoryTalk Services
   

6. Select Install FactoryTalk Services
   

7. Select Next
   

8. Select Next
   

9. Read the Software License Agrement, if you agree to it, Select Accept all
   

10. Select Install
    

11. Select Finish
    

12. Select Yes to reboot server
    

When configuring a Repository with HP Device Manager you may receive either of the following messages:

Remote access is not configured with the same folder path as the Master Repository Controller on repository Master Repository with protocol FTP.

Remote access is not configured with the same folder path as the Master Repository Controller on repository Master Repository with protocol Shared Folder.

This is caused by using a directory that is different from the default. The default directory is: C:\Inetpub\Ftproot\HPDM.

To change the default directory, modify the the following configuration file: C:\Program Files (x86)\HP\HP Device Manager\MasterRepositoryController\Controller.conf. Change the ReposPath variable to the path you'll be using for your repository. After making this change, you'll need to reboot server or VM running HPDM.

After the restart completes, the repository can successfully be tested.

When installing an instance of a VMware vSphere vCenter Server virtual appliance, version 6.0 Update 1, I ran into an issue who's cause wasn't very apparent. While deploying the vCSA through Google Chrome, the process hung at the following step: Installed iPXE-1.0.0-1.2882051.vmw.i686.rpm.

The deployment log files are located at: C:\Users\vmwareUser\AppData\Local\VMware\CIP\vcsaInstaller\sessions\session_0004\logs. The logs gave no indication of the problem.

This was ultimately due to an incorrect configuration within DNS. The DNS entry was not setup for the vCSA. After creating the correct DNS entry and restarting the deployment, it completed successfully.

Using Veeam Backup & Replication version 8.0 with a VMware vSphere 6.0 Update 1 system I ran into the error below when trying to connect to an ESXi host -

Failed to login to by SOAP, port 443, user "root", proxy srv: port:0
Unknown API version format: "dev"

The actual version installed was 8.0.0.817.

Version 8.0.0.817 does not support VMware vCenter and ESXi 6.0, vSphere 6 support was added with Veeam Backup & Replication 8 Update 2. Update 3 is now available can be be downloaded from the following link: Veeam Backup & Replication 8.0 Update 3.

After installing the update, I was able to connect Veeam Backup & Replication 8.0 to ESXi 6.0 Update 1 hosts.

Veeam does not modify their download links as updates are released. As of today, the current downloadable version is still 8.0.0.817. Note that they do include a link to a Update 3 on the download page. If installing a new copy of Backup and Recovery for use with vSphere 6.0 products, first install Backup & Replication 8.0.0.817, then install Update 3.
Veeam Backup & Replication 8.0 Download

FactoryTalk Viewpoint is a great way to extend FactoryTalk View SE and ME HMI applications to browser based clients. Said another way, FactoryTalk View SE and ME applications can now be viewed and controlled through a web browser on a wide array of devices. These can include: mobile devices (phones and tablets), traditional PCs and even thin clients. Rockwell supports Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Safari browsers.

New with the release of FactoryTalk ViewPoint 8.1, rendering of graphics now uses HTML5; prior versions relied on Microsoft's Silverlight technology. Silverlight limited the supported client platforms that could be used with Viewpoint. New with Viewpoint 8.1, HTML5 brings the full View SE and View ME client experience to some of the most common platforms including iOS devices (iPhones and iPads), Android devices (phones and tablets), and Windows devices (PCs and Phones). Currently Mac OS X and Firefox are not listed as supported clients.

Prior versions of Viewpoint, relying on Silverlight, presented a challenge because it was mainly supported on Windows based PCs and required the plug-in to be installed. Not all users have Windows based PCs or the ability/privileges to install the SIlverlight plug-in. Using HTML5 greatly increases the accessibility of FactoryTalk View SE and ME applications both on and off the plant floor.

When trying to update a VMware vCenter Server Appliance to 6.0 Update 1 via SSH, I ran into an authentication problem.

I logged into a VMware vCenter Server Appliance via SSH and tried to update it to 6.0 Update 1 by entering the following command:

Command> software-packages install --iso --acceptEulas

I was then requested to enter a password for nobody

Command> software-packages install --iso --acceptEulas
nobody's password:

The problem was that I logged in with a VMware SSO account, Administrator@vsphere.local, and actually needed to login with the vCSA's root account.

What is the nobody account?
On Unix based systems like Linux, it is an account with limited permissions.

The following process outlines installing ESXi 6.0 remotely on an HP ProLiant Gen9 server. The server used in the following example is an DL360. It is using an internal USB flash drive for it's peristant ESXi installtion.

1. Download the HP Customized ESXi installer at the following link VMware ESXi 6.0 Installable HP Customized ISO Image.

2. Find the Hostname, Username, and Password for the iLO device.
   This can be found by pulling the front pull-out tab from the server. The tab has a I on the front.

3. Determine the iLO's Ethernet IP address.
   The iLO's default IP configuration is set for DHCP. Its address can be determined by plugging it into a network with a DHCP server, then pinging by its host name. If a DHCP server is unavailable, a static IP address can be set locally through the standard console.

4. Login to the iLO 4 web interface through a web browser.
   Open a browser and enter the iLO URL, https://ipaddress.

Once logged in, you will be presented with the iLO Information Overview screen.

5. Open The Remote Console.
   In the left pane navigation pane, expand Remote Console, Select Remote Console, and then finally select Launch in the right pane.

You may need to confirm running the Integrated Remote Console application.

The Integrated Remote Console application will load.

6. Mount ESXi Install Media.
   Click Virtual Drives then Select Image File.
   Browse to the ESXi VMware ESXi 6.0 Installable HP Customized ISO Image that was downloaded in Step 1 and select open.

7. Restart the server.
   Select Power Switch, then Click Cold Boot.

The server will restart and load the ESXi installer.

8. Install ESXi.
   Press Enter to start the installer.

Press F11 to accepts the End User License Agreement.

Select the install location. In the example ESXi will be installed on an HP flash drive, HP part number: 726718-S21.

Confirm erasing the flash drive.

Set preferred language.

Set root password.

Press F11 to initiate the install.

Once the install has successfully completed, Press Enter to reboot the server.
A confirmation message will be displayed.

9. Congratulations! ESXi has been successfully installed.

Migrating legacy applications written VBA or VB 6.0 to modern operating systems can frequently cause a headache.

Symptoms

I ran into one such instance with a FactoryTalk View SE Application that used VBA to connect to a SQL database. Data Access Objects (DAO) and ODBCDirect was used to create the ODBC connection and iterate over a Batch Client Cursor record set. The old application was running on Windows Server 2003 and I was porting it to Windows Server 2012 R2.

The following code was used:

    Set ODBCWorkSpace = CreateWorkspace("NewODBCWorkspace", "SQLUser","passw0rd!",dbUseODBC)
    ODBCWorkSpace.DefaultCursorDriver = dbUseClientBatchCursor

    strDBConn = "ODBC;Database = dbName;UID=SQLUser;PWD=passw0rd!;DSN=ODBCDSN"
    Set RecipeConn = ODBCWorkSpace.OpenConnection("", dbDriverNoPrompt, False, strDBConn)
    ODBCWorkSpace.DefaultCursorDriver = dbUseClientBatchCursor

    strSQL = "select * from Table"

    Set rstQuery = RecipeConn.OpenRecordset(strSQL, dbOpenDynamic, 0, dbOptimisticBatch)

When running it I received the following error:

This was due to not having Data Access Objects installed on the 2012 R2 server.

The next errors are below, they were caused by not having the appropriate DLL for the Batch Client cursor.

Resolution

1. Download Service Pack 6 for Visual Basic 6.0 (Vs6sp6.exe)
   Service Pack 6 for Visual Basic 6.0
2. Run Vs6sp6.exe and extract the files
3. Open msrdo20.cab, it contains the following files: MSRDO20.DLL, MSRDO20.INF, and RDOCURS.DLL. Extract all three files and copy them to the C:\Windows\Sys64WOW\ directory.
4. Open an elevated command prompt, navigate to C:\Windows\Sys64WOW, and register MSRDO20.DLL. The RDOCURS.DLL does not need to be registered.

    C:\Windows\System32> cd C:\Windows\Sys64WOW
    C:\Windows\Sys64WOW> regsvr32 MSRDO20.DLL