From 4ad4be7a6389913e8ac6c29f7c0e3edecd08c8ef Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: jester Date: Mon, 29 Dec 2025 22:36:32 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] Add comprehensive virtual PLC platform technical implementation guide --- virtual-plc-implementation.md | 1122 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1 file changed, 1122 insertions(+) create mode 100644 virtual-plc-implementation.md diff --git a/virtual-plc-implementation.md b/virtual-plc-implementation.md new file mode 100644 index 0000000..84d2d6c --- /dev/null +++ b/virtual-plc-implementation.md @@ -0,0 +1,1122 @@ +# Virtual PLC Platform - Technical Implementation Guide + +*Detailed technical architecture for applying ZLH platform model to industrial automation* + +--- + +## Executive Summary + +This document outlines the technical implementation strategy for building a multi-tenant virtual PLC/SCADA hosting platform using proven LXC container architecture (from ZeroLagHub) applied to industrial automation. + +**Core Concept:** Take ZLH's architecture (LXC containers, multi-tenant hosting, automated pipelines) and apply it to **virtual PLC/SCADA hosting** for manufacturers. + +--- + +## Platform Architecture Overview + +### Business Model Tiers + +**ZLH Gaming Model (Reference):** +``` +Dev Container → Test Container → Production Container +($10/mo) ($20/mo) ($50/mo game server) +``` + +**Industrial Platform Model:** +``` +Dev/Simulation → Test/Commissioning → Production PLC +($500/mo) ($1,500/mo) ($2,500/mo + monitoring) +``` + +### Revenue Model Comparison + +**ZLH (Gaming):** +- Avg customer: $50-150/month +- Customers needed for $10k MRR: 70-200 customers +- Customer acquisition: Hard (gaming is saturated) +- Churn risk: High (indie devs quit projects) + +**Industrial Platform:** +- Avg customer: $2,000-5,000/month +- Customers needed for $10k MRR: 2-5 customers +- Customer acquisition: Moderate (smaller target market, hungry for solutions) +- Churn risk: Low (manufacturers don't switch easily) + +--- + +## Infrastructure Architecture + +### Hosting Platform: GTHost Dedicated Servers + +**Available Specs:** +- **Pricing**: $59-500/month depending on configuration +- **RAM**: 8GB to 1TB+ +- **CPU**: Intel Xeon, AMD EPYC (4-32+ cores) +- **GPU**: Available for specialized workloads +- **Network**: Unmetered bandwidth, 1Gbps+ +- **Locations**: 21+ datacenters (USA, Canada, Europe) +- **Setup**: 5-15 minutes instant activation +- **Contracts**: Month-to-month (no long-term lock-in) +- **Trial**: $5/day for up to 10 days + +### Multi-Tenant Server Configuration + +**Example: Single GTHost Server Setup** + +``` +Total Server: 32 cores, 64GB RAM, 2TB SSD +├── ZLH Platform: 8 cores, 16GB RAM (gaming customers) +│ ├── Customer A: Minecraft server (2 cores, 4GB) +│ ├── Customer B: Rust server (4 cores, 8GB) +│ └── Customer C: 7DTD server (2 cores, 4GB) +│ +├── Industrial Platform: 8 cores, 16GB RAM (virtual PLCs) +│ ├── Client A: Virtual PLC + monitoring (4 cores, 8GB) +│ └── Development/Testing: Internal dev work (4 cores, 8GB) +│ +└── Shared Services: 4 cores, 8GB RAM + ├── API layer (handles both gaming + industrial) + ├── Monitoring (Grafana/Prometheus) + ├── Databases (PostgreSQL for both) + └── Reverse proxy (Caddy/Nginx) +``` + +**Cost:** $200-300/month for single server serving both businesses + +--- + +## Container Platform: LXC + +### Why LXC Over Docker + +**Advantages:** +- ✅ Lower overhead (runs closer to bare metal) +- ✅ Better for long-running services (MQTT, databases, PLCs) +- ✅ Simpler networking (bridge vs overlay) +- ✅ Proven from ZeroLagHub experience +- ✅ Less complexity than Kubernetes +- ✅ Real-time capable (lower latency) + +**Disadvantages:** +- ❌ Less popular than Docker (smaller community) +- ❌ Fewer pre-built images +- ❌ Manual setup required + +**Decision:** Use LXC for multi-tenant platform, Docker for customer edge deployments (easier for customers to maintain) + +### LXC Container Template (Per Customer) + +``` +Customer Container (LXC): +├── Ubuntu 24.04 minimal +├── Mosquitto MQTT broker (isolated) +├── InfluxDB (isolated database) +├── Grafana (customer-specific dashboards) +├── Node-RED (optional, for advanced workflows) +├── Virtual PLC runtime (CODESYS or OpenPLC) +├── Backup agent (automated daily) +└── Resource limits (CPU, RAM, disk) +``` + +**Resource Allocation per Customer:** +- CPU: 1-2 cores (burstable) +- RAM: 2-4GB +- Disk: 50-100GB +- Network: Shared 1Gbps + +**Capacity Planning:** +- 8-10 basic customers per server +- 5-8 customers if heavy data volume +- Monitor: CPU, RAM, disk I/O, network + +--- + +## Virtual PLC Software Options + +### Option 1: CODESYS Virtual Control (Commercial) + +**Overview:** +- Industry standard (30 years, millions of installs) +- IEC 61131-3 certified +- Hardware-independent, container-based +- ISO 61508 SIL3 certified (June 2024) + +**Pricing:** +- $99-499/month per runtime instance +- One-time licenses: $5k-15k + support + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Industry standard - customers trust it +- ✅ Proven reliability +- ✅ Comprehensive documentation +- ✅ Large ecosystem +- ✅ Safety certifications + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Licensing costs per customer +- ❌ Vendor dependency +- ❌ Annual fees + +**Best For:** +- Premium tier customers +- Regulated industries +- Customers requiring certifications +- Enterprise clients + +### Option 2: OpenPLC (Open Source) + +**Overview:** +- Open-source soft PLC +- IEC 61131-3 compliant +- Runs on Linux, Windows, Raspberry Pi +- Web-based programming interface +- No licensing costs + +**Pricing:** +- $0 (GPL license) +- Free forever + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Zero licensing costs (100% margin) +- ✅ Full control over code +- ✅ Active community +- ✅ Can customize for customers +- ✅ Web-based interface + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Not safety-certified (use for non-critical only) +- ❌ Smaller ecosystem than CODESYS +- ❌ Less mature +- ❌ You provide all support + +**Best For:** +- Budget-conscious customers +- Non-safety-critical applications +- Development/testing environments +- Monitoring-only deployments + +**Installation:** +```bash +git clone https://github.com/thiagoralves/OpenPLC_v3.git +cd OpenPLC_v3 +./install.sh +``` + +### Option 3: Hybrid Approach (Recommended) + +**Strategy:** +- **Tier 1 (Dev/Simulation)**: Use OpenPLC ($0 cost) +- **Tier 2 (Virtual Commissioning)**: OpenPLC or CODESYS based on needs +- **Tier 3 (Production)**: CODESYS for critical, OpenPLC for monitoring + +**Benefits:** +- Maximize margins on lower tiers +- Offer upgrade path to certified solution +- Customer choice based on requirements +- Flexibility for different industries + +--- + +## SCADA/HMI Software Stack + +### Option 1: Node-RED (Recommended for Most) + +**Overview:** +- Visual programming / flow-based development +- Low-code platform +- Extensive plugin ecosystem +- Built-in web dashboard + +**Pricing:** $0 (Apache 2.0 license) + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Zero cost +- ✅ Very fast development +- ✅ Customer can see/modify flows +- ✅ Modern web interface +- ✅ Integrates with everything (MQTT, Modbus, OPC-UA) +- ✅ Built-in dashboard creator + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Not "industrial" looking (can be styled) +- ❌ Limited real-time capabilities +- ❌ No built-in alarming (add custom) + +**Best For:** +- 80% of customers +- Quick deployments +- Budget-conscious clients +- Monitoring applications + +**Key Plugins:** +``` +node-red-contrib-modbus # Modbus TCP/RTU +node-red-contrib-opcua # OPC UA client +node-red-contrib-s7 # Siemens S7 +node-red-dashboard # UI widgets +node-red-contrib-influxdb # Database +``` + +**Installation:** +```bash +sudo apt update +sudo apt install nodejs npm +sudo npm install -g node-red +sudo npm install -g pm2 +pm2 start node-red +pm2 save +pm2 startup +``` + +### Option 2: RapidSCADA (Professional) + +**Overview:** +- Full-featured open-source SCADA +- Modular architecture +- Industrial-grade alarming +- Built-in historian + +**Pricing:** $0 (Apache 2.0 license) + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Professional appearance +- ✅ Industrial features (alarming, trending, reporting) +- ✅ Multi-user access control +- ✅ Scalable architecture +- ✅ Looks like "real" SCADA + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Steeper learning curve +- ❌ More complex to deploy +- ❌ Slower development vs Node-RED + +**Best For:** +- Enterprise customers +- Complex processes +- Need professional appearance +- Regulated industries + +**Installation:** +```bash +wget rapidscada.org/download/rapidscada-installer.run +chmod +x rapidscada-installer.run +sudo ./rapidscada-installer.run +``` + +### Option 3: Grafana (Visualization Layer) + +**Overview:** +- Modern dashboarding platform +- Time-series visualization +- Alerting capabilities +- Multi-datasource support + +**Pricing:** $0 (AGPL license) + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Beautiful, modern UI +- ✅ Customers often familiar with it +- ✅ Excellent time-series visualization +- ✅ Built-in alerting +- ✅ Mobile-friendly + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Not a control interface (monitoring only) +- ❌ Limited HMI-style features +- ❌ Requires separate data source + +**Best For:** +- Dashboard/visualization layer +- Monitoring applications +- Analytics and trending +- Management reporting + +**Stack:** Grafana + InfluxDB + MQTT + +--- + +## Complete Software Stack Options + +### Stack A: "The Lightweight Solution" ($0 software cost) + +**Target:** 80% of customers, quick deployments + +**Components:** +``` +OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS +Container: LXC +PLC: OpenPLC (if needed) +HMI: Node-RED Dashboard +Visualization: Grafana +Database: InfluxDB +MQTT Broker: Mosquitto +Protocols: Modbus, OPC-UA (via Node-RED) +``` + +**Development Time:** 1-2 days to build custom HMI + +**Best For:** +- Quick deployments +- Simple monitoring +- Budget-conscious customers +- Non-safety-critical applications + +**Gross Margin:** 98%+ (only server costs) + +--- + +### Stack B: "The Professional Solution" ($380/year per customer) + +**Target:** Premium customers, regulated industries + +**Components:** +``` +OS: Ubuntu 24.04 LTS + RT-PREEMPT kernel +Container: LXC +PLC: CODESYS Virtual Control +HMI: RapidSCADA +Visualization: Grafana +Database: PostgreSQL + InfluxDB +MQTT Broker: Mosquitto +Protocols: All major industrial protocols +``` + +**Development Time:** 3-5 days initial setup, then reusable templates + +**Best For:** +- Professional installations +- Complex processes +- Need enterprise features +- Regulated industries + +**Gross Margin:** ~90% (server + CODESYS licensing) + +--- + +### Stack C: "The All-in-One Solution" ($0 software cost) + +**Target:** Machine builders, OEMs, motion control + +**Components:** +``` +OS: Debian 11 +All-in-One: Beremiz (PLC + HMI combined) +Database: Built-in +Visualization: Built-in SVG editor +Protocols: Modbus, CANopen, EtherCAT +``` + +**Development Time:** 2-3 days learning curve, then fast + +**Best For:** +- Machine builders +- Need tight PLC/HMI integration +- Motion control applications +- All-in-one simplicity + +**Gross Margin:** 98%+ (only server costs) + +--- + +## Edge Hardware Options (Customer Site) + +### Option 1: Raspberry Pi (Not Recommended) + +**Price:** $35-75 + +**Pros:** +- Very cheap +- Large community +- Easy to get started + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Unreliable (SD card failures) +- ❌ Not industrial-grade +- ❌ Power supply issues +- ❌ Limited I/O without expansion +- ❌ Support nightmare + +**Verdict:** Too unreliable for production deployments + +--- + +### Option 2: Industrial Mini PC (**RECOMMENDED**) + +**Examples:** +- Protectli Vault +- Qotom Mini PC +- Topton industrial PC + +**Price:** $110-250 + +**Specs:** +- Intel Celeron/Core i3/i5 +- 4-8GB RAM +- 128-256GB SSD (not SD card!) +- Multiple Ethernet ports +- Fanless (no moving parts) +- Wide temperature range +- DIN rail mountable + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Reliable (SSD, no SD card) +- ✅ Affordable +- ✅ Industrial-grade +- ✅ Fanless (no fan failures) +- ✅ Professional appearance +- ✅ x86 compatible (run anything) + +**Cons:** +- More expensive than Raspberry Pi +- Requires power brick + +**Verdict:** **Sweet spot for edge deployments** + +--- + +### Option 3: Certified Industrial PC + +**Examples:** +- Advantech +- Siemens SIMATIC IPC +- Beckhoff + +**Price:** $400-1,500+ + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Fully certified +- ✅ Long product lifecycle +- ✅ Industrial certifications +- ✅ Warranty and support + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Expensive +- ❌ Overkill for many applications + +**Best For:** +- Enterprise tier customers +- Regulated industries +- Safety-critical applications + +--- + +## HMI Display Options + +### Option 1: No Display (Web-Based) + +**Cost:** $0 + +**Approach:** +- Operators use tablets/phones/PCs +- Access via web browser (HTTPS) +- Responsive design + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Zero hardware cost +- ✅ BYOD (bring your own device) +- ✅ Flexible (any device works) +- ✅ Modern approach + +**Best For:** +- Remote monitoring +- Mobile workforce +- Cost-sensitive deployments + +--- + +### Option 2: 7" Budget Touchscreen + +**Examples:** +- Raspberry Pi Official 7" Touch +- Generic 7" HDMI touch displays + +**Price:** $50-80 + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Affordable +- ✅ Compact +- ✅ Touch interface +- ✅ Good for simple HMI + +**Cons:** +- ❌ Not industrial-grade +- ❌ Limited viewing angles +- ❌ Not bright enough for direct sunlight + +**Best For:** +- Indoor use +- Simple interfaces +- Budget deployments + +--- + +### Option 3: 10" Industrial Touchscreen + +**Examples:** +- Industrial panel PCs with touch +- Industrial-grade displays + +**Price:** $200-400 + +**Pros:** +- ✅ Professional appearance +- ✅ Industrial certifications +- ✅ Bright display +- ✅ Wide viewing angles +- ✅ Rugged construction + +**Best For:** +- Professional installations +- Factory floor use +- Enterprise customers + +--- + +### Option 4: Wireless Display (Bluetooth/WiFi) + +**Cost:** $0 (use existing displays) + +**Approach:** +- Connect edge device to existing monitors/TVs via HDMI +- Or use wireless screen sharing +- Operators can mirror to phones/tablets + +**Best For:** +- Facilities with existing displays +- Flexible deployment +- Cost optimization + +--- + +## Data Flow Architecture + +### Edge to Cloud Data Pipeline + +``` +Customer Site (Edge): + PLC → Node-RED → MQTT (local edge device) + ↓ + (Over VPN or direct connection) + ↓ +GTHost Server (Cloud): + MQTT Broker → InfluxDB → Grafana + ↓ + Alert Engine → Email/SMS +``` + +### Multi-Tenant Network Architecture + +``` +Internet + ↓ +Caddy Reverse Proxy (TLS termination) + ↓ +LXC Bridge (internal network) + ├── Customer 1 Container (192.168.100.10) + ├── Customer 2 Container (192.168.100.11) + ├── Customer 3 Container (192.168.100.12) + └── ... +``` + +### Subdomain Structure + +- customer1.yourdomain.com → Grafana dashboard +- customer2.yourdomain.com → Grafana dashboard +- mqtt.yourdomain.com → MQTT broker (port per customer) + +--- + +## Protocol Support + +### OT Protocols (Industrial) + +**Native Support:** +- Modbus TCP/RTU +- OPC UA +- Siemens S7 (via Snap7) +- EtherNet/IP (Allen-Bradley) +- BACnet (building automation) +- Profinet (via OPC UA gateway) + +**Via Node-RED Plugins:** +``` +node-red-contrib-modbus # Modbus +node-red-contrib-opcua # OPC UA +node-red-contrib-s7 # Siemens +node-red-contrib-bacnet # BACnet +``` + +### IT Protocols (Integration) + +- MQTT (primary message bus) +- HTTP/REST APIs +- HTTPS for dashboards +- SMTP for email alerts +- Webhooks for integrations + +--- + +## Security Architecture + +### Server Hardening + +**Required:** +- [ ] Disable root login (SSH key only) +- [ ] Fail2ban configured +- [ ] UFW firewall (only necessary ports) +- [ ] Automated security updates +- [ ] Regular security audits (quarterly) + +### Application Security + +**Required:** +- [ ] TLS/SSL everywhere (Let's Encrypt) +- [ ] Strong passwords (generated, stored in 1Password) +- [ ] API keys rotated (quarterly) +- [ ] Container isolation verified +- [ ] Database encryption at rest + +### Network Security + +**Edge to Cloud:** +- VPN access for edge devices (WireGuard) +- Optional: Direct connection over TLS/MQTT +- Firewall rules (only necessary ports) +- Certificate-based authentication + +--- + +## Backup & Disaster Recovery + +### Backup Strategy + +**Automated Daily Backups (3am UTC):** +- Retention: 7 daily, 4 weekly, 12 monthly +- Storage: GTHost server + offsite (Wasabi/Backblaze B2) +- Encrypted with GPG +- Automated restore testing (monthly) + +**What's Backed Up:** +- All customer containers (LXC snapshots) +- Databases (InfluxDB, PostgreSQL) +- Configuration files +- Dashboard definitions +- SSL certificates + +### Disaster Recovery + +**Targets:** +- RTO (Recovery Time Objective): 4 hours +- RPO (Recovery Point Objective): 24 hours +- Documented restoration procedure +- Annual DR test + +--- + +## Monitoring & Alerting + +### Server Monitoring + +**Internal Stack:** +- Prometheus + Grafana (internal monitoring) +- Alerts: CPU >80%, RAM >80%, Disk >85% +- UptimeRobot (external monitoring) +- Optional: PagerDuty for critical alerts + +**Metrics:** +- Per-container resource usage +- MQTT connection status +- InfluxDB query performance +- Grafana dashboard access logs + +### Customer Monitoring + +**Per-Customer Dashboards:** +- Edge device connectivity status +- Data collection rates +- Alert history +- System health metrics + +--- + +## Deployment Process + +### Customer Onboarding Flow + +**Phase 1: Planning (Week 1)** +1. Discovery call (understand needs) +2. Site assessment (protocols, I/O requirements) +3. Quote and proposal +4. Contract signing + +**Phase 2: Setup (Week 2)** +1. Provision LXC container +2. Configure subdomain and SSL +3. Build custom dashboards +4. Integration testing + +**Phase 3: Edge Deployment (Week 3)** +1. Ship pre-configured edge device +2. Customer installs (plug & play) +3. VPN connection establishes +4. Data begins flowing + +**Phase 4: Training & Go-Live (Week 4)** +1. Remote training session +2. Documentation handoff +3. Go live +4. 30-day monitoring period + +**Total Time:** ~1 month per customer + +--- + +## Development Workflow + +### Local Development + +**Workstation Setup:** +- Ubuntu 22.04 or macOS +- Docker Desktop (for testing containers) +- VS Code with extensions: + - Python + - Docker + - YAML + - Grafana dashboards + +**Testing Environment:** +- Local LXC or Docker setup +- Simulated PLC data (Node-RED) +- Small InfluxDB + Grafana instance + +### CI/CD Pipeline (Future) + +**Source Control:** +- Git (self-hosted Gitea or GitHub) +- Branches: main, development, customer-specific + +**Automation:** +- Gitea Actions or GitHub Actions +- Automated testing on push +- Deployment scripts (Ansible) + +**Deployment Process (Manual Initially):** +1. Test in local environment +2. Deploy to staging container +3. Validate with test data +4. Deploy to production +5. Monitor for issues + +--- + +## Architecture Comparison: ZLH vs Industrial + +### Code Reuse: 70% + +**What's SHARED between platforms:** + +``` +✅ LXC container orchestration +✅ User authentication/authorization +✅ API infrastructure +✅ Billing/payment processing (Stripe) +✅ Resource monitoring/logging +✅ Database layer +✅ Web UI framework +``` + +**What's DIFFERENT:** + +``` +Gaming-Specific: +- Game server templates (Minecraft, Rust, etc.) +- Steam integration +- Gaming-specific metrics + +Industrial-Specific: +- CODESYS/OpenPLC runtime +- Industrial protocols (Modbus, OPC-UA) +- SCADA visualization (Grafana dashboards) +- Alarm management +``` + +### Development Strategy + +1. ZLH is 85% done → Finish core platform +2. Industrial platform: Fork ZLH codebase +3. Swap gaming logic for industrial modules +4. Reuse: API, auth, billing, monitoring, container orchestration +5. Add: PLC runtime, protocol handlers, SCADA dashboards + +**Estimated Development Time:** 2-3 months to MVP (leveraging ZLH foundation) + +--- + +## Cost Analysis + +### Per-Customer Economics + +**Lightweight Stack (OpenPLC + Node-RED):** + +**Customer Pays:** $2,000/month + +**Your Costs:** +- Server allocation: $20-30/month (1/10th of server) +- Software licenses: $0 +- Support time: ~5 hours/month @ $50/hour = $250 +- Total Cost: ~$280/month + +**Gross Profit:** $1,720/month per customer (86% margin) + +**Premium Stack (CODESYS + RapidSCADA):** + +**Customer Pays:** $4,000/month + +**Your Costs:** +- Server allocation: $30-40/month +- CODESYS license: $32/month (€350/year) +- Support time: ~8 hours/month @ $50/hour = $400 +- Total Cost: ~$470/month + +**Gross Profit:** $3,530/month per customer (88% margin) + +### Scaling Economics + +**At 5 Customers (Breakeven/Early Stage):** +- Revenue: $10,000-20,000/month +- Server Costs: $300/month (1 server) +- Software: $0-160/month +- Support: 25-40 hours/month +- **Net Profit:** $8,000-15,000/month + +**At 10 Customers (Sustainable):** +- Revenue: $20,000-40,000/month +- Server Costs: $600/month (2 servers) +- Software: $0-320/month +- Support: 50-80 hours/month +- **Net Profit:** $15,000-30,000/month + +--- + +## Technology Decision Matrix + +### When to Use What + +**OpenPLC:** +- ✅ Development/testing environments +- ✅ Non-safety-critical monitoring +- ✅ Budget-conscious customers +- ✅ Custom applications + +**CODESYS:** +- ✅ Production control systems +- ✅ Regulated industries +- ✅ Customer requires certifications +- ✅ Premium tier customers + +**Node-RED:** +- ✅ 80% of HMI needs +- ✅ Quick deployments +- ✅ Modern customers +- ✅ Rapid prototyping + +**RapidSCADA:** +- ✅ Traditional industrial customers +- ✅ Complex alarming requirements +- ✅ Need "professional" appearance +- ✅ Multi-user access control + +**Grafana:** +- ✅ Always include for visualization +- ✅ Management reporting +- ✅ Time-series analytics +- ✅ Mobile access + +--- + +## Implementation Roadmap + +### Phase 1: Foundation (Month 1-2) + +**Objective:** Get first pilot customer live + +1. **Week 1-2:** Infrastructure setup + - Provision GTHost server + - Install Ubuntu + LXC + - Configure networking and security + - Set up monitoring + +2. **Week 3-4:** Software stack deployment + - Deploy OpenPLC + Node-RED stack + - Build first customer container template + - Create reusable dashboards + - Integration testing + +3. **Week 5-6:** Pilot customer + - Onboard first customer + - Deploy edge hardware + - Configure data collection + - Training and go-live + +4. **Week 7-8:** Refinement + - Document learnings + - Refine templates + - Improve automation + - Prepare for scale + +### Phase 2: Scaling (Month 3-6) + +**Objective:** Reach 5 customers, validate business model + +1. **Add customers 2-5** +2. **Optimize deployment process** +3. **Build library of templates** +4. **Improve monitoring and alerting** +5. **Add CODESYS option for premium tier** + +### Phase 3: Growth (Month 7-12) + +**Objective:** Scale to 10+ customers, achieve $25k+ MRR + +1. **Hire first contractor** (part-time technical support) +2. **Add second server** (geographic redundancy) +3. **Implement CI/CD pipeline** +4. **Build customer self-service portal** +5. **Expand protocol support** + +--- + +## Key Technical Decisions + +### Decision 1: LXC vs Docker + +**Chosen:** LXC for platform, Docker for customer edge + +**Rationale:** +- LXC: Lower overhead, proven from ZLH, better for long-running services +- Docker: Easier for customers to maintain on edge devices + +### Decision 2: OpenPLC vs CODESYS + +**Chosen:** Hybrid approach (both) + +**Rationale:** +- OpenPLC: $0 cost, maximum margins, sufficient for 70% of use cases +- CODESYS: Premium option for customers needing certifications +- Flexibility to match customer requirements and budget + +### Decision 3: GTHost vs AWS/Azure + +**Chosen:** GTHost dedicated servers + +**Rationale:** +- No AWS conflict with employer +- Bare metal performance (real-time capable) +- Predictable costs +- Month-to-month flexibility +- Can add GPU for future AI features + +### Decision 4: Edge Hardware + +**Chosen:** Industrial Mini PCs ($110-250) + +**Rationale:** +- Reliable (SSD, no SD card failures like Pi) +- Affordable (vs $400+ industrial PCs) +- Professional appearance +- x86 compatible (maximum flexibility) + +--- + +## Risk Mitigation + +### Technical Risks + +**Risk:** Container escape/isolation breach +**Mitigation:** +- Regular security updates +- Container resource limits enforced +- Monitoring for unusual activity +- Separate network namespaces + +**Risk:** Data loss +**Mitigation:** +- Automated daily backups +- Offsite backup storage +- Monthly restore testing +- 7-day retention minimum + +**Risk:** Real-time performance issues +**Mitigation:** +- Bare metal servers (no nested virtualization) +- LXC vs Docker (lower overhead) +- RT-PREEMPT kernel option +- Edge processing (time-critical at edge, not cloud) + +### Business Risks + +**Risk:** Customer churn +**Mitigation:** +- High-touch onboarding +- Excellent support +- Sticky data (historical trends) +- Annual contracts for discount + +**Risk:** Support burden +**Mitigation:** +- Excellent documentation +- Self-service portal +- Automated monitoring +- Hire contractors for overflow + +--- + +## Success Metrics + +### Technical KPIs + +- Container provisioning time: <15 minutes +- Data collection uptime: >99.5% +- Dashboard load time: <2 seconds +- Backup success rate: 100% +- Security incidents: 0 + +### Business KPIs + +- Customer acquisition cost: <$500 +- Gross margin: >85% +- Monthly recurring revenue: $25k by month 12 +- Customer churn: <10% annually +- Net Promoter Score: >50 + +--- + +## Next Steps + +### Immediate Actions (Week 1) + +1. [ ] Provision GTHost trial server ($5/day) +2. [ ] Install Ubuntu + LXC +3. [ ] Deploy OpenPLC + Node-RED stack +4. [ ] Build first dashboard template +5. [ ] Test with simulated PLC data + +### Short-Term (Month 1) + +1. [ ] Purchase industrial mini PC for testing +2. [ ] Build complete customer container template +3. [ ] Create customer onboarding checklist +4. [ ] Identify 3-5 potential pilot customers +5. [ ] Prepare pricing and proposal templates + +### Medium-Term (Month 2-3) + +1. [ ] Onboard first pilot customer +2. [ ] Document complete deployment process +3. [ ] Refine templates based on pilot feedback +4. [ ] Build customer self-service portal +5. [ ] Begin marketing to reach next 4 customers + +--- + +*Last Updated: December 2025* \ No newline at end of file