Edge to Cloud: When and How to Forward Historian Data to the Cloud

The RTA A-B PLC Historian gives you full control of production data at the edge. It captures time series logs directly from Allen-Bradley PLCs and stores them locally. Forwarding historian data to the cloud extends its reach, letting operations, engineering and management access key metrics anywhere while keeping the core control network stable and secure.

When Pushing Data to the Cloud Makes Sense

Forwarding historian data to the cloud is not a blanket requirement. The best results come from matching the approach to clear operational or business goals. Below are key scenarios, each drawn from common industrial automation needs, where sending data off site creates measurable value.

• Enterprise wide production visibility
  A manufacturer running multiple plants often struggles to compare throughput and downtime across locations. Forwarding historian data from each site to a central cloud dashboard lets management view OEE trends, shift performance and bottlenecks in near real time. Decisions about staffing or machine maintenance can then be made on current facts rather than delayed reports.
• Predictive maintenance and machine learning
  Cloud based analytics platforms can process years of vibration, temperature and cycle time data to identify wear patterns invisible to the naked eye. By selectively sending those historian records to the cloud, maintenance teams gain early warning of failures, can plan parts replacement around production schedules and reduce unplanned downtime.
• Compliance, archiving and disaster recovery
  Highly regulated industries such as pharmaceutical, food and aerospace often must store detailed process data for many years. Forwarding historian records to secure cloud storage creates an off-site, long term archive. This ensures compliance with FDA, ISO or customer requirements and protects against local hardware failures or natural disasters.
• Remote troubleshooting and service support
  OEM service engineers or corporate process experts can access live or historical process data from anywhere, speeding root cause analysis. For example, an engineer can compare a machine’s recent temperature profile against last year’s baseline before arriving on site, which cuts downtime and travel costs.
• Seasonal or contract manufacturing
  Plants that add production capacity during peak demand can temporarily expand data storage and analytics in the cloud. When demand subsides, they can scale back and avoid permanent infrastructure costs, paying only for what they need.

These use cases highlight a single principle. Send data to the cloud when it creates operational insight or reduces risk in ways that justify the added connectivity.

How to Forward Historian Data the Smart Way

Once the decision is made, the method of forwarding historian data is just as important as the reason for doing it. A careful plan lowers bandwidth needs, secures sensitive information and keeps ongoing costs predictable.

• Filter and aggregate first
  Forward only the tags and time series points that matter to decision making. The RTA A-B PLC Historian can average sensor values over time, capture only changes outside a normal range or combine multiple tags into a single KPI before any data leaves the plant. This dramatically reduces data volume and cloud fees.
• Buffer and batch to absorb network swings
  Industrial environments rarely have perfect network uptime. Buffering lets the historian hold data during outages and release it when connectivity returns. Batching groups many records into fewer larger transmissions. This lowers transaction costs and reduces the overhead of frequent writes.
• Secure data end to end
  Encrypt every packet, enforce strong user authentication and segregate the control network from the corporate network. Role based permissions make sure only authorized people can view or download critical production data, aligning with cybersecurity frameworks such as IEC 62443.
• Pilot, then expand
  Start by forwarding a small set of KPIs from one line or machine. Confirm that filtering, buffering and security are working as intended. Once proven, scale to additional lines or facilities knowing that each step follows a tested pattern.
  By pairing smart filtering and buffering with robust security and protocol choices, manufacturers can expand the reach of their RTA A-B PLC Historian without sacrificing the reliability of on premise data collection.

Bring Edge and Cloud Together with Confidence

Edge to cloud forwarding turns the RTA A-B PLC Historian from a plant floor data logger into a company wide information hub. By selecting the right use cases, applying smart filtering and using secure, reliable protocols, you can give decision makers the data they need without compromising control or inflating costs. Start small, refine your strategy and scale with confidence. Your data remains yours while your business gains the reach of the cloud.

Learn more about RTA’s A-B PLC Historian or feel free to contact one of our Enginerds with any questions at 800-249-1612 or solutions@rtautomation.com.