Data Acquisition

Virtualization has taken the IT world by storm. The virtual machine isolates and executes each operating system instance independently. If one crashes, it doesn't affect the others. Software reviewers love the idea of virtual machines. A software package can be installed on a virtual machine, and the entire package (OS and application) transferred onto a CD or DVD and shipped to the reviewer. Do you see applications for virtual machines in factory automation? Do you see advantages in pre-installed operating systems and applications? If you're already using virtualization in your automation or process control application, what has your experience been?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Data Acquisition, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Data Acquisition today.

An article in PC World says that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency claims that criminals have been able to break into electric utility companies' computer systems via the Internet and cut power in several regions outside the U.S. The disclosure, in January of this year, came at about the same time that the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) announced new mandatory cybersecurity requirements for utilities, and may have been meant to underscore the need for adequate security safeguards. Network-based control systems hold tremendous promise for remote monitoring and control, but any business needs to consider the security ramifications of such an approach. What's your opinion on network-based (Internet-connected) control systems for industry? Is the risk worth the reward? Do they adequately protect against remote mischief?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Data Acquisition, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Data Acquisition today.

According to recent articles, "Open source software is making its way into the systems that touch our everyday lives, from banks to the stores where we shop." Open source software is playing a role in systems being researched for vehicle traffic management. The reasons? To minimize cost and development time by leveraging existing code. What about the factory floor? Does open source show promise there? Is your organization using it?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Data Acquisition, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Data Acquisition today.

Many manufacturing processes depend on accurate synchronization. Knowing the precise time is critical for ship navigation (using celestial navigation) and in computer security. Satellite global positioning systems (GPS) depend on precisely accurate timekeeping. A recent article reports that a 1-nanosecond error results in a localization error of 30 cm. Is knowing the precise time or synchronizing processes across your factory floor important? Do you understand the network time protocol (NTP), and how it can be used? What's your experience keeping things in sync across your factory?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Data Acquisition, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Data Acquisition today.

Signal conditioning is an important normalizing function prior to data acquisition. But a few sensors and acquisition devices are starting to feature built-in signal conditioning, eliminating the need for a separate, external signal-conditioning circuit. This can simplify data acquisition. Are we seeing the end of signal conditioning as a stand-alone function? Is this the start of a new trend — or will there always be a need for signal conditioning in many data acquisition circuits? What's your opinion?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Data Acquisition, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Data Acquisition today.