The fourth phase of the Modernization Continuum is Machine Data Collected and Stored.

This decision is as important as putting the correct network infrastructure in place. Determining whether to have an Industrial Data Center in the plant, put your data in the cloud or even have it across the firewall into the enterprise side has ramifications associated with each decision that has security, cost and management considerations.

Key goals in this phase for consideration:

• Use of industry standard computer equipment and software

• Ability to collect store and distribute data in industry standard databases

• Automated processes for collecting data that enables manufacturing and management

• Automatic machine record keeping

• Virtualization