If the sensor manufacturers' products already have the software "hooks" that allow the sensor data to be accessed by the SOA, the implementation has a quicker ROI.

The .NET framework pools information from disparate systems to create a virtual synchronized and updated dataset, providing real-time visibility for decision-making.

The software suite empowers managers and planners to build applications and processes that promote evolving company goals and enable innovation throughout the organization.

Traditionally, a manufacturing execution system (MES) is defined as a production scheduling and tracking system, which schedules and updates orders, analyzes and reports resource availability, collects execution data—such as material and labor usage, process parameters, and order and equipment status—and maintains statistical quality control. But such a static definition doesn't do this genre of software justice because MESs are a work in progress.

For ten years, OPC's suite of standards has provided the industrial automation world with open connectivity, but the technology on which its standards are based is no longer on the cutting edge of data sharing. The foundation that rescued manufacturers, systems integrators, and software providers from the chaos of proprietary communications interfaces now has to compete with fast movers such as service-oriented architectures and Web services. The question is: Can the standards evolve, embrace new communications mechanisms, and remain relevant?

Current information technology inundates you with more data than you can possibly use. To reap the benefits of information, you need some way to personalize or customize the way that data are selected and presented. Rather than having to do a lot of searching and sorting, you need a mechanism that will give you only data relevant to your interests. This is where the Web portal comes into play, bringing together information and applications within a Web browser in a way that meets the specific needs of the end user.

Previously in this column, I've discussed software tools that are invisible to the user, such as integration platforms and service-oriented architectures (SOAs). These mechanisms function in the background of information transactions and fall primarily within the purview of the IT department. However, they contribute individual technologies to (and are the support infrastructure of) the software tool that is the user's first point of contact: the composite application.

An integration platform is a software backbone that enables the free-flowing exchange of data and functionality among the multiple applications that make up an integrated system.

Integration isn't a passing fad; it's a practical necessity. It builds on the interconnectivity begun by digital communications and networking to deliver greater efficiency.

Integration fuses all data into a single information source, providing a comprehensive view into your operations.