Procuring COTS (commercial, off-the-shelf) computer hardware and software saves industrial process management many millions of dollars in digital technology costs. But it has a downside as well: the cost of trying to keep up with version releases, product retirements and interface—and thus training—changes. “Product Lifecycle Costs” (10 AM, Room 214A), one of Friday’s Meet the Experts Sessions, lets you tap into the expertise of co-chairs Larry O’Brien of ARC Advisory Group and Emerson’s Nathan Pettus.

Underpinning the session are in-depth ARC surveys around best practices for keeping COTS systems evergreen while still managing critical day-to-day operations. In addition, attendees will receive a new White Paper based on both Emerson and ARC research, outlining best practices for achieving this sometimes-difficult balancing act.

“Weekly Windows Updates are a headache for home users,” Pettus explains. “They’re a lot more than that for managers of industrial systems, where there’s always a risk of an OS change breaking something in mission-critical operational code. We’ll touch on how our research suggests future directions. They certainly give Emerson a roadmap for how the process management industry will change in the near future.”

O’Brien brings in-depth consulting and advisory experience in both process systems and top-level safety concerns. Pettus, Director of Platform Marketing for Emerson Process Management, brings a wide-ranging perspective from a background that combines mechanical engineering, hands-on controls management, control theory and industrial software engineering.

As with all Meet the Experts workshops, “Product Lifecycle Costs” will be primarily Q&A after a short, introductory presentation.