51E workstations (Sun Ultra 60) are software, hardware and cable compatible with 51D workstations (Sun Ultra 5). In my experience they are far more reliable than 51D workstations, and the hardware is easier to source. However, they are also at or near Foxboro's EOL. 51G and 51F workstations at V7.x can be added to an existing V6.x system fairly easily. One or two workstations can be added via NCNIs, more than 2 workstations in an area and you'll probably find it's easier to add with a pair of NCNIs, a pair of switches. Each workstation needs it's RCNI (works like the dnbt or dnbi). I'd be cautious about going this route - it's an easy way to replace a few workstations, but is likely to be more complex than adding new Solaris on the Mesh workstations once you get past a few workstations. My impression is that V8.x is better supported than V7.x. Also, the 51G(P80/81, Sun Blade 2000/1500) and 51F (P79, Sun Blade 150) workstations are already past EOL by their manufacturer. The new P82 Solaris workstations for the Mesh network (Sun Ultra 25) are Foxboro's only offering that is currently in production by Sun. Additionally, I/A version 7.x requires upgrading the rest of your workstations to at least version 6.4 (and may as well go to 6.5.x). This is a day 0 upgrade. I/A version 8.x (mesh network) is supposed to be compatible with I/A back to 6.1. At my plant we are in the same position as you. We will not be using the 51F/51G workstation at version 7.x. We'll add a small v8.x mesh network to our existing 6.2.1 system and trial both XP and Solaris workstations and decide how to proceed from there. Initially this will be a simple addition to our system, but later this year we will start to replace our carrier band LAN with switches on the mesh for de-bottlenecking. Regards, Kevin FitzGerrell On 1/28/08, Amer, Fahad A <fahad.amer@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote: > Dear list, > Our DCS is made of 51D machines (which fail frequently) running I/A > v.6.2.x. The 51D workstations have been announced to be obsolete by end > of March-08 and we run out of spares. > > > > I would like to know if there are replacement machines that don't > require hardware upgrades. Moreover, can 51G or 51F be such an optimum > replacement for our case. > > Or if you there is another alternative (other than Windows XP platform), > please advise. > > > > Thanks. > > > > Fahad Al-Amer > > DCS Engineer > > Haradh Gas Plant > > e-mail: fahad.amer@xxxxxxxxxx <mailto:fahad.amer@xxxxxxxxxx> e-Fax: > +966 3 874-4444 ext. 105945 , Tel: +966 3 576-2223, Fax: +966 3 576-2717 > > > > > > > _______________________________________________________________________ > This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process > Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at > your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html > > foxboro mailing list: //www.freelists.org/list/foxboro > to subscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=join > to unsubscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=leave > > _______________________________________________________________________ This mailing list is neither sponsored nor endorsed by Invensys Process Systems (formerly The Foxboro Company). Use the info you obtain here at your own risks. Read http://www.thecassandraproject.org/disclaimer.html foxboro mailing list: //www.freelists.org/list/foxboro to subscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=join to unsubscribe: mailto:foxboro-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx?subject=leave