Freeware virtualisation software

[Maksio]

I'm responsible for a PLC lab at a small educational institution. We are using different PLC systems from multiple vendors (Schneider Electric, Phoenix Contact and Allen-Bradley). I have multiple development environments installed on each PC in the lab. That often causes driver conflicts and there's a lot of time wasted on troubleshooting.

Some of my friends in the industry are using VMware or Virtual Box software with images of systems that are configured for only one vendor/PLC system. I want to setup something like this in our lab, but the problem is license price for VMware or Virtual Box software.

Can you recommend any freeware solution that could help me?

 

[daba]

Checkout Archies thread....

http://www.plctalk.net/qanda/showthread.php?t=42656

 

[The Plc Kid]

You can get VMware Workstation for $249.00 per license or $149.00 for the education version which you should be a candidate for. Here is the link http://www.vmware.com/vmwarestore/academicstore.html

Also look at the VMware academic program here http://www.vmware.com/partners/academic/program-overview.html

For $250.00 per year you get downloads for all products and students can have it for their use for a small fee IIRC.

We use this program at my college but I don't know all the details of it. The way ours is setup we can use any VMware product in the lab and we also get a copy of workstation of our own. The students don't pay anything on ours but it maybe integrated as part of the class fee but I am not really sure.

I would give VM ware a call about the program before I purchased anything.

All the plc companies have programs like this also for hardware and software.

We get tons of gear from Rockwell for free or a very low price. We get stuff from Siemens and Automation direct also. Most of the companies have programs like this.

Your time would be well spent to research them. They are not well advertised though so it will take some digging on your part.

 

[The Plc Kid]

BTW virtual box is free but not supported by Rockwell automation but vm ware is and they are a Rockwell encompass partner.

 

[The Plc Kid]

Also for you computers if you school has a SA or EA aggreemnet with Microsoft depending on the OS under management or on the pc you can run vm's for no additional cost.

We can run up to 4 vm's on each win 7 machine of any OS we choose from Windows 3.1 to windows 8 and server OS also.

You may want to get your IT group involved in this part of it.

If your school does not have a volume agreement with Microsoft you may want to look into that along with Virtualizing software.

 

[Maksio]

Thanks The Plc Kid for the tips! I got in touch with my IT department to ask them about Windows volume agreement.

Regarding the University programs of PLC vendors we are a part of Phoenix Contact EduNet. This is very good cooperation and we get a lot of support from them. On the other hand we also work with Schneider Electric, but with them I always had to pay the full price. They seem not to have any university relation program going.

My institute is located in Iceland. There's a lot of aluminium industry here an it runs mostly on Rockwell Automation systems. We want to start working more with this vendor. I found out about Rockwell Automation University Relation Program:
http://qa.rockwellautomation.com/events/automationfair/special/university.html
I'm in touch with my local supplier but he is not so helpful. Do you have any tips how can we become a part of this?

 

[The Plc Kid]

Maksio

I don't really have any info on getting into the program

I just know we have been under it for a long time. I attend the Georgia Institute of Technology as you see it's listed on the website.

I would think being out of the U.S. there may be some additional hoops. Rockwell might even have a different program under a different name for you region. May work the same and it may be vastly different. I think your local /region resources are your best bet.

You will most likely have to get into direct contact with rockwell though as local suppliers don't have much to gain by helping you with that and in fact may hurt their buisness as they may lose sales or margin.

 

[The Plc Kid]

IIRC the Microsoft and VM Ware programs are global in reach.

 

[shooter]

get in touch with the steelmill, if you ask them to contact their supplier, he will jump at you.

btw schneider uses codesys and that is free available.

 

[GeoffC]

btw schneider uses codesys and that is free available

Only on the OEM targeted M2xx series, all their standard plcs use UnityPro

 

[Maksio]

We can run up to 4 vm's on each win 7 machine of any OS we choose from Windows 3.1 to windows 8 and server OS also.

We have a volume license for Microsoft products, so probably this is the easiest solution.

I was checking out the build-in VM capabilities of Win7 and it seems you can only run one WinXP virtualisation with the Virtual PC tool. I would like to have a VM for each vendor.

I was also looking into Win8 and the Hyper-V. Here I can have multiple VMs. I'm not sure though if Win8 is the right choice for automation with all this fancy tile interface. Are you using Win8 in your professional work?

 

[jkerekes]

I don't think any Rockwell Software stuff is certified for Windows 8. I use VMware Workstation. I don't know about the virtualization software built in to Windows 8.

 

[Paullys50]

We have a volume license for Microsoft products, so probably this is the easiest solution.

I was checking out the build-in VM capabilities of Win7 and it seems you can only run one WinXP virtualisation with the Virtual PC tool. I would like to have a VM for each vendor.

I was also looking into Win8 and the Hyper-V. Here I can have multiple VMs. I'm not sure though if Win8 is the right choice for automation with all this fancy tile interface. Are you using Win8 in your professional work?

You would want VM Workstaion to handle multiple VMs at once. So much better than the built in Virtual PC that comes with Windows 7.

As for Windows 8, Hyper-V is different type of hyper-visor that runs directly off the hardware were as VMWare Workstation runs of the host system OS. From a development standpoint, I am pushing to keep the Workstation environment out IT department wants use to use Hyper-V. The issue is versatility. We copy paste files from one VM to another, Need access to all USB ports and such directly. With Hyper-V it's my understanding you have to RDP into the session. As if you were working an a server. RDP is not an environment I want to develop in! Now, as a deliverable to a client, I could see running Hyper-V on an automation installation. After all, once commissioned you should not need much access and it's no different that running an RDP session to a physical server.

I just know, that for my laptop and what I do. Can't beat VMWare Workstation yet. just IMO.

 

[OkiePC]

I was checking out the build-in VM capabilities of Win7 and it seems you can only run one WinXP virtualisation with the Virtual PC tool. I would like to have a VM for each vendor.

You can clone your Windows Virtual PC using a utility called XPMore. I am pretty sure you can only run one vm at a time, you could configure many of them, installing various software in each, and pick and choose which one to start.

I am not selling the el cheapo method I am using with Virtual PC and XPMore, but it is adequate if you just plan to build a few different vms, and make occasional copies and backups. I probably spent $300 in man hours fudging with it to get everything to "talk".