Replace legacy SCADA. Keep your plant running.
The phased, parallel-run method — proven with a zero-hardware-change migration.
Six phases.
Assessment
Inventory every point, screen, driver, and alarm in the existing system. Document the current alarm philosophy — even an informal one. Identify hardware you intend to keep.
Connect in parallel
Bring up SCAIQ Connect drivers against the same field devices your legacy system already reads — no hardware changes required for supported protocols. Run this alongside the incumbent system, not instead of it.
Rebuild screens fast
Use SCAIQ Studio's 5000+ symbol library and faceplate templating to rebuild operator screens — this is typically faster than migrating proprietary screen files pixel-for-pixel.
Run parallel / shadow operations
Let operators use SCAIQ™ in a shadow or advisory capacity while the legacy system remains authoritative. Compare readings, validate alarms, and build operator confidence.
Cut over station by station
Move authority to SCAIQ™ incrementally — by station, unit, or area — rather than a single big-bang moment across the whole site.
Decommission with history retained
Once cutover is validated, retire the legacy system. Historical data can be retained or migrated into SCAIQ Historian depending on project scope.
Four risks to plan around.
Big-bang cutover risk
Migrating every station simultaneously multiplies the blast radius of any surprise. The phased method contains risk to one station or unit at a time.
Driver surprises
Confirm protocol/driver coverage against your actual field device inventory before committing to a timeline — request a dated compatibility list.
Screen-rebuild underestimation
Teams often assume 1:1 screen migration; budgeting for a rebuild (faster with a modern designer) is usually more realistic than a lossy conversion tool.
Alarm philosophy ignored
A migration is the best opportunity to fix a broken alarm system — rationalize as you migrate, don't just copy the old alarm list forward.
A tyre-industry mixing plant replaced its installed SCADA — running on Allen-Bradley PLCs — with zero hardware changes, following this method. See the fullManufacturing industry page.
Plan your migration with our engineers.
Bring your toughest SCADA questions. Our engineers will show you real screens, real alarms, and real trends.
Or talk to us directly: +91 84014 22388 ·sales@scaiq.com