Deploying Geo SCADA on AWS: Hosting ClearSCADA on EC2 for Remote Operations

Quick Answer

Geo SCADA Expert can be hosted on Amazon Web Services using EC2 instances running Windows Server, following the same sizing and instance-based licensing model as an on-premise deployment. AWS-hosted SCADA typically uses a hub-and-spoke architecture: edge gateways at remote sites connect field devices and forward data over secure links — a site-to-site VPN or AWS Direct Connect — to the Geo SCADA server running in the cloud, with multi-AZ design for redundancy. Confirm current licensing mechanics with Schneider Electric before building.

When AWS Makes Sense

AWS is a strong fit when your organization already runs workloads there, when you want managed networking and identity services around the SCADA estate, or when you are integrating SCADA data with cloud analytics and historian data lakes. The energy industry in particular has moved supervisory layers to AWS while keeping device-level control at the edge. For the broader decision, see our cloud vs on-premise comparison and the hosting options overview.

Reference Architecture on AWS

• Geo SCADA server on EC2 (Windows Server), sized to your database object count and historian load.
• Standby instance in a second Availability Zone to provide redundancy across independent failure domains.
• Virtual ViewX web server on a separate EC2 instance behind IIS for client access.
• Edge gateways at remote sites that terminate field protocols (DNP3, Modbus) locally and forward data northbound, buffering during connectivity loss.
• Secure connectivity via redundant VPN tunnels or AWS Direct Connect so devices never reach the server over the open internet.
• EBS volumes tiered for OS, configuration database, historian, and event journal, using high-performance volumes where the historian demands it.

Sizing EC2 Instances

As with Azure, EC2 sizing is governed by Geo SCADA's recommended server configuration for your object count, point volume, historian throughput, and client load — not by a one-size spec. Translate Schneider's recommended CPU, memory, and disk into an equivalent EC2 instance family and EBS configuration, and aggregate requirements if you consolidate multiple servers. Pair good disk choices with the tuning in our historian optimization guide.

Licensing on AWS

Licensing is instance-based and works the same way it does in any virtual or cloud environment: a license per running Geo SCADA Expert and Virtual ViewX instance, and for soft-key licenses, pinning the instance to a fixed MAC address and system disk identifier. Redundant pairs require a license per running instance. Verify the exact, current requirements with Schneider Electric and have license files reissued for the new machine identifiers before cutover.

Connectivity, Latency, and Edge Buffering

Moving the supervisory server to AWS means remote sites depend on the wide-area link. Design for resilience: redundant connectivity paths, generous and well-tuned protocol timeouts, and RTU/edge buffering so events queue locally and backfill when the link recovers — the same store-and-forward discipline that makes field SCADA reliable. Security of this connectivity is detailed in securing hosted Geo SCADA.

Operations Still Required

AWS removes hardware procurement, not administration. Patching, backup verification, and failover testing remain essential, and the maintenance cadence in our server maintenance checklist still applies. Many operators pair AWS hosting with managed services to cover these tasks.

Getting Help

NFM Consulting designs AWS-hosted Geo SCADA architectures and provides ongoing managed Geo SCADA support. Contact NFM Consulting to scope an AWS deployment for your remote operations.