They all include one common element: moving control functions from dedicated hardware into software. Why? Because you can reduce your operating expenses, introduce new flexibility and optimization to your processes, and potentially discover new ways to monetize your data. But let’s not kid ourselves. Transitioning from traditional physical equipment to software-based solutions is a significant undertaking. As your equipment starts to become obsolete and/or you make the decision to modernize your systems, the general guideline is to implement replacements that are as good or better than the originals, at equal or less cost. On the surface this may seem painfully obvious, but there are many factors that constitute “as good or better” and cost is probably something that will need to be calculated over time. Beyond this general baseline, what else do you need to consider?

Transitioning to software-based solutions

At Wind River, we’ve been involved in helping our customers make these sorts of transformations for a long time. We have a history of successful projects that have simultaneously simplified and modernized our customers’ operations. Based on our experience, we have identified six important factors that you must keep in mind if you are considering making the switch to software-based implementations.