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Endress+Hauser Digital Solutions: Migration of a global IIoT platform
Concept Reply has supported Endress+Hauser in sharpening the cloud-based IIoT ecosystem Netilion technologically, strategically aligning it, and elevating it to a future-proof hosting environment.
#IIoT
#CloudMigration
#Azure
#ProcessIndustry
The challenge
Establish a globally growing IIoT platform on a scalable and cost-effective infrastructure – without jeopardizing ongoing operations.
The scenario
An IIoT ecosystem for the process industry at a turning point
With Netilion, Endress+Hauser operates a manufacturer-independent, cloud-based Industrial IoT ecosystem that connects the physical and digital worlds in process engineering. Through digital services such as Netilion Analytics, Health, Library, and Value, as well as FieldEdge components and the open REST/JSON API Netilion Connect, plant operators worldwide gain transparency over their installed base, diagnostic information of their field devices, and a digital twin of their plant – anytime, anywhere, and independent of the device manufacturer.
With the rapid growth of the platform and an increasing number of connected field devices and customer applications, fundamental questions have increasingly come to the forefront: Is the existing architecture sufficiently scalable, performant, and cost-effective? Does the chosen hosting environment still align with the strategic roadmap? Which technology components need to be modernized to reliably meet international requirements, regional regulations, and new use cases?
The solution
A scalable and
cost-effective infrastructure
Architecture-Assessment
Environment-Evaluation
Cloud-Migration
As a first step, Concept Reply conducted a technical and architectural assessment of the Netilion platform. The assessment focused on performance, scalability, flexibility, cost efficiency, and the long-term viability of the technology stack in use. During agile, face-to-face workshops with Endress+Hauser’s technical experts, the relevant system components were identified and prioritized, aligned with stakeholders at all levels, and evaluated against both the platform’s internal and external objectives. The result was a well-founded high-level analysis of the system architecture and a clear understanding of the components with the greatest optimization potential.
Building on the assessment, the next step was the Hosting Environment Evaluation. Concept Reply conducted a detailed analysis and comparison of the technical, infrastructure, and commercial aspects of the relevant hosting options for the future platform setup—particularly AWS, Microsoft Azure, and Heroku, where Netilion had previously been hosted. The evaluation considered scalability and flexibility requirements, regional availability, existing contractual arrangements, migration scenarios, and budget objectives. The outcome was a management summary containing reliable financial KPIs and a decision matrix that combined technical, commercial, operational, and strategic criteria.
Based on these findings, Microsoft Azure was selected as the future hosting platform. In the third phase, Concept Reply supported the migration from Heroku to Microsoft Azure, carrying out the operational implementation of the previously made strategic decision.
How we achieved this
Migration without Standstill
The central promise of migration: For the users of Netilion – asset operators in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, water/wastewater, and oil & gas – nothing should change. Existing integrations via Netilion Connect, connected FieldEdge devices, and all other connected digital services had to continue without interruption.
Concept Reply, together with the engineering teams from Endress+Hauser, adopted a gradual, low-risk migration approach.
The platform's workloads have been migrated to Azure-native components, the architecture has been adapted to the capabilities of the new cloud provider, and the data flows between field devices, FieldEdge components, and cloud services have been reorchestrated – without changing the externally exposed APIs. In this way, the interfaces for customers, partner apps, and third-party systems remained stable, while in the background the entire platform was placed on a new technical foundation. Accompanying topics such as security, compliance, cost governance, and monitoring of the platform were consistently integrated into the target architecture to secure investments in Azure in the long term.
"The migration is a complete success. The projected savings from the analysis phase have been exceeded. We are very satisfied with the collaboration."
Ferdinand Gabelmann
General Manager,
Endress+Hause Digital Solutions Germany
The result
Ready for the next growth phase
With the migration to Microsoft Azure, Endress+Hauser operates its global IIoT ecosystem Netilion on an infrastructure that aligns with the company's strategic direction: scalable for an increasing number of users, flexible in the rollout of new digital services, transparent regarding costs and performance – and built entirely on the internationally recognized security standards of a modern cloud platform.
From the three consecutive projects – architecture assessment, hosting evaluation, and cloud migration – a robust collaboration has emerged between Endress+Hauser and Reply, combining technological depth with a clear focus on strategic and commercial goals. Netilion is thus not only technologically up to date but also organizationally ready to take the next steps in the digital transformation of the process industry.
The Endress+Hauser Group, based in Reinach (Switzerland), is a global leader in measurement and automation technology for process and laboratory measurement. The family-owned company comprises around 130 subsidiaries in over 50 countries, employs more than 18,000 staff, and generated a revenue of around 4 billion euros in 2025. With the IIoT ecosystem Netilion, Endress+Hauser is driving digitalization in industries such as chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, water and wastewater, oil & gas, and energy.
Concept Reply specializes in the development of AI and IoT technologies (AIoT) within the Reply Group. The experts implement end-to-end solutions for the transformation of companies in the automotive industry, manufacturing, and smart infrastructure. Concept Reply delivers software innovations to its clients along the entire value chain: from defining the AIoT strategy to implementation and deployment, all the way to operation.