A method for virtualization of a legacy Level 1 controller in a distributed control system, the controller being coupled to a network, the method comprising: translating at least one application source code file associated with a legacy controller (106, 114, 122, 130, 138) in a distributed control system to instructions executable by a controller simulation computing device (320, 800), wherein the legacy controller is associated with a legacy operating system and the controller simulation computing device is associated with a second operating system different from the legacy operating system, wherein translating the at least one application source code file further comprises: compiling the at least one application source code file into first assembly language instructions compatible with the legacy operating system; translating the first assembly language instructions into second assembly language instructions compatible with the second operating system performing endian correction on one or more big-endian constants in the at least one application source code file; assembling the second assembly language instructions into object code instructions compatible with the second operating system; simulating operation of the legacy controller using the instructions and an emulation of the legacy operating system in the controller simulation computing device; determining configuration data for the legacy controller during the simulated operation of the legacy controller; and saving the configuration data to a configuration data file. translating at least one application source code file associated with a legacy controller (106, 114, 122, 130, 138) in a distributed control system to instructions executable by a controller simulation computing device (320, 800), wherein the legacy controller is associated with a legacy operating system and the controller simulation computing device is associated with a second operating system different from the legacy operating system, wherein translating the at least one application source code file further comprises: compiling the at least one application source code file into first assembly language instructions compatible with the legacy operating system; translating the first assembly language instructions into second assembly language instructions compatible with the second operating system performing endian correction on one or more big-endian constants in the at least one application source code file; assembling the second assembly language instructions into object code instructions compatible with the second operating system; compiling the at least one application source code file into first assembly language instructions compatible with the legacy operating system; translating the first assembly language instructions into second assembly language instructions compatible with the second operating system performing endian correction on one or more big-endian constants in the at least one application source code file; assembling the second assembly language instructions into object code instructions compatible with the second operating system; simulating operation of the legacy controller using the instructions and an emulation of the legacy operating system in the controller simulation computing device; determining configuration data for the legacy controller during the simulated operation of the legacy controller; and saving the configuration data to a configuration data file.