In today's rapidly evolving industrial landscape, the choice between on-premises and cloud-based historian solutions can significantly impact an organization's operational efficiency and data management capabilities. As we look ahead to 2025, the AVEVA PI System continues to stand out as a robust on-premises solution, particularly when addressing edge challenges and providing critical features for industrial environments.

Edge-Specific Features: Tackling the Frontline Challenges

The industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has pushed data generation to the edge, creating new challenges for data management. AVEVA PI System rises to meet these challenges head-on:

  • Local Data Processing: PI System performs OPC UA reconstruction and processing at the edge, optimizing time-series telemetry data for efficient local storage and streaming[2].
  • Data Integrity Assurance: With its Edge Relay module, PI System ensures no data is lost during connectivity issues, a critical feature for industries where every data point counts[2].
  • Flexible Data Transmission: Configurable batch sizes and streaming intervals allow for optimized data transmission based on network conditions and business needs[2].

These edge-specific features are particularly crucial as edge computing is predicted to account for 84% of the industrial market by 2030, alongside media and transport sectors[2].

Proven Track Record in Essential Industries

When it comes to mission-critical operations, experience matters. AVEVA PI System boasts an impressive roster of clients across vital industries:

  • 25 out of 25 top pharmaceutical companies
  • Over 1000 power utilities
  • 75% of global crude oil, natural gas, and liquids production
  • 9 out of 10 leading mining companies[4]

This widespread adoption underscores PI System's reliability and effectiveness in managing complex industrial data challenges.

COTS Solution: Reducing Ongoing Costs

As a Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) solution, PI System offers significant advantages:

  • Rapid Deployment: Ready for immediate implementation, PI System delivers fast ROI.
  • Minimal Development Overhead: Unlike many cloud solutions requiring continuous development, PI System provides a comprehensive toolkit out of the box[4].

Empowering Users with No-Code Data Access

In an era where data literacy is crucial, PI System's no-code data access capabilities stand out:

  • AVEVA PI DataLink: Enables seamless data integration with Excel, facilitating easy monitoring and reporting without coding expertise.
  • Custom Views and Reports: Users can create personalized dashboards and reports, enhancing process monitoring and troubleshooting efficiency[4].

Contextualizing Data for Deeper Insights

PI System excels in providing context to raw data:

  • Hierarchical Data Structures: Users can define data hierarchies that mirror their specific operational environments.
  • Enhanced Metadata: The ability to add descriptive labels and metadata to data streams makes information more meaningful and actionable[4].

Seamless App and Tool Integration

In today's interconnected industrial landscape, integration is key:

  • Analytics-Ready Data: PI System easily delivers trustworthy operations data to various analytics tools and machine learning platforms.
  • Cloud Connectivity: When needed, PI System can effortlessly transmit data to cloud services for collaboration with external stakeholders.
  • Custom Application Support: AVEVA PI System's developer technologies enable integration of PI System data into custom applications and other business tools[4].

As we move towards 2025, the industrial sector faces increasing pressure to optimize operations, reduce costs, and improve decision-making. AVEVA PI System, with its robust on-premises architecture and powerful edge computing capabilities, continues to provide a compelling solution for industries where reliability, security, and real-time data processing are paramount.

While cloud historians have their place, the unique challenges of industrial environments often require the kind of dedicated, on-site solution that AVEVA PI System delivers. By focusing on edge-specific features, proven reliability, cost-effectiveness, and user empowerment, PI System remains at the forefront of industrial data management solutions.