Methods and apparatus to implement redundant software-defined controllers in control systems

A non-transitory machine readable storage medium comprising instructions to cause programmable circuitry to at least:

• send a partner identifier to first and second hosts in a network;
• send a first command to the first host to create a first software-defined controller for a control system;
• and
• send a second command to the second host to create a second software-defined controller for the control system, the first and second software-defined controllers to discover one another and pair with one another based on the partner identifier.

A method comprising:

• sending, by executing instructions with programmable circuitry, a partner identifier to first and second hosts in a network;
• sending, by executing instructions with the programmable circuitry, a first command to the first host to create a first software-defined controller for a control system;
• and
• sending, by executing instructions with the programmable circuitry, a second command to the second host to create a second software-defined controller for the control system, the first and second software-defined controllers to discover one another and pair with one another based on the partner identifier.