Backup of an industrial automation plant in the cloud

Abstract

Cloud-based backup provides a back up of an industrial plant comprising an industrial automation system(s) (IAS(s)). A cloud-based backup component comprising a modeler component can generate a model of industrial assets of the IAS(s) and relationships between industrial assets based on information obtained from the industrial assets via cloud gateways, a communication device associated with the IAS(s), or another source. The cloud-based backup component can store the model in a data store to be employed as a backup of the IAS(s) or to be used to configure a new IAS that is the same as or similar to the IAS(s). The model can be stored in the data store in a standardized or an agnostic format, wherein the backup component can translate the model to a format suitable to an IAS for which it is to be implemented based on characteristics associated with the IAS.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method, comprising:
 generating, by a system comprising a processor, model data representative of a model of an industrial automation system, based at least in part on a modeling analysis of a set of industrial data associated with a set of assets of the industrial automation system, wherein the model data comprises asset model data representative of an asset model that emulates an asset of the set of assets, and wherein the model is maintained in a cloud platform; and   executing, by the system, the asset model to operate in place of the asset and interact with the industrial automation system.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 interfacing, by the system, the model, comprising the asset model, with the industrial automation system to facilitate the interacting of the asset model with the industrial automation system.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the executing comprises: in response to a failure or a loss of the asset, or in response to selection of the asset model, executing the asset model to operate in place of the asset and interact with the industrial automation system. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the model data comprises configuration data indicative of a configuration of the asset. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 receiving, by the system, the set of industrial data associated with the set of assets from at least some assets of the set of assets;   storing, by the system, the set of industrial data in a data store associated with the cloud platform;   performing, by the system, the modeling analysis on the set of industrial data; and   determining, by the system, the model data representative of the model of the industrial automation system based at least in part on the modeling analysis.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 interfacing, by the system, the cloud platform with a cloud gateway device of the industrial automation system, wherein the receiving of the set of industrial data associated with the set of assets comprises receiving a subset of the set of industrial data from the asset via the cloud gateway device, wherein the subset of industrial data relates to the asset.   
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the asset is a first asset, wherein the set of assets comprises the first asset and a second asset, wherein the first asset comprises an industrial device, an industrial process, an industrial asset, or a network-related asset, and wherein the method further comprises:
 determining, by the system, functions of the first asset, a configuration of the first asset, a functional relationship between the first asset and the second asset, or a geographical relationship between the first asset and the second asset based at least in part on the modeling analysis; and   determining, by the system, the asset model data representative of the asset model that replicates and emulates operation and functionality of the first asset based at least in part on the functions of the first asset, the configuration of the first asset, the functional relationship between the first asset and the second asset, or the geographical relationship between the first asset and the second asset.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 simulating, by the system, operation and functionality of the set of assets, comprising the asset, based at least in part on the modeling analysis of the set of industrial data associated with the set of assets, wherein the determining of the asset model data representative of the asset model comprises determining the asset model data representative of the asset model based at least in part on a simulation result of the simulating.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising:
 determining, by the system, whether the asset model data representative of the asset model replicates and emulates the operation and the functionality of the first asset based at least in part on the simulation result of the simulating.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the set of industrial data comprises at least one of first data relating to an industrial device of the set of assets, second data relating to an industrial process associated with the set of assets, third data relating to the industrial asset, fourth data relating to a network-related device of the set of assets that facilitates data communications associated with the industrial automation system, fifth data relating to at least one interrelationship between the at least one device and at least one other device of the set of assets, sixth data relating to an operating system associated with the industrial automation system, seventh data relating to software associated with the industrial automation system, or eighth data relating to firmware associated with the industrial automation system. 
     
     
         11 . A system, comprising:
 a processor; and   a memory that stores executable instructions that, when executed by the processor, facilitate performance of operations, comprising:
 determining model information representative of a model of an industrial automation system, based at least in part on a modeling analysis of a set of industrial information associated with a set of assets of the industrial automation system, wherein the model information comprises asset model information representative of a modeled instance of an asset of the set of assets, wherein the modeled instance of the asset emulates operation of the asset, and wherein the model is maintained in a cloud platform; and 
 replacing the asset with the modeled instance of the asset that operates in place of the asset and interacts with the industrial automation system. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
 interfacing the model, comprising the modeled instance of the asset, with the industrial automation system to facilitate the interacting of the modeled instance of the asset with the industrial automation system.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the replacing comprises: in response to a failure or a loss of the asset, or in response to receiving selection data indicating a selection of the modeled instance of the asset, replacing the asset with the modeled instance of the asset that operates in place of the asset and interacts with the industrial automation system. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the model information comprises configuration information relating to a configuration of the asset. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations comprise:
 receiving the set of industrial information associated with the set of assets from at least a portion of assets of the set of assets;   storing the set of industrial information in a data store associated with the cloud platform;   performing the modeling analysis on the set of industrial information; and   determining the model information representative of the model of the industrial automation system based at least in part on the modeling analysis, wherein the determining of the model information comprises determining the asset model information representative of the modeled instance of the asset based at least in part on the modeling analysis.   
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein the operations comprise:
 interfacing the cloud platform with a cloud gateway device associated with the industrial automation system, wherein the receiving of the set of industrial information associated with the set of assets comprises receiving a subset of the set of industrial information from the asset via the cloud gateway device, wherein the subset of industrial information relates to the asset.   
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the asset is a first asset, wherein the set of assets comprises the first asset and a second asset, wherein the first asset comprises an industrial device, an industrial process, an industrial asset, or a network-related asset, and wherein the operations further comprise:
 determining functions of the first asset, a configuration of the first asset, a functional relationship between the first asset and the second asset, or a geographical relationship between the first asset and the second asset based at least in part on a result of the modeling analysis; and   determining the asset model information representative of the asset model that replicates and emulates operation and functionality of the first asset based at least in part on the functions of the first asset, the configuration of the first asset, the functional relationship between the first asset and the second asset, or the geographical relationship between the first asset and the second asset.   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the operations comprise:
 simulating operation and functionality of the set of assets, comprising the asset, based at least in part on the modeling analysis of the set of industrial information associated with the set of assets, wherein the determining of the asset model information representative of the modeled instance of the asset comprises determining the asset model information representative of the modeled instance of the asset based at least in part on a simulation result of the simulating.   
     
     
         19 . A non-transitory machine-readable medium storing machine-executable instructions that, in response to execution, cause a system comprising a processor to perform operations, comprising:
 generating model data representative of a model of an industrial automation system, based at least in part on a modeling analysis of a set of industrial data associated with a set of assets of the industrial automation system, wherein the set of assets comprises a device, wherein the model data comprises device model data representative of a modeled instance of the device that emulates operation of the device, and wherein the model is maintained in a cloud platform; and   restoring device functions that had been performed by the device by executing the modeled instance of the device to interact with the industrial automation system and operate in place of the device.   
     
     
         20 . The non-transitory machine-readable medium of  claim 19 , wherein the operations further comprise:
 interfacing the model, comprising the modeled instance of the device, with the industrial automation system to facilitate the interacting of the modeled instance of the device with the industrial automation system,   wherein the restoring comprises: in response to a failure or a loss of the device, or in response to receiving selection data indicating a selection of the modeled instance of the device, restoring the device functions that had been performed by the device by the executing of the modeled instance of the device to interact with the industrial automation system and operate in place of the device.