Dive into industrial automation software.

SolutionsPT is hosting a free Tech Day event for manufacturers, allowing them to take a deep dive into the latest Wonderware software, explore the digital modelling of operational assets and the very latest OT cyber security advancements.

The event, which will be held on Tuesday, February 26th, at SolutionsPT’s Cheadle headquarters (GB), will offer a look at the latest Wonderware software advancements and cyber security solutions, through a combination of demos, case studies and hands-on workshops.

Attendees will explore the latest Wonderware developments in Operational Control, and the improved alarm management and real-time operator awareness offers by the newest InTouch and System Platform. Another session will allow delegates to explore how they can model their operational assets digitally using Wonderware System Platform 2017, enabling them to gain operational insight that goes beyond that offered by traditional SCADA visualisation.

For those looking to mitigate the cyber security risk to their Industrial Control Systems, SolutionsPT will introduce its partnership with OT cyber security specialists, Claroty. A pre-lunch session will look at how Claroty’s anomaly detection solution can deliver a deeper insight into ICS networks, helping manufacturers to achieve complete visibility of their assets and any threats.

A series of afternoon breakout sessions will enable those attending to build on the knowledge gained during the morning with optional, hands-on workshops and demonstrations.

Reserve your place here!

@SolutionsPT  @Wonderware #PAuto 

Cryptomining explored!

SolutionsPT is to host a free webinar exploring the evolving cyber security threat posed by Cryptomining infections and how they can be prevented, on Thursday, February 21st 2019.

Designed for Operational Technology (OT) professionals, the Introduction to Cryptomining webinar will examine the specific threat Cryptomining poses to OT environments and discuss the solutions that will enable organisations to guard against it.

Cryptomining is a malware threat that affects Industrial Control Systems (ICS), enabling hackers to use an infected PC’s resources to mine for digital currency. The webinar will explore how, if left unchecked, the infections can disrupt OT environments, causing hardware failure, massively increasing energy consumption and preventing systems from carrying out mission-critical tasks.

Unlike other malware attacks, Cryptomining attacks can also be extremely difficult to detect, even after a system has become infected, making them especially dangerous.

Chris Whitehead, Managed Platform Product Manager at SolutionsPT, said: “There has been a significant increase in the number of cyber security attacks against Industrial Control Systems in recent years, with Cryptomining attacks emerging as the top malware threat of 2018. It’s vital that OT professionals are aware of the dangers they pose and our webinar will provide them with a great amount of usable information to take away.

“Our experts will also use the webinar to discuss various solutions to the problems posed by Cryptomining, from increasing the visibility of their industrial networks to ensuring they have both pre-emptive and reactive solutions in place.”

The 30-minute webinar begins at 11am. Attendance is free but attendees must register in advance.

@SolutionsPT  #Cybersecurity

Tech Day Event!

Following the success of its 2017 ‘Tech Day’ series, SolutionsPT has added an additional date for 2018 to support manufacturers in meeting the growing connectivity and security demands of the digital factory.

Taking place on 18th April 2018 at SolutionsPT’s headquarters in Cheadle (GB), the ‘Tech Day’ will comprise live demonstrations and workshops, showing how critical infrastructure and software applications have been developed to meet the need for highly available and insightful operational big-data. (Register below)

Attendees will be shown the latest features and functionality of the updated Wonderware System Platform 2017 and the newly introduced InTouch OMI Client. Delegates will also be given the opportunity to participate in a number of afternoon workshops where they can get hands-on with Wonderware System Platform and the Thin Client technologies that can deliver increased operational efficiency and insight into the industrial environment.

Highlights of the agenda will also include a presentation from Wonderware Product Manager Andy Graham on the steps required to build a secure architecture and an overview from Chris Whitehead, SolutionsPT’s Managed Platform Product Manager, on the company’s new managed services portfolio.

The events will run from 8:45am until 12pm, before heading into the afternoon hands-on workshops which will run until 16:15pm.

 @SolutionsPT #PAuto @WonderwareUK 

Appointments at Industrial IT provider.

SolutionsPT has bolstered its senior product team with a new appointment and two internal promotions.

LtoR: Ian Bailey, Chris Whitehead & Phil James

Joining the company as Growth Project Manager, Ian Bailey is tasked with overseeing all aspects of organisational growth at SolutionsPT, focusing on new customer acquisition, retention, and prioritising growth-specific product improvements. Ian will also focus on growing the user base for SolutionsPT’s ever-expanding industrial IT product set, which includes managed services, high availability and cyber security solutions.

Phil James swaps his role as a member of the sales team to take up the newly created position of Availability and Industrial Computers Product Manager. Phil will have overall responsibility for a group of products which enable customers to keep their critical systems running and operational, championing the company’s product portfolio to end users and system integrators.

Chris Whitehead, a Systems Architect who has been with SolutionsPT for six years, takes over as Managed Platform Product Manager. In his new role, Chris will be responsible for the growth and development of the Managed Platform service, and will continue to develop and expand the offering, both technically and commercially, to meet the needs of new and existing customers.

SolutionsPT specialises in providing industrial IT services to assist manufacturers in improving operational efficiencies, through operational intelligence, disaster resilience, cyber security and mobile technology solutions. The company is also the sole-authorised distributor of Wonderware in Britain and Ireland.

@SolutionsPT #PAuto 

Supporting digital factory.

SolutionsPT is hosting a series of events in Britain, designed to support manufacturers in meeting the growing connectivity and security demands of the digital factory.

Andy Graham

The ‘Tech Days’ will include live demonstrations and workshops, showing how critical infrastructure and software applications have been developed to meet the need for highly available and insightful operational big-data.

Attendees will be given the opportunity to get hands-on with Wonderware System Platform, Citect SCADA and the Thin Client technologies that are shaping the connected ‘factory of the future’ and see how they can deliver increased operational efficiency and insight into industrial environments.

Agenda highlights include a presentation from Schneider Electric on The Digital Factory, a demonstration of SolutionsPT’s Managed Services portfolio and how it can support manufacturers with disaster resilience and business continuity. Wonderware Product Manager Andy Graham will also lead a session on ‘Transforming Industrial Data into Actionable Insight’.

The day-long events will take place in Britain as follows:
• November 21st 2017 at the Milton Hill Hotel in Abingdon,
• November 23rd 2017 at the Bolton White Hotel at the Macron Stadium, Bolton.

The events will run from 08:45 until 16:45. The morning workshop will focus on the latest Wonderware System Platform 2017 release, whilst optional afternoon workshops will cover Thin Manager* and Citect SCADA. Each event is free to attend but delegates must register in advance.

@SolutionsPT #PAuto #SCada @WonderwareUK 

Cybersecurity in industrial control.

SolutionsPT, together with Schneider Electric, has announced an OT Cyber Security event series, aimed at helping today’s manufacturers protect their industrial control systems and critical infrastructure.

Jay Abdallah

The events will address why industrial environments are becoming more vulnerable to cyberattack, whilst providing pragmatic guidance on building a robust OT Cyber Security strategy.

Keynote speaker, Jay Abdallah, Global Security Director at Schneider Electric (pictured) will discuss ‘The Threat Within’, covering how the move to open standards such as Ethernet, TCP/IP and web technologies has allowed hackers to take advantage of industrial control systems and critical infrastructure, before moving on to ‘Defence in Depth.’

The events will take place in Britain on November 28th at Manchester United Football Club, and on November 30th at the Madejski Stadium in Reading.

 #PAuto @SchneiderSftwre @RightAgency #Cybersecurity

Industrial IT services provider has new General Manager.

Sue Roche is the new General Manager at SolutionsPT. She has previously served as Business Unit Manager of SolutionsPT’s Wonderware UK & Ireland division, and will assume full responsibility for all of SolutionsPT’s operations and will report directly to the Board, whilst retaining her position as lead on Wonderware UK & Ireland.

Sue Roche

Sue has been with SolutionsPT for eight years and has played a key role in shaping the company’s evolution from traditional SCADA provider, to industrial IT experts capable of providing fully integrated industrial hardware and software solutions. Her appointment as General Manager is part of SolutionsPT’s market strategy to go ‘beyond HMI’ and deliver solutions which embrace cloud, mobile and virtualisation technologies to meet customer requirements for high availability and resilience.

Sue has presided over Wonderware UK and Ireland during a period of substantial growth for the business which has seen it take on a number of significant projects for both new and existing clients, adding some of the largest and most influential businesses in Britain to the company’s books. This has included a major sales expansion with a leading water and wastewater customer, whilst significantly growing the company’s presence in the dairy sector.

Sue said SolutionsPT is firmly focused on continuing this growth and working with Wonderware parent company Schneider to become Britain and Ireland’s leading SCADA and industrial IT supplier. She said: “We’ve had some fantastic wins over the last few years and have expanded into new sectors such as Infrastructure as well as growing our presence in key markets such as Food and Drink and Life Sciences. Wonderware will continue to be at the centre of our offering but we believe that our complementary industrial IT expertise, which includes mobility, cyber security and a managed service offering, will enable us to work with clients and the Systems Integrator community to deliver a holistic solution capable of delivering real efficiencies.”

@SolutionsPT #PAuto 

Key appointments in Scotland and Ireland.

SolutionsPT Strengthens Team with Key Appointments in Scotland and Ireland

SolutionsPT has responded to a business restructure with the appointment of a new area manager for Scotland and new technical manager for Ireland.

SolutionsPT specialises in providing industrial IT services to assist manufacturers in improving operational efficiencies, through operational intelligence, disaster resilience, cyber security and mobile technology solutions. The company is also the exclusive distributor of market-leading Wonderware Operations Management Industrial Software in Britain and Ireland,

Steve Lambie

Steve Lambie, who joins the company as Scotland Area Sales Manager, is tasked with growing the company’s customer base through the provision of hardware, software and services from SolutionsPT.

Joining the company from international beverage alcohol giant, Diageo, where he spent four years as a project engineer for control and instrumentation, Steve has previously held a number of sales positions with engineering companies such as Honeywell and more recently, Invensys.

Ken Molloy, who joins as technical manager, will work closely with system integrators across Ireland to educate them on the latest Wonderware and hardware technical developments.

Ken Molloy

Bringing with him 15 years of experience, primarily in the pharmaceutical and food and beverage sectors, Ken joins from biopharmaceutical specialist ABEC, where he held the role of applications engineer. Before that, he was also at Invensys where he was a field service engineering team leader.

Susan Roche, Wonderware UK & Ireland general manager, commented on the appointments: “With a wealth of both sales and engineering experience, Steve and Ken will work closely with customers across their specific territories to understand their operational goals and requirements and improve their industrial operations.

“Having done business with SolutionsPT in their previous positions, they already have first-hand experience of the benefits we can offer customers. With great understanding and knowledge of their regional markets, we are determined to keep offering customers unparalleled levels of service.”

 @SolutionsPT @WonderwareUK #PAuto 

First software defined availability platform!

SolutionsPT, in conjunction with partner Stratus Technologies Inc, has announced the launch of everRun® Enterprise, a next-generation software solution which represents a breakthrough in virtualisation technology.

Available from February 28th 2014, the comprehensive solution, which represents the latest addition to the Stratus portfolio, combines the best of Stratus’ high-availability software solutions with enhanced features such as disaster recovery and application monitoring to ensure business continuity.

Robert Dinsmore, High Availability Product Manager at SolutionsPT, said: “The new release combines Marathon’s EverRun and Stratus’s own Avance technology – meaning you get 99.999% availability from a software platform that can be used with commodity x86 servers. This brings true fault tolerance to a much greater user base since it allows businesses to stay in line with their current IT hardware policy, whilst delivering a higher level of availability than most cluster based alternatives. It does all of this in a simplified package that does not require additional shared storage.”

“This launch signals a change in strategy for Stratus,” said Nigel Dessau, Chief Marketing Officer at Stratus Technologies. “We are broadening our focus on fault tolerance – which ensures the highest levels of availability – beyond hardware, to virtual workloads on commodity servers. In effect, we are bringing mainframe-like levels of availability to Intel-based servers.”

everRun Enterprise unifies the ease of use, monitoring, management and service capabilities of the Avance® high-availability software with the fault-tolerant engine of previous generations of everRun. Additionally, the entire solution now leverages the open source Kernel Virtual Machine (KVM) hypervisor. The result of this new architecture is a higher performance software platform that supports a wider range of operating system guest workloads.

“This is significant since some customers have resisted migrating business-critical applications to virtualised architectures due to a lack of reliable, enterprise-grade availability in today’s hypervisors,” said Jason Andersen, Senior Director of Product Management at Stratus Technologies. “We also see a very similar requirement in private clouds. This technology will be the basis of our cloud strategy as well.”

everRun Enterprise is designed to keep Windows® and Linux™ applications up and running continuously without changes to applications or in-flight data loss. It is compatible with a wide range of platforms, is easy to implement and includes centralised management tools for an all-encompassing view of the entire stack – from bare metal to the applications. The software runs on industry-standard Intel-based x86 servers without the need for specialised IT skills. Unlike other availability solutions, everRun Enterprise prevents downtime from occurring rather than merely recovering from it – a difference that can have a significant impact on revenues, costs and customer satisfaction.