FAQ

Frequently asked questions about Rhize.

Is an MDH like a kind of middleware?

It certainly does sit between source and consuming systems and it does transform data moving between them much like middleware.

An MDH though has a few more tricks up it’s sleeve:

• manufacturing native data model
• flexibility to respond to any request from a subscriber
• supports both real time and historic data
• complex multi-source payloads in a single transaction

Is an MDH cloud hosted or on-premise?

The Rhize MDH has been designed and developed from the ground up to support global manufacturing. And that means one thing above all else.

Flexibility is paramount.

• ✓ Public or private cloud? Sure thing
• ✓ On-premise, even behind a DMZ? Of course
• ✓ Hybrid model to support multi-site deployments? Absolutely

What existing systems does an MDH replace?

The primary functions of an MDH are as a data hub - a central, semantic, context rich operations history; and as an orchestrator - moving data between systems automatically on event.

In performing these functions, all existing systems are retained and connected to the MDH as sources and/or consumers.

The MDH also supports application development, in which case existing applications may be augmented or replaced entirely.

What size/type of manufacturers use and MDH?

While there is no ’typical’ manufacturer using our MDH, most commonly they have either a significant number of sites, a lot of complexity, or both.

Double or triple digit numbers of sites is not uncommon. Though some complex industries may have only a few sites, yet with critical importance around the data traceability across those sites that the digital threads within the MDH’s knowledge graph create.

How much of ISA-95 is modelled in the MDH?

While there are many manufacturing software products out there stating they are based on ISA-95, almost without fail, they model only the equipment hierarchy and nothing more.

The Rhize MDH? When we say we model all of ISA-95. We mean it.

Every entity. Every relationship. Out of the box. All of the resources and processes to model your entire manufacturing operations, spanning production, quality, inventory and maintenance.

How is an MDH licensed?

Far too many manufacturers find out all too late that the software they purchased came with all sorts of limitations.

Data limits, user limits, connection limits. Extra to access the API, often at a very high additional cost, etc etc.

Here at Rhize, we make licensing straight forward. One license per site. Full access. No add-ons. No caps.

Have lots of sites? We have enterprise licensing as well.

How does an MDH get implemented?

Build it yourself - Your team, leveraging the tools they already use, build directly on the documented API.

Build it with Rhize - Forward-deployed engineers work alongside your team to get your applications live.

Build it with your partner - Our engineers work with your systems integrator or implementation partner.