Advanced configuration utilities for a real time distributed process control and manufacturing automation platform

A large scale collaborative project is underway to implement a distributed platform to support the development of real time applications. Taking advantage of hardware developments such as improved graphics displays, current trends towards distributed processing and the emergence of standards such as OSF/Motif, the platform allows the development and simple integration of sophisticated standards based applications. The development of computerised control and monitoring system (CCMS) applications, based on the platform, for the process and manufacturing industries, is envisaged as a key area for the project. The commercial success of the platform will be aided by making the design and configuration of these applications as reliable and efficient as possible. Unfortunately traditional CCMS implementation methods are slow and error prone. A major part of the project is the development of advanced utilities to overcome these problems. The authors analyse the traditional approach and its inherent difficulties, the advanced utilities to solve these problems and the technologies necessary to support them. Further advanced utilities being considered, and a prototype which is currently under development are also presented