Simulation system for a multi-node process control system

A simulation system 50 for creating a simulation instance to simulate the operation of nodes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 of a process control system 10, the control system 10 having a number of communicatively interconnected modules at each of the nodes 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 and a configuration for each node 12, 14, 16, 18, 20 stored in a configuration database 32. The simulation system includes a processor and a computer readable memory 52 which stores first and second routines 56, 57. In use, the first routine 56 enables a user to specify a node of the process control system 10 for which to create a simulation instance. The second routine 57 then creates a simulation instance for the specified node by accessing the configuration database 32, obtaining copies of the modules within the configuration of the specified node, storing copies of the modules in a simulation memory and automatically converting the copied modules into simulation modules. A method of obtaining a snapshot of a simulation system for a process control system is also disclosed.