A vibration data acquisition and analysis module is operable to be inserted directly into a distributed control system (DCS) I/O backplane, so that processed vibration parameters may be scanned directly by the DCS I/O controller. Because the process data and the vibration data are both being scanned by the same DCS I/O controller, there is no need to integrate numerical data, binary relay outputs, and analog overall vibration level outputs from a separate vibration monitoring system into the DCS. The system provides for: (1) directly acquiring vibration data by the DCS for machinery protection and predictive machinery health analysis; (2) direct integration of vibration information on DCS alarm screens; (3) acquisition and display of real time vibration data on operator screens; (4) using vibration data to detect abnormal situations associated with equipment failures; and (5) using vibration data directly in closed-loop control applications.