Spectrum Control Webport End of Life

Just received an email that they are ending support for Webport and discontinuing the web service as well at the end of 2019. Not sure the reason why, maybe it's business related since they never really took off against other competing product like E W O N.

One of the functionality we use on a low security site is to auto upload datalogs into their cloud service then we can see the data just by using a browser from anywhere. Does other similar product from E W O N or Automation Direct do the same?

I am demo'ing a WP-G-241-P2 gateway from them that has the word webport on it.
I see on their site that everything except the device I am using has the EOL marker on it.
Is the company dying or is it truly too much competition in that one channel?

After noticing the minor but odd restriction that you can't use your own NTP server on this device, I suspected they were behind the security curve so this fits what I was assuming.

Spectrum Controls posted a Product Obsolescence Notification on the product page that specifies the affected Part Numbers. According to the notification, only the Remote Access products are being discontinued. There is also a FAQ document posted that goes into pretty good detail about why and it looks like they are choosing to invest in their Universal Gateway protocol communications product.

The obsolescence letter:
https://www.spectrumcontrols.com/media/2154/webport_remoteaccess_obsolescence_final.pdf


The FAQ's
https://www.spectrumcontrols.com/media/2153/faq_webport_remoteaccess_obsolescence_final.pdf

It's not going to have a big impact on us. However, I wonder if the reason cited could potentially affect other vendors of similar products.

I mean, vendors that provide the product and service might also be liable in some ways if a breach happens.

harryting said:

I mean, vendors that provide the product and service might also be liable in some ways if a breach happens.

Click to expand...

WHEN a breach happens . . . You have to think about it that way to be covered.

When Webport was released, I was told it was an 3won relabeled.

I thought I heard that the 3won - Spectrum relationship did not last long, and Spectrum tried to go it alone...miscalculation by Spectrum I think.

I am surprised they lasted this long in that market.

We use the Stridelinx routers from A/D for remote access to PLCs and for operators to view and control their HMIs. I have not used the data logging capabilities but they do provide them.

https://www.automationdirect.com/stride/stridelinx/remote-access