an industrial control system includes a central controller having a memory containing programmable data including operating programs for operating the controller , control program for controlling an industrial process , and configuration data configuring values used by the operating program and control program . the central controller is designed to control multiple devices also having memory holding programmable data including operating programs and configuration data . a program is executable by the central controller that causes the central controller to identify memories distributed through the industrial control system having programmable data and collect the programmable data from the memories . accordingly , the collected programmable data may be used to substantially recreate operation of the industrial control system in a second industrial control system having another central controller substantially identical to the industrial controller and multiple devices connected to the central controller .