Magazine | Issue 1 2025 The idea “We saw a clear trend toward virtualization across industries. The question was: how could we bring this trend to power grid operations in a way that truly adds value? The idea for the VBX was born from observing customer pain points – lugging physical devices around, managing hardware in increasingly virtualized environments – and wondering how we could simplify their lives. The potential for a software-based testing solution was too compelling to ignore.” Ali Abdulla, Regional Application Specialist, IEC 61850 and OT Cybersecurity Greenlights “From the start, we knew this was about meeting an existing need. Utilities and manufacturers are moving toward virtualized environments, and our testing tools must align with this shift. Customers didn’t just want innovation – they needed practical solutions that fit seamlessly into their evolving workflows. We also wanted to make the product as accessible as possible. That’s why we introduced a flexible subscription model that gave customers the freedom and flexibility to scale their usage up or down based on project needs.” Andreas Klien, Business Area Manager, Power Utility Communication Development “Adapting our testing tools for virtualization wasn’t straightforward. We had to ensure the VBX would perform reliably while maintaining the high standards of accuracy and functionality that our customers expect. It wasn’t just about making a virtual version of existing tools but rethinking how they could be integrated into digital environments. New collaborations within the company needed to be formed, and testing was rigorous and thorough. Those challenges ultimately pushed us to innovate in ways we hadn’t anticipated, with a final result that we’re genuinely proud of.” Jakob Birnbaumer, Technical Product Owner, Automation, Communication, and Control «Virtualization is the future.» «The need was already there.» «Every challenge was an opportunity in the end.» 17
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