System and method for industrial process automation controller farm with flexible redundancy schema and dynamic resource management through machine learning

A method comprising:

• identifying by a processor a multi-function module to be replaced from among a plurality of multi-function modules in a controller farm;
• selecting by an arbitrator a standby multi-function module from the plurality of multi-function modules utilizing an N+X redundancy model where N is a number of active controllers and X is a number of standby controllers in a controller farm, wherein the arbitrator receives CPU and memory statistics from one or more process controllers and data traffic from the communication paths between individual controllers and field devices and is arranged to make control and data routing decisions to the one more controllers of the plurality of multi-function modules based on the statistics and data traffic received to configure each multi-function module for a different function;
• synchronizing real-time data stored in a memory of the standby multi-function module based on the multi-function module to be replaced;
• and
• replacing the multi-function module with the standby multi-function module.

A controller farm comprising:

• at least one controller configured to execute control logic for controlling a system;
• at least one arbitrator configured to manage the at least one controller utilizing an N+X redundancy model where N is a number of active controllers and X is a number of standby controllers, wherein the arbitrator receives CPU and memory statistics from one or more process controllers and data traffic from the communication paths between individual controllers and field devices and is arranged to make control and data routing decisions to the one more controllers of the plurality of multi-function modules based on the statistics and data traffic received to configure each multi-function module for a different function;
• at least one input/output (IO) manager configured to interface between the at least one controller and at least one field device included in the system;
• and
• at least one standby multi-function module.