| CPC E21B 44/00 (2013.01) [G05B 19/05 (2013.01); G06Q 10/20 (2013.01); H04L 63/0272 (2013.01); H04L 63/029 (2013.01); G05B 2219/13125 (2013.01)] | 23 Claims |

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1. A system, comprising:
a first control system coupled to a plurality of network elements that define a drilling management network, wherein the first control system comprises one or more programmable logic controllers (PLCs) that perform a drilling operation;
a virtualization services manager coupled to the first control system and the plurality of network elements, wherein the virtualization services manager generates at least one virtualization service on a virtualization services layer of the drilling management network, wherein the at least one virtualization service controls the drilling operation, and wherein the at least one virtualization service comprises at least one of a virtual machine and a software container; and
a virtual connection controller coupled to the plurality of network elements, wherein the virtual connection controller is configured to receive an indication of whether the drilling operation is being performed, establish a virtual connection between the first control system and a user network upon confirmation that the drilling operation is not being performed, and disconnect the virtual connection upon confirmation that the that the drilling operation is not being performed.
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