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Architectures

Choosing the right architecture is one of the more important decisions in your MES implementation. This page walks through the common architectures we recommend and the reasoning behind each.

Basic Configuration​

We have built Kanoa MES from the ground up to be responsive and scalable, whether this is for a single line, single site, or multi-enterprise/multi-site. Our philosophy is that MES shouldn't be more complicated than the process it supports, and cost-effective. To that end, we recommend starting out with a single server because Kanoa MES can handle a significant load. If after time, you want to move to a multi server architecture, that can be easily done.

The edge device and broker service aren't just convention. They provide network resiliency during outages and significantly reduce network traffic, protecting you from two of the most common failure modes: an overloaded network and a downed switch or server. MES is fundamentally about collecting, collating, and contextualizing data gaps in that data mean gaps in your knowledge, and you can't drive improvement from incomplete records.

Enterprise Configuration​

'One server won't cut it. We have multiple sites and hundreds of production assets.'

Maybe, but before adding complexity, we'd still suggest giving the single-server approach a chance. Kanoa MES is built for performance and can handle significant loads whether this is for single-site or multi-site deployments. A multi-server architecture is possible but will cost more and add complexity that may be unnecessary if it doesn't address a real constraint you're facing. Additional servers are easy to add later should you need to.

That said, you can absolutely split up your assets across multiple MES servers as well as manage them from an enterprise MES Server.

The diagram is an example multi-site architecture. Ignition provides us with great flexibility in that each site could be its own mqtt broker or share a broker. Each site could have its own SQL Server instance or have its own database on a central SQL instance. The important part here is that the enterprise server connects to each site's database for getting production analytics or pushing production orders from ERP down to each site. No data duplication required.

Redundant Architecture​

'What if the MES server goes down? Operators still need to start production runs.'

You can install KanoaMES on a redundant pair of ignition gateways and Ignition will handle the failover. Both gateways must point to the same MES database. For true redundancy, SQL HA should also be deployed.

Setting up a redundant server is as simple as...

  • Get backup gateway up and running on the same Ignition version as Master.
  • Match modules as the master gateway(including versions and third-party-modules) exactly.
  • Set master gateway to master in redundancy settings
  • Set backup gateway to backup and master host address to the master gateway in redundancy settings
  • Approve outgoing certificates and connections on backup gateway network settings
  • Approve incoming certificate and connection on master gateway network settings
  • Once backup restarts/fully syncs and redundancy shows "good" status, configuration is complete and redundancy is up and running.

For actual details on redundant configuration, refer to Setting Up Redundancy

Cloud Architecture​

'Should I move everything to the cloud?'

For most organizations, yes, and the trajectory of the industry points that way. Cloud deployments simplify availability and security management, and as you accumulate operational data, you'll want it accessible to analytics, AI, and machine learning tools. A cloud-based or hybrid architecture makes that straightforward; an on-premise-only architecture makes it harder.

Containerization​

Containers are worth considering. They simplify deployment, make it easy to keep your application, Ignition server, and database in sync, and support consistent CI/CD pipelines from development through to production. If you're moving toward a cloud deployment, containers are a natural fit.

Kanoa MES is a flexible platform, and the right architecture depends on your specific requirements: production control needs, redundancy expectations, fault tolerance, network reliability, and budget. You also won't be navigating this alone. Inductive Automation's Ignition platform, Cirrus Link's IIoT infrastructure, and 4IR Solutions' managed services are all part of the ecosystem.

The best architecture is the one that meets your needs today and can grow with you tomorrow. Start simple, validate your assumptions, and extend as necessary.