Wonderware Makes Significant Enhancements to Industry-Leading Data Historian;

Wonderware (UIR:PQG2336), a business unit of Invensys Systems Inc., today announced new scalability options, significant performance improvements and advanced user features with the release of version 9.0 of IndustrialSQL Server software.

With more than 20,000 installations worldwide since its introduction in 1997, Wonderware's IndustrialSQL Server historian is one of the industry's most popular plant data historians. It integrates information from a wide variety of plant automation and IT information sources to provide plant personnel with a complete data record of plant operations used to assist in today's performance management initiatives.

Version 9.0 introduces a new Personal Edition designed for smaller applications running on Microsoft Windows XP Professional and SQL Server Personal Edition in 100- and 500-tag counts. This makes for a highly capable, yet low-cost data historian solution that can be used either standalone, or readily added onto basic HMI (human-machine interface) historical data recordings.

The Personal Edition also can be easily upgraded to the IndustrialSQL Server software's Standard and Enterprise editions. The Enterprise Edition supports advanced Microsoft Windows server system functions such as clustering. Advanced analysis and reporting tools such as Wonderware's ActiveFactory trending and analysis software can leverage all editions of IndustrialSQL Server software.

In addition, the performance of Version 9.0's retrieval of critical real-time plant information has been significantly improved for rapid decision-making. Powerful data retrieval modes help users extract valuable plant performance information. Version 9.0 also reduces SQL query times by more than 90 percent, which significantly saves valuable IT computing and network resources.

"Using the new data retrieval modes, plant personnel can quickly generate data queries to detect plant inefficiencies and maintenance issues or to identify opportunities to improve plant performance," said Jim Frider, product marketing manager for Wonderware's performance management products. "For example, the 'best-fit' data retrieval mode returns data that shows the relevant information associated with the query. Queries run faster and network traffic is reduced. Most importantly, problem-solvers have the data they need to optimize plant performance."

IndustrialSQL Server 9.0 software now includes a new storage algorithm designed to further reduce data storage requirements by up to 70 percent. The new Swinging Door data storage algorithm, pioneered and patented by Invensys' Foxboro business unit, has been integrated into IndustrialSQL Server 9.0 software to greatly reduce data storage requirements and hardware processing demand. Version 9.0 also offers enhanced communications for low and intermittent networks often associated with distributed SCADA applications.

"Distributed SCADA applications have challenging data communication issues," Frider said. "IndustrialSQL Server 9.0 software acquires data from radio modem-based systems, which are often hampered by signal interruptions and slow data rates."

In addition, IndustrialSQL Server 9.0 software seamlessly integrates with Wonderware's Industrial Application Server, which is built on the ArchestrA software architecture and provides a unified application environment for visualization, plant history, device communications and the integration of automation and IT applications. The ArchestrA industrial automation and information software architecture reduces the costs associated with designing, building, deploying and maintaining industrial software applications.

"The IndustrialSQL Server historian is designed to collect a wide variety of plant information at very high data rates, using minimum storage capacity and ensuring that factory operators and management, at all levels, have the information available to help drive vital plant productivity and performance improvement initiatives," Frider said.

About Invensys and Its Wonderware and ArchestrA Business Units

Visit www.wonderware.com/about_us/news/wwarchestra.asp.

Invensys, Wonderware, ArchestrA, IndustrialSQL Server, InSQL, ActiveFactory and Foxboro are trademarks of Invensys plc, its subsidiaries and affiliated companies. All other brands and product names may be the trademarks or service marks of their respective owners.

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Comm Strategies for Wonderware
Kari Garcia, 949-459-9696, x244
pr@commstrategies.com

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