Find added security, expanded communication options, and upgrade details in this migration tech note.

Are you holding off on upgrading your control system because you’re dreading the potential downtime? Do you think you’ll have to rip and replace your existing field wiring and I/O cabinets? Are you wondering how much of your working PAC Control logic has to be rewritten?

These are valid concerns and reasons to hesitate when touching a system that’s currently keeping your plant running. However, migrating to groov EPIC (Edge Programmable Industrial Controller) is designed to be much smoother and more flexible than a typical system overhaul.

Opto 22's Migrating from SNAP PAC to groov EPIC technical note provides the details about navigating this transition. And here are some major advantages you’ll gain by upgrading to an EPIC system.

The "No Rip-and-Replace" Migration Path

The biggest relief for anyone deciding if they should upgrade is that field wiring can stay exactly where it is. The quickest and easiest migration path is to drop in a groov EPIC as your primary controller and keep your existing SNAP PAC I/O units as remote I/O.

• Keep Your Logic: Your existing PAC Control strategy runs on the EPIC with minimal changes.
• Performance Boost: Because the EPIC features a much faster CPU, you’ll see a noticeable improvement in your system's execution speed.

Upgraded Network Interfaces and Connectivity

The physical networking capabilities on the EPIC are much more robust than legacy SNAP systems.

• Dual Gigabit Ethernet: Both the groov EPIC PR1 and PR2 controllers feature two independent 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet network interfaces. They allow you to completely segment your trusted I/O network from your external or enterprise network. In contrast, the SNAP PAC R-series and S-series only support 10/100 Mbps.
• Flexible IP Configuration: Use standard DHCP for IP address assignment. DHCP wasn’t available on the legacy SNAP PAC S1, S2, R1, or R2 controllers.
• Wi-Fi Capability: The EPIC processors support Wi-Fi connectivity via an approved USB Wi-Fi adapter.

Cybersecurity Features & IT Approvals

Getting a new controller approved by IT can be a hurdle, but groov EPIC makes it easy. One of the primary reasons to put a groov EPIC in front of your SNAP PAC system is the built-in security. The Linux-based PR1 and PR2 processors offer cybersecurity features right out of the box:

• Configurable device firewall: The EPIC processors include a built-in firewall you can configure to restrict access to specific ports and interfaces.
• Authentication and Account Management: Access to the system requires user authentication with a mandatory login.
• Encryption and Certificates: The processors handle data encryption and allow for full security certificate management.
• Secure VPN Creation: Create a secure VPN client from the processor.

Built-in IIoT and Modern Visualization

If you need data pushed to databases, cloud applications, or mobile devices, groov EPIC runs compatible software natively and removes the need for middleware PCs.

• Data Handling: Use Node-RED to build simple logic flows to send data to databases, cloud applications, APIs (application program interfaces), and MQTT with Sparkplug for efficient, secure data communications.
  
• PLC Connectivity: Use the internal OPC-UA server via Ignition or Ignition Edge by Inductive Automation, and make it easy to talk to Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and several other legacy PLCs.
  
• Mobile HMIs: Build simple, web-based operator interfaces with groov View that work on any cross-platform PC or mobile device.

Details to Consider

While the migration is flexible, there are a few things you need to plan for. Here are some of them:

• I/O Module Specifications: If you add new groov I/O modules, keep in mind that they’re designed to meet IEC 61131-2 standards. This design gives them better noise immunity, but their specifications might be different from legacy SNAP I/O (for example, a groov module might need 15V to turn on, whereas a SNAP module might need  only 10V).
• Port Security Rules: For security reasons, groov EPIC processors don’t allow the use of TCP ports below 1024. If you use Modbus/TCP, you’ll have to use a different port from the default 502.
• HMI Compatibility: PAC Display vs. groov View: If you currently use PAC Display (a Windows-only HMI), you can continue to do so, but PAC Display projects can’t be converted into groov View projects. groov View gives you a browser-based HMI platform designed for cross-platform and mobile devices.

For more details about the benefits and considerations, read the technical note and use the side-by-side comparison charts of processor features, memory map differences, and serial communication architectures to help you plan your upgrade.