SOFREL, Lacroix, Perax: These systems have been installed at thousands of sites in France. But their architectures—designed for the pre-cloud era—are becoming a hindrance in the face of the current demands of local governments and industrial operators.
The SOFREL, Lacroix, and Perax solutions from the 2000s rely on physical servers installed in your technical facilities. Each update requires the assistance of a certified integrator; hardware failures bring the entire monitoring system to a standstill; and the actual total cost of ownership (TCO) exceeds the initial purchase cost by 3 to 5 times over 10 years of operation.
The pricing model for traditional SCADA and RTU systems hinders growth: every new sensor, every new input/output, and every new piece of connected equipment causes licensing costs to skyrocket. Local governments and operators with multiple sites find themselves trapped by a pricing structure designed to keep them locked in.
Connecting equipment to the cloud using traditional solutions requires the involvement of a certified integrator, a 50-page specification document, and a timeline of 6 to 12 months. Dependence on a single proprietary ecosystem (specific cabling, exclusive memory card, in-house protocol) makes switching providers extremely costly.
Modbus RTU, Modbus TCP, RS-485, 4G LTE Cat-M1: Eziwan speaks the language of your industrial equipment. No proprietary middleware or certified integrator required.
The Eziwan industrial 4G router mounts on a DIN rail in your electrical cabinet. Powered by 9–36 V DC, it connects to your equipment via RS-485 Modbus RTU or Modbus TCP, depending on your system. An RS-485 bus can address up to 247 slave devices (PLCs, sensors, meters). The router automatically establishes an encrypted tunnel to the Eziwan cloud via 4G LTE—without any manual network configuration or the need to open firewall ports.
The Eziwan web dashboard lets you configure your entire monitoring system from a web browser, without installing any software or writing a single line of code. Preconfigured Modbus templates cover the most common devices (Schneider M340/M580 PLCs, Siemens S7 PLCs, level sensors, flow meters). Create your monitoring dashboards using drag-and-drop in less than an hour.
Once your devices are connected and configured, the Eziwan platform becomes your unified control center. Send remote commands (writing to Modbus registers, activating digital outputs), set up SMS or email alerts when thresholds are exceeded, and schedule automatic weekly or monthly reports for your teams and management.
From real-time monitoring to the REST API, including Modbus remote control and automated reporting: the Eziwan platform covers the entire industrial remote management cycle.
Geographic mapping of all your sites with real-time status. Customizable overview by site: levels, flow rates, equipment status, active alarms. Refreshed every 10 seconds via automatic Modbus polling. Accessible via web browser, iOS/Android smartphone, or tablet—no dedicated app required.
Set upper and lower thresholds for each monitored variable. SMS alerts are sent within 30 seconds of a threshold being exceeded. Configure quiet periods (for scheduled maintenance), minimum duration thresholds to prevent false alarms caused by transients, and a multi-level escalation logic to multiple recipients.
Send commands to your equipment without having to go anywhere: write Modbus Holding registers (FC16), energize coils (FC5/FC15), start/stop pumps via digital output. Each command is logged with a timestamp, operator ID, and the value applied. Conditional commands and sequence scripts are available via the API.
All measurements are archived in a sovereign data center hosted in France (ISO 27001 HDS). View historical trends over any time period, export data to CSV for Excel or Power BI, and generate regulatory compliance reports. Data is retained for 5 years with no limit on the number of archived variables.
Schedule automatic PDF reports featuring the metrics of your choice: cumulative consumption, operating time, number of alarms, and performance indicators. The reports are emailed to your team and management on the scheduled dates. The format can be customized with your logo and brand identity.
The Eziwan REST API exposes all data in JSON format with OAuth2 authentication. Connect your CMMS (SAP PM, Infor EAM, Maximo), your ERP, or your BI system without any custom development. OpenAPI documentation available. Configurable webhooks to push events to Zapier, Microsoft Teams, or your own webhook. Guaranteed throughput: 1,000 requests per minute.
Water authorities, municipalities, and drinking water distribution utilities face challenges related to network efficiency, leak control, and service quality. The Eziwan remote management system transmits real-time data from Modbus TCP flow meters (Itron, Elster, Sensus), reservoir levels (ultrasonic sensors, pressure), the status of lift pumps, and water quality analyses (chlorine, pH, turbidity).
Typical Use Cases
An objective comparison between Eziwan cloud-based remote management, legacy RTU/SCADA solutions (SOFREL, Lacroix), and traditional SCADA systems (Wonderware, Ignition, FactoryTalk).
| Criterion | EziwanCloud-Based Remote Management | SOFREL / LacroixLegacy RTU | Traditional SCADAWonderware, Ignition |
|---|---|---|---|
| Deployment Timeframe | 1 day | 6 to 12 months | 3 to 18 months |
| Installation Cost | < 5 000 € | 20 000 to 100 000 € | 50 000 to 500 000 € |
| License Template | All-Inclusive Subscription | License + Annual Maintenance | License by tag/user |
| Connectivity | Native 4G LTE Dual SIM | PSTN/GPRS/3G (optional) | LAN/WAN Network Only |
| Platform Update | Continuous, automatic | Annual, based on a quote | Dedicated Migration Project |
| Support | Includes chat, email, and phone support | Mandatory Maintenance Contract | Integrator + Software Vendor (combined costs) |
| Accommodations | France's Sovereign Cloud | On-premises client server | On-premises or in the cloud outside the EU |
Note: The SOFREL/Lacroix and traditional SCADA figures are estimates based on feedback from French local governments and industrial operators. Actual costs vary depending on the size of the project, the number of sites, and the contractual terms of each supplier. Request an audit of your situation for a personalized comparison.
Technical and precise solutions for facility operators, local governments, and automation integrators.
Schedule a 30-minute demo with an Eziwan engineer. You’ll walk away with a customized deployment plan, a cost estimate, and access to a demo environment with your own data. No commitment, no need to sign anything in advance.