PCS7 update v8.2 to v9.0 benefits

Hello everyone!

We have a plant where all automation is based on417-5H with PCS 7 software v8.2. Also we have OS stations with SOFTNET-IE S7 REDCONNECT V8.2. Now my factory is building additional facilities which are going to have automation based on 410H withPCS 7 software v9.0. Do I need update the old facilities from v8.2 to v9.0? I see that if I want to update this, I need additional licenses for OS (6ES7652-5BX58-0YE0, 6GK1704-0HB00-3AE0) and a license for ES (6ES7651-5AX58-0YE5). These two facilities are going to be quite independent except common ES and one OS station which gets data from both old and new OS stations. What benefits my company will get if we updated all old PCS7 OS and ES from v8.2 to v9.2?

Dear neur0b0t, 

V8.2 to V9.0, I personally used both of the version before. 

V9.0 onward, they improved a lot on the profinet related, Plant Automation Accelerator, fix some bugs, etc. But I am not using V9.0 new function during the engineering. I am still using the old way. It is good to always keep everything up to date, but my personal view is, if you did not face any issue on your software, please remain the same. V8.2 and V9.0 SP2 are just one step away. 

If you have window XP, Window 7, PCS 7 V7.X, yes, certainly you need a migration immediately to the latest version as the system is obsolete. But for V8.2, i believe you are using window server 2008/2012, I think it is still fine. 

But if your plant has cybersecurity requirement, please consider upgrade system to Window Server 2016, Window 10. Then you can do better by update the window to the latest approved window security patches. 

PCS7 V9.1 is coming soon. the longer you wait, the higher version you get. 

You should take times to review your system whether utilizing the maximum benefit of V8.2 or not. One approach is not to upgrade the system blindly, you can check the compendium A,B,C,D,E,F, to see which requirement you wanna fulfil, then proceed to upgrade your system.