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If you’re running Ignition deployments in manufacturing or automation environments, major platform updates present both risk and opportunity. This guide answers the key questions: what’s new in Ignition 8.3, why upgrading matters, and how to prepare your system so the transition is smooth and beneficial.

Key Takeaways

  • Ignition 8.3 offers major upgrades like historian modules, event streams, new drivers, better connectivity, and security improvements.
  • Upgrading proactively improves system performance, future scalability, and security, reducing risks tied to running outdated versions.
  • Preparing well – compatibility checks, staging, backup plans – is as important as the features themselves.
  • Teams who plan upgrades will be able to deliver better dashboards, faster responses, and get the full benefit of the platform’s enhancements.

What’s New in Ignition 8.3

Here are the standout features in Ignition 8.3:

  • Historian Module Suite
    A major upgrade: the built-in Historian Core and SQL Historian Modules give you powerful, out-of-the-box historian functionality. You can store more time-series data, integrate with external SQL databases, or use these new native modules for local performance.
  • Event Streams Module
    Simplifies handling events: tag changes, alarms, database events, or even Kafka topics. It lets you route, filter, and act on events without heavy custom scripting.
  • Gateway Improvements
    New gateway web UI with global search, better diagnostics, faster navigation, improved version control via Git, and stronger support for deploying via containers or orchestration.
  • More Drivers & Connectivity Enhancements
    Notably, Siemens S7+ driver support, symbolic access, enhanced OPC UA role support, and better tag data access. These make integrating machines and PLCs easier.
  • Security and Performance Upgrades
    Includes Open API/REST API improvements, secrets management, improved communication via updated RPC / Google Protobuf tech, store-and-forward enhancements, and performance gains in tag history retrieval.
  • Developer / UX Enhancements
    The Designer experience improves: vector graphics editing (SVG), offline Perspective forms that sync later, file-based storage for most configs/resources, better build/test/deploy workflows.

Why Ignition 8.3 Matters to Manufacturers

Upgrading to Ignition 8.3 isn’t just about staying current; it provides tangible business and technical advantages:

  • Improved Data Visibility & Insights
    With the new historian modules and event streams, you can collect more detailed operational data with less friction, enabling predictive maintenance, trend analysis, and better decision-making.
  • Reduced Operational Overhead
    With containerized deployment options, global search, enhanced diagnostics, and better version control, maintenance and updates become simpler. Less downtime, fewer surprises.
  • Stronger Security Posture
    Updated security tools and better access controls matter in manufacturing environments where OT security is increasingly critical.
  • Better Scalability & Flexibility
    Support for more drivers, improved connectivity, and the ability to handle larger amounts of data and devices mean systems can grow without performance bottlenecks.
  • Enhanced Developer Efficiency
    UX enhancements, offline capabilities, and better dev/test workflows help engineering teams deliver new screens, dashboards, and controls faster and with higher quality.
  • Future-Proofing
    Upgrading from older or deprecated versions avoids technical debt, aligns you with long-term support (LTS) schedules, and ensures compatibility with upcoming features or integrations.

How to Prepare for Upgrading to Ignition 8.3

Upgrades of this scale require planning. Here are the key steps:

  1. Audit Current System
    1. Inventory all modules, custom scripts, Vision or Perspective usage, drivers, and database integrations.
    2. Identify customized parts (custom tags, messages, UI components).
  2. Check Compatibility
    1. Ensure 8.3 supports all third-party or custom modules.
    2. Verify that existing drivers, OPC UA setups, and historians are able to migrate or map cleanly.
  3. Performance & Data Migration Planning
    1. Assess tag history and existing historian usage. Plan how to migrate or reconfigure historian data.
    2. Evaluate data retention and archiving strategy.
  4. Infrastructure Readiness
    1. Containerization or server architecture may need updates. If moving toward orchestration, plan for that.
    2. Ensure network, security, and gateway configurations are stable for the new version.
  5. Testing & Staging
    1. Use a staging environment to test the upgrade with your actual project(s).
    2. Test UI elements (Perspective and Vision), driver performance, event stream flows, and historical queries.
  6. Training & Governance
    1. Train the team on new features (event streams, gateway tools, new historian).
    2. Update operational documentation. Use change control so the upgrade doesn’t break existing panels or dashboards.

What versions should you upgrade from to jump to 8.3?

Best practice is to be on a supported LTS version. If still on Ignition 7.9 or earlier, first upgrade to Ignition 8.1 before moving to 8.3.

Upgrades to 8.1 Before Ignition 8.3

Looking at past upgrade projects, especially the move from Ignition 7.9 to 8.1, offers valuable lessons and use cases to inform your preparation for Ignition 8.3. Here are several real-world examples:

  • Life Sciences Manufacturer Use Case
    A client with a complex, heavily customized Ignition 7.9 deployment worked with NeoMatrix to upgrade to 8.1. They maintained their legacy Vision applications while modernizing UI/UX, improving reliability, and establishing a system architecture that supports future upgrades. This shows it’s possible to preserve existing investments while stepping up to newer framework versions.
  • Lindt & Sprüngli USA Use Case
    The manufacturer’s system had become unstable under the old architecture. Frequent crashes and maintenance issues were consuming time. Upgrading to 8.1 included implementing the Perspective module (browser/mobile UI), moving from Java-based Vision clients, and adopting multi-gateway architecture. As a result, they saw more stable operation, easier maintenance, and a system that scales for future releases like 8.3.

Next Steps

Ignition 8.3 is more than just incremental improvements, offering capabilities that can boost data performance, make integration easier, and secure your control systems for the future. For teams that upgrade with intention, the gains are measurable: enhanced insights, increased uptime, and more agility.

Ready to build a project plan to move to Ignition 8.3? NeoMatrix is a premier Ignition System Integrator and can assist with planning and executing the upgrade safely and efficiently. Contact Us to Get Started

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