Detection of interconnections between control and instrumentation systems

A computer program product, comprising:

• a non-transitory data storage medium that includes program instructions executable by a processor to enable said processor to execute a method of determining interconnections between control and instrumentation (C&I) systems within an industrial facility (IF) that includes a plurality of C&I systems collectively utilizing at least two different data formats and including a plurality of C&I devices comprising at least one process controller, at least one network interface module, and at least one input/output (I/O) device being coupled to field devices which are coupled to processing equipment configured for implementing an industrial process, said method automatically:
• coupling a data collection system comprising a data collection algorithm stored in a memory implemented by a data server comprising a processor that provides a data collection block and a data agents block to said IF, said data collection algorithm:
• initiating a data collection process using respective ones of said data formats for obtaining engineering configuration data including from said process controller, said network interface module, and said I/O device, and a network configuration comprising a network type and a communication method used in said C&I systems stored therein;
• collecting said engineering configuration data from each of said C&I systems comprising three connection resolution passes for resolving unresolved connections, including:
• pass 1 for resolving first connections where both ends are within a single one of said plurality of C&I systems, and wherein tags associated with said both ends are located using additional information added for said unresolved connections including at least one of a communication protocol, physical medium, and rate of data transfer;
• pass 2 after said pass 1 for resolving second connections between two different ones of said plurality of C&I systems, using separate processing logic to identify and resolve connection ends for said second connections accounting for internal organization of said second connections, and a connection type, and
• pass 3 after said pass 2 connection for resolving third connections that are between two different C&I systems using a recursive loop which continues until said third connections are fully resolved with end tags or it is determined at least one end cannot be resolved, and
• using said engineering configuration data from each of said C&I systems to determine connections within said C&I systems and interconnections between said C&I systems.