Customer’s Guide to

EcoStruxureTM Foxboro®
DCS Product Lifecycle
Support
Document Ref No. Rev. 10.0
May 2018

Information in this document is subject to change without notice. Companies, names and data used in examples
herein are fictitious unless otherwise noted. No part of this document may be reproduced or transmitted in any form
or by any means, electronic or mechanical, for any purpose, without the express written permission of Schneider
Electric Systems USA, Inc.

© 2018 Schneider Electric. All rights reserved.

Schneider Electric, EcoStruxure, Foxboro, Triconex, Tricon, Trident, and TriStation are trademarks of Schneider
Electric, SE, its subsidiaries and affiliates. All other brands may be trademarks of their respective owners.
Contents
Chapter 1 Introduction.................................................................................................................................. 1
Chapter 2 Comprehensive Support Services............................................................................................... 2
Chapter 3 AdvantageSM Upgrade Program .................................................................................................. 2
Chapter 4 Module Exchange Program (MEP) and Module Reserve Program (MRP)................................. 2
Chapter 5 Hardware and Software Support Philosophy .............................................................................. 3
Chapter 6 Evolution Philosophy ................................................................................................................... 3
Chapter 7 Lifecycle Support Phases for Hardware Products ...................................................................... 4
Chapter 8 Support Services for Each Hardware Lifecycle Phases.............................................................. 5
Chapter 9 Lifecycle Support Phases for Software Products ........................................................................ 7
Chapter 10 Software Product definition in Lifecycle Management .............................................................. 8
Chapter 11 Software Products Lifecycle Management ................................................................................ 8
Chapter 12 General Compatibility Philosophy ............................................................................................. 9
Chapter 13 Summary ................................................................................................................................. 10
Definitions.................................................................................................................................................... 11
Chapter 1
Introduction
Welcome to the Customer’s Guide to EcoStruxure Foxboro Distributed Control Systems
(DCS) Product Lifecycle Support Guide.

Schneider Electric desires to make it as easy as possible for our customers to keep their EcoStruxure
Foxboro DCS running at peak performance by providing the best lifecycle support possible. To
accomplish this, we have defined a philosophy that ensures world-class support and provides maximum
compatibility between system components of different generations.1

The barriers to provide lifetime support are formidable as many of the components purchased from
suppliers used to manufacture our Standard Products continue to become obsolete. In addition to
component obsolescence is the significant cost to continue lifecycle extension engineering, personnel
training and extensive product integration testing against an ever-increasing product base.

Schneider Electric is committed to ensuring that older Foxboro DCS products work in conjunction with
new products to extend the Foxboro DCS lifecycle. This proven long-term strategy significantly increases
our Customers Return On Capital Employed (ROCE) by eliminating the need to completely replace the
system. Additionally, this approach provides easy and cost-effective ways to improve control, reduce
downtime and increase maintainability during pre-planned upgrades, expansions or revamps without
interrupting scheduled production. Another major benefit is that software, hardware and engineering
intellectual property investments are preserved, again optimizing the ROCE.

Schneider Electric continues to actively support electronic and digital products manufactured and sold in
the 1960's and 1970's by The Foxboro Company. Schneider Electric has supported its process control
system products directly by providing engineering, spare parts, upgrades and technical product service
and support in-house and on-site for since 1970. Indirect support of our legacy systems (SPEC 200,
SPECTRUM) products is provided through easy upgrade paths to the I/A Series system and then to the
Foxboro Evo system and EcoStruxure Foxboro DCS. This significantly minimizes downtime of the
production facility, because it does not require a complete replacement, thus preserving the users’
intellectual property and optimizing the total cost of ownership for the life of the customer's
installation.

We commit to providing you, our customers, with the best long-term information regarding our ability
to repair/replace all these products and we remain committed to ensuring that the oldest Foxboro DCS
products will work in conjunction with the newest products and/or that cost-effective upgrade paths are
available. This approach continues to provide easy and cost-effective ways to improve control, reduce
downtime, increase maintainability, and pre-plan upgrades while preserving software, hardware and
engineering investments. For assistance in planning upgrades to remain Continuously Current(sm), contact
your local Service Representative.

1
This policy initially took effect September 2002 and continues to be refined. If there is a conflict between this
document and Schneider Electric General Conditions of Sale for Foxboro Products, Form #2547G, the latter will
take precedence.

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Chapter 2
Comprehensive Support Services
Schneider Electric support services for Foxboro DCS are managed and deployed by major customer
support centers located in the United States, Europe and Asia-Pacific (2), and satellite support offices
worldwide. Dedicated Schneider Electric support representatives assist with customer concerns, initiate
advanced remote support capabilities, rapidly ship replacement parts and dispatch field assistance to
site as appropriate to the reported situation. When a complex situation requires further engineering,
development or other expertise, a comprehensive escalation program engages additional resources
within Schneider Electric to produce a quick and satisfactory resolution.

Refer to the Customer FIRST Program Users Guide for a comprehensive description of the support
services offered, support agreement options, procedures and policies.

Chapter 3
AdvantageSM Upgrade Program
The Advantage Upgrade Program is a cornerstone of the Foxboro DCS offering. It provides an excellent
mechanism for assisting customers that desire to keep their systems Continuously Current. This program
provides customers with a cost effectively method to purchase the most recent product within each
functional group, providing significant discounts on new processors/licenses in exchange for the return
of older units.

Schneider Electric works closely with our customers to develop individual project plans to bring
upgraded components on line smoothly, easily and quickly, ensuring that their process is up and running
in minimal time and with maximum benefit. Tools are provided to convert databases, ensuring that our
customers’ intellectual property is preserved.

Chapter 4
Module Exchange Program (MEP) and Module Reserve Program
(MRP)
The Module Exchange Program (MEP) provides comprehensive material support through a product ship-
ahead replacement process available to our Customer FIRST Service Agreement participants in the Elite
and Premium tiers. The service provides a rapid, cost-effective, module replacement solution for
customers who don’t have access to local spare modules.

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The Module Reserve Program is available to customers in the Standard tier of the Customer FIRST Service
Agreement and provides shipment of replacement material upon receipt of the failed unit by Schneider
Electric.

If a module fails, contact the Global Customer Support center to request a factory-refurbished product
that has been tested and inspected to new product standards.

Chapter 5
Hardware and Software Support Philosophy
We recognize that different functional groups of hardware have varying degrees of impact on our
customers’ processes.

Our hardware support model is structured to ensure that the functional product groups that are the
most difficult to replace are also the products with the longest planned lifecycles.

Our software support philosophy balances the value of introducing new features and benefits against
the effort and cost of loading new software and the potential complications and learning curves
associated with the introduction.

Chapter 6
Evolution Philosophy
The Foxboro Distributed Control System can remain state-of-the-art by making incremental upgrades to
small portions of the system. We work with customers to identify and evaluate the optimal time to
upgrade based on the individual mix of products installed, shutdown schedules, plant upgrade
philosophies, availability of new products and other pertinent factors. Generally speaking, groups of
products should be considered for upgrades as follows:
• Workstations and servers should be considered for upgrades approximately every 5 – 6 years to
ensure proper connectivity with Corporate Business Systems and to take advantage of fast-
moving software and hardware advances driven by the technology.
• Control Processors and Network Components should be reviewed on an 8 to10 year basis and
upgraded to maintain compatibility, functionality and the highest degree of reliability, thereby
reducing risk of an unplanned outage. The firmware must be updated to the latest version.
• Infrastructure, such as enclosures, wiring, cables, terminations, etc. are not expected to need to
be refreshed, except upon damage, failure or to take advantage of new advancements, such as
fiber optics or new Fieldbus capabilities. Field I/O (FBMs) should be evaluated for upgrades
starting at 15 to 20 years as determined by failure rates, which Schneider Electric monitors.

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Chapter 7
Lifecycle Support Phases for Hardware Products
The hardware and software product lifecycle program for Foxboro Standard Hardware Products is based
on a five-tier support strategy. The strategy is based on continually monitoring a product’s design and
proactively updating its status through the support phases: Preferred, Available, Mature, Lifetime, and
Obsolete. This phased approach enables greater consistency for supporting the global customer base.

The level of support provided for our Lifecycle phases is as follows:

• Preferred Phase: Products in this phase are the most recent products available. These products
are actively promoted, enhanced, produced and sold. Product technical support is available
through phone, email, and our Global Customer Support (GCS) website. The length of time the
product remains in this phase is variable. Many products transition to the Available Phase, while
others may move directly to the Mature Phase.
• Available Phase: Products in this phase represent products that are available for sale and are
being produced, but are no longer the Preferred Product offering and are generally no longer
being enhanced. Product technical support is available for these products through phone, email,
and our Global Customer Support (GCS) website. These products are typically sold for system
expansion projects, not for new solution installations. This designation also serves as early
notice that the product will be withdrawn from sale. The length of time a product remains in this
phase is variable.
• Mature Phase: Products in this phase represent products that have been withdrawn from sale
and no more enhancements are provided, but are still serviced by our Return Material
Authorization (RMA) service programs. Product technical support is available through phone,
email, and our Global Customer Support (GCS) website.
Before the product is withdrawn from sale, we are committed to providing a comprehensive,
clearly defined, support program for the product. The length of time that a product remains in
this phase varies based on product type.

• I/O products are the single largest installed component and the most disruptive to take off-
line, therefore they are supported in the Mature Phase for ten years.
• Controllers and Network Communications products change regularly and provide
significant enhancements, but it is difficult for our Customers to take these processors off-
line, therefore, they are supported in the Mature Phase for five years.
• Workstations change relatively quickly and upgrades cause little disruption to the
customer’s process. In addition, new hardware provides many benefits. Products in this
category will be in the Mature Phase for three years.

• Lifetime Phase: Hardware Products in this phase represent products that will be supported via
our RMA services programs on a best effort basis for as long as we can provide a quality repair
or replacement. Product technical support is available through phone, email, and our Global
Customer Support (GCS) website, but on a best effort basis.

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 Most products transition to the Lifetime Phase, while others may move directly to the Obsolete
Phase because, at some point, we will no longer be able to repair or replace a given product. At
that time, a Client Notification email is sent from the GCS to registered users identifying the
product’s Obsolete date.

• Obsolete Phase: Products in this phase represent products that are typically identified when,
after our best effort to support, maintain, repair and/or offer MEP exchanges, we find that we
can no longer service. Product technical support may be available, but is not guaranteed.
While we cannot guarantee we will provide at least one year’s notice before it is anticipated
that there will no longer be a supply of replacement or repairable modules, we will make every
effort to do so.

A regularly updated Product Lifecycle Phase document is posted on the Global Customer Support (GCS)
website, typically once a quarter. The document lists the lifecycle phase of each major component and
the date it will transition to the next phase.

Note: Firmware embedded in Hardware Products follows the same support guidelines as the Hardware
Products.

Chapter 8
Support Services for Each Hardware Lifecycle Phases
Preferred and Available Phase Support
Products that are in the Preferred and Available Phases receive the highest level of support from all
Schneider Electric operations, including sales, service, manufacturing, development, product planning,
and marketing. These internal functional areas ensure that Standard Foxboro DCS Hardware is
supported by on-site service personnel, Technical Assistance Center (TAC), telephone support, repair,
training, MRP/MEP and Advantage Upgrade Program as defined in the Customer FIRST User's Guide.

Mature Phase Support

When a product transitions into the Mature Phase, the following support structures are in place to
ensure that the products continue to be viable components within the system.

• Standard Hardware Product: Schneider Electric will continue to support and maintain existing
Standard Foxboro DCS hardware products in accordance with their product specifications during
the Mature Phase.
• Existing Project Expansion: Sale of Mature products for expansions to existing installations will
be considered on a per project basis; however, no guarantee is made that new or refurbished
material will be available.

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 • Alternative Products: Alternative products for major Foxboro DCS components will be generally
available for sale through the Advantage Upgrade Program. This program provides a credit for
returned hardware and software when purchasing new alternative products.
• Peripherals: Peripherals will be supported by offering alternative products for sale. For
customers with Services Agreements, Schneider Electric may provide refurbished products
through MRP/MEP during the peripherals functional group’s Mature Phase.
• Repair: Schneider Electric will continue to repair Standard Foxboro DCS hardware or suggest the
purchase of alternative products. Repairs to the failed module are completed and shipped back
to customers or, if MRP/MEP is included in the Service Agreement, Schneider Electric will ship a
replacement.
• Telephone Support: Three major Customer Support Centers are strategically located in North
America, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. These centers bring to you the fastest possible
resolution of technical problems, operating concerns, and repair and replacement issues.
• On-Site Services: Field Service Representatives are available to provide product installation,
corrective and preventive support, upgrade assistance and engineering services at customer’s
facilities.
• Training: Schneider Electric can provide training programs for Mature Foxboro DCS products,
but these programs will not be part of the regularly scheduled offerings and are subject to
availability of personnel and equipment.

LifeTime Phase Support

• Standard Hardware Products: Schneider Electric will continue to support and maintain Standard
Foxboro DCS hardware products through repair and/or MRP/MEP as long as components and/or
products remain available. If they are no longer available, Schneider Electric will, to the best of
their ability, suggest which, if any, alternate replacement be purchased, this replacement will be
a product in Preferred Phase.
• Standard Image/Firmware: Schneider Electric will continue to support and maintain Standard
Foxboro DCS functional software for the most urgent issues, i.e. those dealing with potential
safety hazards or a potential loss of customer production. Schneider Electric, at its discretion,
may correct those issues by proposing a more recent hardware platform or by making
corrections to the software code.
• Existing Project Expansion: Sale of withdrawn hardware products in the LifeTime Phase support
period is not available.
• Alternative Products: Alternative products for most major Foxboro DCS components will
generally be available for sale through the Advantage Upgrade Program. This program provides
a credit for returned hardware and software when purchasing new alternative products.
• Peripherals: Peripherals will be supported, on a best efforts basis, during their functional
group’s LifeTime Phase period.
• Repair: Schneider Electric will, on a best efforts basis, try to repair Standard Foxboro DCS
products as long as products, components, test fixtures, etc., remain available. Repairs for

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 Customers with Services Agreements will be supported/delivered through MRP/MEP. When
Schneider Electric determines they may not be able to repair a product, it will be transitioned to
the Obsolete Phase. Schneider Electric will, to the best of their ability, suggest which, if any,
alternate replacement be purchased.
• Telephone Support: Three major Customer Support Centers are strategically located in North
America, Europe and Asia-Pacific regions. These centers bring to you the fastest possible
resolution of technical problems, operating concerns, and repair and replacement issues.
• On-Site Services: Field Service Representatives are available to provide support, upgrade
assistance and engineering services at customer’s facilities for products in the LifeTime Phase.
• Training: Schneider Electric may provide custom training for Lifetime Phase Foxboro Evo and I/A
Series products, subject to availability of personnel and equipment.

Obsolete Phase
The Obsolete dates we provide in Customer Notifications and in the Product Phase Document are
derived by periodic detailed reviews of all the factors that determine whether a product can be reliably
and predictably repaired. These dates are subject to change based on usage, failure rates and return of
products through the Advantage Program. Every effort is made to provide one to two years notice
before the product is transitioned to the Obsolete Phase. Support services are no longer available when
a product is in Obsolete Phase.

We established this procedure to ensure that you have a long-term view of where products in your
plants are in their lifecycle, so you have as much time as possible to create an upgrade plan that will not
jeopardize your production.

Chapter 9
Lifecycle Support Phases for Software Products
In Process Automation, the Foxboro software follows the general rules in terms of lifecycle, but only 4
phases (Preferred, Available, Mature and Obsolete) are applicable to software.

This document will describe what is specific to software and may vary from the global policy, due to
different constraints compared to the hardware.

As software, we include the standard software delivered by the company and which is listed in the
Lifecycle Management document, available on the Global Customer Support web site.

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Chapter 10
Software Product Versioning Definition
A software product is defined by its name and by its versioning scheme.

For example: Control Core Services is a Product name and Control Core Services X.Y.Z is the complete
versioning scheme, where X defines the Version, Y the Revision and Z the Maintenance release.
In the Lifecycle management, a Product is defined by its Name, its Version number and its Revision
number.

For example: Control HMI 6.0.1 and Control HMI 6.0.2 are classified as Control HMI 6.0 in the lifecycle
management document.

The rules defined below apply to individual software products.

Chapter 11
Software Products Lifecycle Management
Preferred Phase
When Schneider Electric issues a new Software product or a new release, the product is in the Preferred
Phase. We sell the preferred product to our clients, by default, on any new project. We will issue
maintenance releases to address issues discovered on the product.

The version used during commissioning will be considered “preferred’ for purposes of the Customer
FIRST agreement assuming the client purchases a CF agreement at start-up, even if we issue a new
release of the software before the shipment, or within 6 months after the shipment. During the
warranty period, if a problem fix is done and implemented on the next version released within a one-
year time frame, this next version will be provided as a maintenance release.

Available Phase
Software product in Available Phase can still be sold to allow a smooth execution of large projects or to
allow expansions to existing clients with the same version they already have on site. We maintain our
software in Available Phase for one year.

In Available Phase, no further enhancements are expected to be implemented on the product. If any,
they will be implemented on the new version or new equivalent product which is in the Preferred Phase.
Nevertheless, we may issue a maintenance release to address specific problems discovered on the
product in this phase.

Mature Phase
Software products are supported in the Mature Phase for three years, by default.

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Software Support: We will provide corrections for Standard Software for one year after it is withdrawn
from sales for warrantee issues only. At the one-year anniversary of product withdrawal, the software
code will be archived and will be modified only if there is a security or safety problem which impacts the
customer’s process with a loss of production or may result in unsafe operation and possible injury or
property damage. Recommendation will be to upgrade to the latest version or to an equivalent product
in the Preferred Phase.

Obsolete Phase
Software is moved to the Obsolete Phase when the Operating System supporting this software is not
any more supported by the OS supplier. No code changes can be made on products in Obsolete Phase.
A Software product can also be moved to Obsolete Phase when one of its components supplied by a
third-party company is no longer supported by this company. Support services are no longer available
for products in Obsolete Phase. The recommendation will be to upgrade to the latest software revision,
or to an equivalent software in the Preferred Phase.

Chapter 12
General Compatibility Philosophy
Compatibility of new and old Foxboro DCS Standard Products (hardware, base software and application
software) is of major interest to Schneider Electric and its customers. We believe that the
implementation of this policy provides our customers with the best lifecycle support and lowest cost of
ownership available in our industry today. The intent of this section is to provide a structure that will
clearly define compatibility of Standard Foxboro DCS software and hardware by providing guidelines
based on a product’s lifecycle phase.

The aspects of compatibility addressed in this document are interoperability, co-existence, application
database reusability and migration of application databases. The following definitions are used with
respect to compatibility between different Standard Foxboro DCS stations and software applications
within the system. Note that the minimum policy is documented and Schneider Electric may, at its
discretion, choose to test or build Foxboro DCS products that exceed that policy.

Co-existence: Co-existence is the ability of all versions of software since version 4.3 / Y2K to
communicate with different generations of software, but not necessarily host, monitor or configure. Co-
existence, at a minimum, ensures that all Services and APIs, such as Object Manager variables, IPC API,
etc. and Messages, e.g. alarm messages, OAJ, etc. are readable, connectable and one-shot get-able and
set-able across all Preferred, Available, Mature and LifeTime stations.

Co-existence of messaging structures and Application Program Interfaces (APIs) will remain unchanged
as new software is developed. These structures provide services for updating function block parameters
to operator graphics and historian displays; services that allow personnel to set or write function block
parameters from operator graphics; services that deliver function block alarm messages to operator
displays and alarm historians; and services that acknowledge function block alarms. Extensions to these
structures are acceptable, as long as they do not impair any existing structures or calls. New extensions
become part of the library going forward.

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Interoperability: Interoperability of versions of software includes co-existence, plus the ability of new
products to host, monitor and configure Preferred, Available and Mature products. We progressively
add functions to new products that enable support of older, existing products. This approach further
enhances our customers’ ability to remain Continuously Current.

Application Database Reusability: Conversion tools are provided to load and/or convert the databases
associated with Available and Mature products into a Preferred version of the same configuration tool
with no manual rework.

Application Database Migration: Migration is the ability to convert a database into a different
configuration tool set. Database Migration also applies to converting databases associated with LifeTime
products into a Preferred version of the same configuration tool. In both instances, the conversion may
require some manual rework before loading.

Not Tested: Compatible Products, Custom Products, Resale Product and other Non-standard application
products may provide a level of co-existence, but Schneider Electric will not test or guarantee any level
of compatibility with Standard Foxboro DCS Products.

Chapter 13
Summary
We believe that this policy provides our customers with the best lifecycle support available in our industry
today. We provide a view of where products are in their lifecycles by identifying each major product by
Phase – Preferred, Available, Mature, Lifetime (HW) and Obsolete, and detail the support provided in
each Phase. Recommendations are made for when products should be considered for upgrades. Lastly,
we clearly define compatibility between products of different vintages and are committed to providing
maximum operation between various generations. All these factors ensure that your Foxboro DCS will
remain Continuously Current well into the future.

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Definitions
Standard Hardware & Software Products: Standard Product is defined in Schneider Electric General
Conditions of Sale for Foxboro Products, Form #2547G, and are those products that are fully supported
and documented by Foxboro DCS Product Line RD&E; that have published Product Specification Sheets
(PSS); and are listed in the Price Book for Foxboro DCS Products.

Compatible Products: Compatible products are defined as hardware and/or software, supplied through
Schneider Electric channels for Foxboro DCS Products, but which are licensed (if software), warranted,
and supported by a resale vendor. These products may have been tested only for operability with Foxboro
DCS Standard hardware and/or software products. Schneider Electric, the vendor or both can perform
the testing. Compatible products shall carry only the warranty as defined by the Compatible Product
vendor.

Custom Products: Custom products are defined as instrumentation, software, assemblies, accessories
and similar products, which are customized for specific Purchaser requirements, and/or are otherwise
not a Standard Foxboro DCS product offered in the price book. The custom options are warranted for
use with the product as originally designed and shipped, but no guarantee is made or implied that
custom products be compatible with future products and/or software program generations or future
versions of Foxboro DCS products.

Resale Products: Resale Products are defined as Products and Software supplied Schneider Electric but
which are warranted, supported and licensed (if software) by the original manufacturer. Resale Products
support and warranty is that which is offered by the original equipment manufacturer. Schneider Electric
shall have no responsibility for the functioning of resale products specified by purchaser or its agent
unless otherwise agreed in writing by Schneider Electric.

Messaging Structures: Include Compound:Block.Parameter (C:B.P); Object Manager (OM); messaging

services; Inter-Processor Communications (IPC); Application Program Interfaces (API) and Common
Executables (COMEX).

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