Yokogawa to Release Collaborative Information Server Upgrade, a Product in the OpreX Control and Safety System Family

Yokogawa Electric Corporation announced that it will release an upgrade of Collaborative Information Server (CI Server), a product in the Oprex Control and Safety System family, with more robust alarm management, improved access to maintenance information, and expanded support for international communications standards. This solution will bring together large volumes of data from various plant equipment and systems to enable the optimized management of production activities across an entire enterprise, and provide the environment needed to remotely monitor and control operations from any location and make swift decisions. This new version of CI Server will be released on August 17, 2023.

With this latest upgrade to CI Server, the company has introduced new functions that enhance its connectivity with plant systems, equipment, and devices, and enable the integrated management of alarms and the use of field device data for such purposes as routine maintenance.

Main features of upgraded CI Server are as follows:

OPC UA A&C message reception function

CI Server now supports the client function of OPC Unified Architecture Alarms & Conditions (UA A&C). This enables CI Server to safely and securely receive alarms, system state information, and other kinds of data from any device that supports OPC UA A&C server function, including third-party products.

CENTUM VP and ProSafe-RS alarm receiving function through V net

In addition to the monitoring of plant operations, CI Server can now directly receive CENTUM VP and ProSafe-RS alarms through V net. V net, a control network developed by Yokogawa that offers both high reliability and responsiveness, complies with the IEC61784-2 international communication standard for the process industries. With the addition of this function, linkage with Yokogawa's CENTUM VP distributed control system and ProSafe-RS safety instrumented system has been enhanced.

Linkage with Plant Resource Manager (PRM)

CI Server can now link with Yokogawa's PRM (R4.06 or later) and is thus able to handle and provide to higher-level systems all the information that is managed using this software package. By linking with data from multiple application programs, CI Server enables the comprehensive monitoring of field device status information, parameters, and other kinds of data.

Major target markets include oil and gas upstream, midstream gas and liquid pipelines, petrochemicals, chemicals, renewable energy, power, pulp and paper, pharmaceuticals, food, mining, iron and steel, water distribution, and wastewater treatment.