The Limitations of On-Premises SCADA That You Know Well
Three structural challenges faced by all production managers who still use a traditional on-site SCADA system.
Astronomical licensing costs
WinCC Comfort: €3,500–8,000 per workstation. WinCC Advanced: €15,000–35,000. Wonderware System Platform: €20,000–100,000 depending on the number of objects. Add 20% per year for maintenance. Over 10 years, a WinCC Advanced license costs €50,000–70,000 in software fees alone—not including infrastructure, integration, and training.
- License by tag: each additional variable costs
- Mandatory annual maintenance (20% of the original price)
- Major update = new license or paid upgrade
Dedicated server = ongoing IT costs
An on-premises SCADA system requires a dedicated Windows Server (2019–2022), an SQL Server database, an antivirus program compatible with Siemens/Schneider, daily backups, and critical updates managed with care to avoid breaking the OPC drivers. In industrial settings, this server often becomes a major point of vulnerability: a failing hard drive or a poorly managed Windows update can bring the entire monitoring system to a halt.
- Windows Server: License + IT Maintenance
- OT Patch Management: Risk of Regression After an Update
- Single point of failure: if the server goes down, the monitoring system shuts down
Complex and insecure remote access
Remote access to an on-premises SCADA system typically involves an IPsec or SSL VPN, followed by Remote Desktop or Citrix. This architecture is costly (VPN license, dedicated firewall), difficult to maintain, and is often disabled by IT teams after an incident. As a result, production managers and maintenance technicians cannot monitor the system from their smartphones or from a remote location.
- Mandatory VPN: Complex setup, licensing costs
- Remote Desktop: Poor User Experience, Not Mobile-Friendly
- OT attack surface increased by opening network ports
Eziwan Cloud SCADA Architecture: From the Field to the Dashboard in 3 Layers
Unlike an on-premises architecture with a central SCADA server, Eziwan is a distributed, cloud-native architecture: the intelligence resides in the cloud, and the gateway is a lightweight data collector with no single point of failure.
What Eziwan Cloud SCADA Does Better Than Traditional SCADA
A SCADA platform designed for the cloud from the very beginning—not on-premises software that’s been awkwardly adapted to SaaS.
Configurable dashboards
Drag-and-drop widgets: real-time graphs, gauges, SVG synopses, data tables. Customizable layout per screen and per user, without the need for a development tool.
Unlimited variables at no extra cost
No billing by tag, point, or variable—unlike WinCC Comfort (2,000 tags), WinCC Advanced (8,192 tags), or Wonderware System Platform (per-object licensing). Add as many variables as your PLCs expose.
5-Year History with Time/Value Queries
All variables are automatically logged with adaptive compression. Query any time range, export to CSV, or view on a graph. Five-year retention is included in all plans.
Alarms with Acknowledgment and History
Configure high/low thresholds, abnormal variations, and communication failures. SMS, email, and webhook notifications. Acknowledgment via mobile device. Time-stamped alarm log compliant with IEC 62682.
Mobile browser access (iOS, Android)
Responsive interface accessible from any mobile browser—no app to install, no VPN to set up. Field technicians can monitor operations from their smartphones using 4G.
Multi-site: All Your Plants on One Screen
Consolidate monitoring of 1 to 100 industrial sites into a single dashboard. Map view of sites, consolidated KPIs, cross-site alerts. Ideal for multi-plant managers and system integrators who manage multiple clients.
A concrete comparison with Ignition (Inductive Automation): Ignition also offers unlimited on-premises variables, but requires a dedicated Java server (Windows or Linux), an initial license starting at $9,500 plus the Perspective (mobile) module at an additional $1,900, and annual maintenance at 25%. Eziwan eliminates the need for server infrastructure and the cost of the initial license—the 5-year TCO comparison is consistently more favorable starting with two monitored sites.
Compatible with over 150 models of PLCs on the market
Whether your site uses Siemens, Schneider, Allen-Bradley, or ABB equipment, the Eziwan Gateway connects natively via standard industrial protocols.
Eziwan Cloud SCADA vs. On-Premises SCADA: A Comprehensive Comparison
An objective analysis of the architectural and economic differences between SCADA solutions on the market and Eziwan, based on the criteria most important to CIOs and production managers.
| Critere | Wonderware AVEVA | Siemens WinCC | Ignition | Eziwan Cloud |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Initial cost | 50 000-150 000 € | 20 000-100 000 € | 15 000-80 000 € | €0 (monthly SaaS) |
| License tags/points | By tag (exponential growth) | By point (WinCC Comfort/Advanced) | Unlimited on-site | Unlimited, included |
| Server required | Dedicated Windows Server | Windows Server + SQL | Windows/Linux JVM | None (cloud-native) |
| Remote Access | VPN + Terminal Services | VPN Required | HTTPS Perspective | Native HTTPS, No VPN |
| Mobile (iOS/Android) | Paid dedicated app | Paid WebNavigator | Perspective included | Native browser, 0 apps |
| Multi-sites | Multiple Licenses | WinCC OA (custom) | Distributed Architecture | Native, 1 dashboard |
| Updates | Annual Maintenance Contract | Manual Service Pack | Annual Maintenance | Automatic, included |
| Support | Local Integrator | Siemens Integrator | Inductive Automation | Direct Support in French |
Estimated figures based on public rates and pricing tables provided by integrators. April 2025. Contact us for a personalized TCO comparison based on your configuration.
4-Step Industrial SCADA Cloud Migration
An initial industrial site can be transitioned to cloud-based monitoring in less than one workday—without interrupting production and without modifying your existing OT network.
Eziwan operates in parallel with your existing SCADA system during the transition period. Your WinCC or Wonderware system continues to run while you test Eziwan at an initial pilot site. The final switchover takes place when you’re ready—not before.
The Eziwan Gateway connects to your PLCs as an additional Modbus or OPC-UA client—read-only by default. It does not interfere with your existing monitoring system, does not modify PLC configurations, and does not require any inbound ports to be opened on your industrial firewall.