Remote Services

Managing Open Systems with Remote Services

As control systems move from proprietary

technology to open systems, there is greater

flexibility but there can also be issues with

compatibility, security and software complexity.

Honeywell works with customers to help

manage open systems. Honeywell's secure

remote services improve safety and reduce

costs with proactive monitoring and faster

problem resolution while avoiding travel time

and costs. Remote services include patch

management, virus protection, system

monitoring, backup and restore, and more.

To mitigate risk, Honeywell employs

industry best practices to ensure a highly

secure connection and protection of data

for ourselves and our customers.

Reduce costs and mitigate riskwith secure remote services

Technological advancements are changing distributed control systems (DCS) by integrating proprietary technology from the vendor with open systems technology provided by Microsoft, Intel, Cisco and many others. Compatibility issues, securitypatches, virus attacks and software complexity result in a significantly higher frequencyof change compared with proprietary only technology. To help manage the change, the industry is employing remote services as a best practice to quickly connect supplierexperts with customer systems. Honeywell has developed a full suite of remote services to support our customers with their day to day technology challenges.

Best Practices for ManagingOpen Systems Technology

Remote Services

Remote services improve plant safety,reliability and efficiency. Safety incidentsare reduced by limiting the number ofpeople needed on site. Reliability isimproved through proactive 24/7 processand system monitoring providing fasterresolution when problems arise. Efficiencyis improved by avoiding travel time,allowing direct access to expertise, collaborative troubleshooting and engineering, standard operating practicesand centralized services like deploymentof updates and virus definition files.

Remote Access to Customer Sites

It all starts with a remote connection to a customer site. Honeywell uses theInternet or dedicated lease lines withsecure protocols and protection mechanisms to set up the connection.Logins with password, encryption, VPNtunnels, PIN code and a hardware keycode generator maximize securityavoiding unauthorized access.Honeywell uses the same connectivitysolution to deliver all remote services,including troubleshooting, systemchanges and analysis, so all use thesame secure link (one channel

principle) between the customer site and Honeywell.

Honeywell provides process

related remote services to

improve the customer’s

process performance. By

collecting data at the site

and analyzing it offline by

Honeywell, these services

provide valuable information

and recommendations on

how customers can optimize

their process performance.

The Honeywell Service Node

Remote connections are set up betweena remote location and the Service Nodeon site. The Service Node is the entrypoint into the customer’s process domain.The Service Node consists of a combination of firewalls, proxy serverand specialized communication serverresiding in a secure zone within theprocess control network (PCN). TheService Node can be used for remoteaccess but is also capable of monitoringsystem parameters and running diagnostics over the entire PCN. Theauthorizing system of the Service Nodeincludes a built-in permit and audit systemto track access, requests and actions.The site retains full control over all communications to allow, forbid orrequire approval before actions can bemade. The Service Node is protected bythe latest validated virus definition filesand patched with the latest validatedsecurity patches.

Infrastructure Related Remote Services

Virus Protection- Open platforms are

vulnerable to virus and worm attacks,

which can lead to loss of view, loss of

integration, loss of control and even

production downtime. Honeywell tests

and approves new virus protection

definition files first on a test system

emulating a customer’s production

systems to reduce the risk of a signature

collision with a valid data pattern. These

new virus protection definition files are

downloaded to the Service Node (normally

within 24 hours after its release). Properly

scheduled distribution at the site of new

virus protection definition files eliminates

the risk even further that redundant

servers can stop at the same time due

to the automatic update.

Patch Management

Patch Delivery- The process of software

patching repairs operating systems and

application vulnerabilities that can provide

an entry point for viruses and other

damaging programs. It helps maintain

operational efficiency and effectiveness,

overcome security vulnerabilities and

maintains the stability of the production

environment. Honeywell tests and qualifies

newly released security patches to make

sure they can be safely installed and will

not interfere with Honeywell process control

software platforms. Normally these patches

are tested and qualified within seven days

of their release. Customers with a remote

connection have the advantage that the

Service Node will get the latest security

patches and appropriate DCS patches

automatically as soon as they are validated.

Patch Deployment- On-site patch

installation is offered using trained

Honeywell personnel to manually patch

the PCN during site visits after careful

planning with operations, using the latest

patch files made available on the Service

Node. Remote patching is offered as an

alternative, however, this requires an

agreed procedure between engineers in

remote locations and assistance from

the site. Critical components are not

recommended for remote patching.

Perimeter Security- To secure the

perimeter of a PCN environment, the

protection mechanism consists of a set

of security controls between the office

domain (L4) and the management

execution layer (L3) of the plant.

This service includes checking of

firewalls, intrusion detection /prevention

system, network access, proxy servers,

top / root domain.

Backup and Restore- Loss or corruption

of data can have a catastrophic impact on

your ability to meet business demands.

The best defense is making regular backups

and a proven and tested recovery strategy.

A complete reinstallation of a PC / server

can take up to two days, while a solid

backup and restore mechanism can reduce

this time to a few hours. Honeywell uses

Backup and Restore software and

configures the schedule of the backups

(full backup and/or incremental backup) so

that multiple backups are not executed at

the same time to limit the impact of a

backup on the overall performance of the

PCN. Backups for non-standard servers

on the PCN (like PHD, PCC, FDM) can be

offered as a special service.

Faster Resolution

Proactive

Peace of Mind

Expertise

Remote Services

System Monitoring- System Monitoring

collects and diagnoses health and

performance data as well as system logs

to monitor the PCN infrastructure. The

information is available for local use and to

generate reports. When a critical threshold

is reached or invalid state / abnormal

condition is detected, the monitoring

service will run extra diagnostic routines

depending upon circumstances, to directly

provide a better view to the root cause of

a problem allowing more detailed alarming.

Alarms are generated and transmitted

(through SMS or email) to the customer or

designate. The Honeywell Remote Service

Center (RSC) also receives the alerts allowing

Honeywell to provide instant remote support.

Customers will automatically benefit from

Honeywell’s continuous research of past

business interruption situations.

Optional health and performance reports

provide historical information and analysis

including recommendations for optimizing

system performance. These reports

provide a summary of the recorded activity

for devices and overall system health status

to determine if any steps should be taken

for overall system improvement.

System Administration- System

administration tasks include checking

system logs, managing login problems and

disk space management. Honeywell utilizes

tools to automate many of these routine

inspections, normally handled manually by

system administrators, creating benefits

like 24/7 continuous checking and

eliminating human error. System

administration service also monitors the

PCN for proper deployment of patches,

virus protection definition files and backups.

This will generate a To-Do list for the system

administrators to execute when time

allows. These actions are required to keep

the system healthy and avoid unwanted

business interruptions. This results in a

conditional maintenance task instead of

spending long hours on routine checklists.

Honeywell remote system administrators

will work the To-Do list and are available

during office hours to support customers.

The system administration tools also provide

automatic self-healing capabilities such as

starting a backup routine or collecting the

latest virus definition file. Automatic repairing

needs to be agreed on up front with

customers if allowed.

Application Hosting- Application

hosting is a service where applications

used by customers run on computers

within a secure Honeywell environment.

The benefits of working within the

Honeywell cloud include resolving the

customer’s internal IT department

concerns about running additional

software within their own environment,

managing software compatibility issues,

managing small volume or specialized

software, and eliminating the requirement

for specific or additional server hardware.

To access these applications from the site

the customer only requires a standard web

browser and appropriate authentication.

Process Related Remote Services

In addition to infrastructure related services,

Honeywell provides process related remote

services to improve the customer’s process

performance. By collecting data at the site

and analyzing it offline by Honeywell, these

services provide valuable information and

recommendations on how customers can

optimize their process performance. These

services are designed to improve regulatory

and advanced process control, increase

production yields and throughput, and

lower energy consumption.

Loop Scout- This service actively monitors

PID control loop performance and system

alarms and provides diagnostics, resolution

tools and workflows. This service delivers

powerful functionality in the form of industry

benchmarks, individual control loop

performance history, valve diagnostics and

more. Optimum performance of control

loops also means optimum process

conditions impacting bottom line results.

For More Information

To learn more about Honeywell’s service

programs, contact your Honeywell account

manager, visit www.honeywell.com/ps

select Services, Maintenance and Support,

and Open Systems Services.

Automation & Control Solutions

Process Solutions

Honeywell

1860 W. Rose Garden Lane

Phoenix, AZ 85027

Tel: 800-822-7673

www.honeywell.com

Benefits Attainment Service–

This service is available to UOP process

licensees for the purpose of monitoring

and improving catalyst lifecycle

performance while improving the

effectiveness of technical support.

Advanced process control monitoring

services and regulatory loop management

services provide comprehensive process

unit performance management solutions.

Benefits Guardianship Maximum (BG Max)- This comprehensive performance management service maximizes the lifecycle value of advancedprocess control applications by providingregular monitoring and analysis ofHoneywell’s Profit Controller applications.BG Max services are designed to not onlymanage and sustain the performance ofadvanced process control applications but also include the identification andimplementation of application improvementsto increase user benefits. Key deliverablesinclude monthly performance score cards,detailed controller analysis reports withcontrol improvement annotations, and directinteraction with subject matter experts.

Remote Services Delivery

Remote Service Center (RSC)-Honeywell has two global RSCs(Amsterdam and Houston) to support our customers worldwide. The RSCs backup each other and manage all remote connections between Honeywell and ourcustomers. Data retrieved from customersites is stored within the secure environmentof the RSC and access is restricted toappropriately authenticated engineers.

Virtual Remote Service Center (VRSC)-VRSCs have similar responsibilities as theRSC but are not connected directly to thecustomer site and have no data storagecapabilities. The VRSC makes use of theRSC infrastructure in a fully transparentmode. Access restrictions are set toensure the VRSC can only work withinthe boundaries set by the RSC. VRSC capabilities are also available for thosecustomers requiring the same level ofaccess/reporting functionality.

Security Aspects

A process control system failure or unauthorized access has the potential tocause significant plant damage or safetyrisks. As both a process control user andsupplier, Honeywell uniquely understandsthis challenge and therefore employsindustry best practices to ensure a highlysecure connection and protection of datafor both ourselves and our customers. The main security measures are:

• Two factor authentication to the RSC and secure data communication usingencrypted VPN tunnels

• Overall architectural setup to prevent malware propagation from a user’s computer into the process control network

• Authorization from site required to allowaccess to any device on the PCN

• Full audit trail by logging all actions

Information Security

Confidentiality, integrity and availability arethe core principles of information security.Within process control systems, data andcontrol must be accessible when needed(availability), should not be modified withoutauthorization (integrity) and should not bedisclosed to unauthorized individuals or

systems (confidentiality). Remote serviceshave the following controls in place tolower the risk of security breaches:

• 24/7 remote services means high availability of service delivery; includingremote availability of Honeywell supportpersonnel

• Secure authentication, authorization and traffic by utilization of encrypted datacommunication

• Plant personnel in charge of access control and remote activities

• Non-disclosure agreement betweenHoneywell and employees

Benefits of Using Remote Connectivity

• Access data and results anytime and anywhere

• Immediate detection of failures and performance anomalies

• Engage the right expertise at the righttime (avoid waiting for travel or visa)

• Improve troubleshooting with advanceddiagnostics

• Automated collection of system data for troubleshooting purposes

• Receive prioritized notifications to proactively avoid issues

• Reduce project / commissioning support cost

• Improve safety (reduce physical time

on-site or access to safety critical locations)

Assessments and Consultancy Services

Honeywell provides additional services tohelp customers manage their open systems.These include assessments of network,security, risk and readiness, wireless andbackup and restore. Consultancy servicesare available to support design /redesign of the process control network.

BR-10-08-ENG August 2010© 2010 Honeywell International Inc.