Fixing software on the fly: Control system vendors are collaborating with plant managers to avoid shutdowns while upgrading Microsoft Windows operating systems and application software

摘要

At Praxair Technology Inc., software security patch management has become a collaborative effort. The manufacturer of industrial, process and specialty gasses, based in Danbury, Conn., works closely with its control vendor, Austin, Texas-based Emerson Process Management, to determine what patches need to be applied now, which ones can wait and which can be ignored. "We get an auto-mailer from Emerson that has a spreadsheet attached that includes data sheets," explains Jason Solomon, Praxair associate control systems engineer. "They have links on the data sheets that tell you what version you're running and what patches they've approved." The spreadsheet sent by Emerson has the a link to the patch supplied by Microsoft Corp. at the top, and indicates whether Emerson has tested the patch, and whether the patch is OK or not OK. "With most of the Microsoft patches, you can just install them and keep going," says Solomon. "Seldom does a Microsoft patch require a shutdown." Emerson uses the same style auto-mailer for control system patches as well. Because Praxair has a continuous system, Emerson gets involved in helping with control system patches. "We can download most of the control system patches locally, but a local Emerson rep will come out to back us up," says Solomon.