As MES Server Obsolescence Hits Semiconductor Fabs, CIMAC Introduces New Packaged Service Solution for MES Migration; Hewlett Packard Has Announced Dates When Support for Their Legacy Server Platforms Will No Longer Be Available; IT Departments Must Identify Viable Options to Deal with End of Support for These Server Platforms

CIMAC, a leading software service solutions provider, announced today that they are now offering a new MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) migration packaged service solution for semiconductor fabs with obsolete server platforms. These server platforms run the manufacturing control software that coordinates the movement and processing of material through the fab.

Hewlett-Packard (HP) has announced dates when support for their AlphaServer and HP PA-RISC 9000 Server platforms will no longer be available. This could effect up to 100 mostly 200mm fabs. Legacy MES software including WorkStream, PROMIS and FACTORYworks (Applied Materials) all have software versions that run on HP AlphaServers Open as well as HP 9000 Servers.

Best solution for semiconductor fabs

"The obsolescence of these server platforms presents a huge challenge to fab IT departments running legacy MES software," commented Yezala Abayneh, President & CEO of CIMAC. "Even though there are other solutions to this obsolescence problem, we believe that migration is the least risky and most cost effective for semiconductor manufacturers. Several of the other solutions could not meet the high reliability expectations of semiconductor fabs."

MES migration is the compilation and porting of the old MES source code and the data. CIMAC will develop a plan for each fab that will take the source code of the existing MES, including the customized code that almost every fab employs, and migrate it to a new server.

Each MES migration plan will be customized to the individual fab for its specific set of tools and resources. The packaged solution from CIMAC includes:

After deployment, performance testing will help CIMAC "fine tune" the migration with the fab IT department to optimize the MES. Migration can be performed while the fab is up and running with minimal disruption of manufacturing.

About CIMAC

CIMAC (pronounced See' mack) has been a leader in Factory Automation and MES (Manufacturing Execution Systems) solutions for the semiconductor industry over the last ten years. Founded in 1997 CIMAC engineers and program mangers are experts in the fields of Fab Connectivity & Control (FCC), Factory Software Systems (FSM), IT Services (ITS), Quality Assurance & ACM (QA) and Equipment Capability (ECM). www.cimac-us.com.