Problem

The company had newly acquired assets in Colorado, which included systems from multiple vendors with varying timelines and versions, resulting in nonstandard, often incompatible CygNet implementations. Each system managed thousands of field devices using different protocols (e.g., ROC, Totalflow, Ferguson) across remote locations. Even small errors could ripple into downtime, compliance risk, and significant manual cleanup. Consolidating these complex legacy systems required more than simple data transfer.

To ensure a successful deployment, CSE ICON needed to satisfy a host of requirements:

• The normalization of millions of tags and thousands of device configurations into the AUTOSOL Communication Manager (ACM) polling engine used in conjunction with Ignition.
• Support for strict operational governance, as the use of tools such as Microsoft Excel and Access could not ensure the required accuracy and reliability.
• Full conformance with regulatory tariffs mandating one-minute historical data retention, even though serially polled field devices only reported every 30 minutes.
• The need to create a repeatable process to support ongoing growth and future acquisitions.

Solution

CSE assigned a senior solutions architect to design a custom automation framework, focusing the migration on three key areas.

Python-Driven Automation Framework

CSE developed a robust Python library to parse proprietary CygNet DDS (Device Definition Service) exports, rather than using off-the-shelf tools. The framework managed “ordinalization” (the logical renumbering of equipment types), regardless of legacy issues or protocol differences. It standardized inconsistent naming schemes, such as “Meter 1, 3, 10,” for enterprise integration. The automated engine generated import files tailored to the company’s “traffic controller” database, which propagates User Defined Types (UDTs) across Ignition gateways. By adopting this governance and these naming conventions before data entered the company’s production environment, the process reduced risk, redundancy, and ongoing maintenance.

Standardization via Aliasing & Alarm Translation

As CSE integrated device data from previously siloed systems, the framework applied strict aliasing strategies at the driver level. Standardized naming rules in the ACM hid protocol complexities, such as varying register layouts, from users. This enabled rapid HMI development and established a SCADA environment ready for future expansion. The solution also transformed alarm management, automatically parsing CygNet’s rigid alarm “slots” and mapping them into Ignition’s advanced Alarm Calculation models. This preserved critical operational and safety alarms, improved them for a modern environment, and eliminated manual translation for engineers.

High-Fidelity Data Backfilling and Regulatory Assurance

CSE’s framework addressed bandwidth and regulatory challenges with a backfilling solution. Devices polled every 30 minutes buffered minute-by-minute measurements locally. When connected, the framework collected these detailed records and uploaded them to Ignition’s historian, providing a comprehensive, regulatory-compliant data trail.

Result

The migration’s influence was immediate and profound. Tasks that once required years of manual engineering and incremental migrations could now be completed in weeks. Configuring thousands of assets, previously a months-long effort, became a repeatable process leveraging a single script. The solution improved data quality and increased trust in compliance and reporting.

By emphasizing advanced scripting, automation, and strict adherence to client governance, CSE delivered more than a migration. The project enabled the company to realize the potential of its expanding assets and provided a repeatable model for future industrial automation projects. The framework’s modular, platform-agnostic design empowers to bring on additional assets with minimal incremental effort. As operators, engineers, and IT staff gain experience with this process, the company, with CSE’s assistance, is well prepared to repeat and scale their digital transformation efforts — laying the foundation for a durable SCADA architecture that can absorb future acquisitions without missing a beat.

Project Team

Otto Pedersen is a Practice Lead with CSE ICON. He is Ignition Gold Certified and has 20+ years of experience working in the oil & gas industry both as an end user and consultant.

Binh Vu is CSE ICON’s SCADA Practice Manager for Ignition. He has 14+ years of experience in the oil & gas industry.

Steve Hess is a Systems Integrator II with CSE ICON. He has 11+ years of professional experience including 3 years in the oil & gas industry.

Project Scope

• Start Date: 10/2025

• Deploy Date: 2/2026

• Tags: 7,000,000

• Screens: 90

• Clients: 100

• Alarms: 82,000

• Devices: 23,000

• Architecture: Distributed (3 frontend Gateways with backups + 5 I/O servers with backups)

• Databases: SQL server; one per asset (3 total)

• Historical data logged: 5 years

• Number of people on team: 3