Ignition by Inductive Automation

Ignition by Inductive Automation is a universal industrial automation platform designed to connect all your data, design industrial applications, and deploy them throughout an enterprise without limits. Founded in 2003 by Steve Hechtman, a systems integrator frustrated by traditional SCADA limitations, Ignition has become one of the most widely adopted modern SCADA platforms.

The platform's revolutionary unlimited licensing model means you pay per server, not per tag, client, or connection. This enables organizations to scale from single-site installations to enterprise-wide deployments without worrying about licensing costs.

Core capabilities

SCADA and HMI

Ignition provides comprehensive supervisory control and data acquisition capabilities with powerful visualization tools. The platform includes two visualization modules:

• Vision Module: For plant-floor and desktop screens with rich, web-deployed clients
• Perspective Module: For mobile-responsive HTML5 applications that run on any device

IIoT connectivity

Built-in support for modern IIoT protocols including MQTT and Sparkplug B enables seamless integration with edge devices and cloud platforms. The platform can function as both an MQTT client and server through Cirrus Link modules.

MES integration

Through partnerships with Sepasoft, Ignition extends into manufacturing execution systems, providing capabilities for production tracking, recipe management, OEE calculation, and electronic batch records.

Data management

• SQL Bridge Module: Bidirectional synchronization between OPC data and SQL databases
• Historian: High-performance time-series data storage with support for any SQL database
• Reporting: Dynamic, database-driven PDF report generation

Supported protocols and standards

Industrial protocols

• OPC UA (built-in server and client)
• Modbus TCP/RTU
• BACnet
• DNP3
• Siemens S7
• Allen-Bradley (EtherNet/IP, DF1)
• Omron
• Mitsubishi
• IEC 61850

IT standards

• SQL (Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, MySQL, MariaDB, PostgreSQL, IBM DB2)
• MQTT and Sparkplug B
• REST APIs
• WebSocket
• HTTP/HTTPS

Deployment options

Ignition supports multiple deployment architectures:

• On-Premise: Traditional server installation on Windows, Linux, or macOS
• Cloud: Available as Ignition Cloud Edition on AWS and Azure
• Edge: Ignition Edge for remote data collection and visualization
• Hybrid: Distributed architectures connecting edge, on-premise, and cloud

System requirements

• Operating Systems: Windows 10/11, Windows Server 2016/2019/2022/2025, Linux, macOS
• Clients: Any modern web browser, iOS, Android
• Hardware: Can run on PCs, laptops, servers, tablets, smartphones, and Raspberry Pi

Licensing model

Ignition uses a unique unlimited licensing model:

• Starting at $3,280 USD for the platform
• Unlimited clients, tags, screens, and connections
• Modular pricing - purchase only the modules you need
• Free trial available with 2-hour resettable timeout

Limitations

• Windows-optimized: While cross-platform, some features and drivers are more mature on Windows deployments
• Learning curve: The platform's extensive capabilities require significant training for full proficiency
• Module dependencies: Advanced functionality requires purchasing additional modules, which can increase total cost
• Historian performance: While functional, the built-in historian may not match specialized time-series databases for very high-frequency data logging
• Mobile limitations: Perspective mobile applications may have reduced functionality compared to desktop Vision clients
• Third-party driver costs: Some specialized PLC drivers require additional module purchases

Use cases

• Water/wastewater treatment SCADA systems
• Oil and gas production monitoring
• Food and beverage manufacturing
• Pharmaceutical batch processing
• Energy management and utilities
• Discrete manufacturing visualization