Systems And Methods For Deploying An Industrial Control Process In A Converged Network Environment

A network proxy for deploying a Programmable Logic Controller or PLC for controlling at least one input/output (IO) device, the network proxy comprising:

• a network proxy packet manager handler configured for intervening an active connection between a source PLC and the IO device by transparently forwarding messages exchanged between the source PLC and the IO device;
• wherein the network proxy is configured to convert the active connection between the source PLC and the IO device into a passive connection by respectively terminating messages exchanged between the IO device and the source PLC, the network proxy further configured to assume control over the IO device from the source PLC while continuing to respond to messages sent from the IO device instead of the source PLC;
• the network proxy configured to establish a second passive connection between a destination PLC and the network proxy for transparently forwarding duplicate messages exchanged between the network proxy and the IO device to the destination PLC while continuing to control the IO device;
• and
• the network proxy configured to terminate the passive connection between the source PLC and the IO device, convert the second passive connection between the destination PLC and the network proxy into an active connection extending from the destination PLC to the IO device, the destination PLC assuming control over the IO device from the network proxy.