TI 36J04A10-01E

TI 36J04A10-01E 7th Edition; June 12 2006-02

Technical

Information

TI 36J04A10-01E

Exaquantum

Plant Information

Management System Overview

Yokogawa Electric Corporation

2-9-32, Nakacho, Musashino-shi, Tokyo, 180-8750 Japan

Tel.: 81-422-52-6375 Fax.: 81-422-52-5994

TI 36J04A10-01E

©Copyright Apr 2006

8th Edition February 05 2007

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<Int> <Ind> <Rev> i

TI 36J04A10-01E 8th Edition; Feb 05 2007-00

Introduction

Exaquantum/PIMS (Plant Information Management System) provides business benefits

to users in the Hydrocarbons, Pulp & Paper, Power & Utilities, Chemicals and other

industries.

This Document

This technical information (TI 36J04A10-01E) document provides an overview of

Exaquantum by describing its standard features and system configurations. It is intended

for people who are planning to purchase or recommend a new Information Management

System.

Notes on This Document

The purpose of this document is not to warrant that Exaquantum is well suited to any

particular purpose, but rather to describe the functional details of Exaquantum.

No part of this document may be transferred or reproduced without prior written consent

from YOKOGAWA.

YOKOGAWA reserves the right to make improvements to this document and product at

any time, without notice or obligation.

For any questions, mistakes or omissions detected in this document, please contact a

Yokogawa sales representative.

The copyright of this document is reserved.

This document is protected from modification by PDF security, however printing is

allowed.

No part of this document may be transferred, sold, distributed (including delivery via a

commercial PC network or the like), or registered or recorded on other media.

Trademarks

Exaquantum, Exaopc and CENTUM are registered trademarks of Yokogawa Electric

Corporation.

Microsoft, Windows, Windows NT, Windows 2000, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003,

Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Office 2000, Microsoft Office XP, Microsoft

Office 2003, Microsoft Front Page, Microsoft .NET, Visual Basic, Visual C++, VBA, SQL

Server and ActiveX are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

Exaquantum installation includes Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Runtime as an Integrated

Value Added Solution.

All other company and product names mentioned in this document are trademarks or

registered trademarks of their respective companies.

TI 36J04A10-01E 8th Edition; Feb 05 2007-00

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TOC-1

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CONTENTS

Introduction...............................................................................................1

1. System Overview..............................................................................3

1.1 Benefits........................................................................................................4

1.2 System Components..................................................................................5

1.3 System Features.........................................................................................8

2. Real-time Database ........................................................................12

2.1 Organization and Structure .....................................................................12

2.2 Calculations and Aggregations...............................................................19

2.3 Additional Real-time Database Features................................................22

3. Historian..........................................................................................26

3.1 Historian Configuration............................................................................26

3.2 Historian Data Processing.......................................................................27

3.3 Archiving ...................................................................................................29

3.4 Historian Management Tool.....................................................................30

4. Management and Administration Tools .......................................32

4.1 System Administration Tools..................................................................34

4.2 Tag Configuration Tools ..........................................................................36

4.3 Database Management and Advanced Tools ........................................41

4.4 Help and Support......................................................................................44

4.5 System Tools for Administration............................................................45

4.6 Support Tools............................................................................................46

5. Exaquantum/Explorer ....................................................................49

5.1 General.......................................................................................................49

5.2 ActiveX Controls.......................................................................................51

5.3 Exaquantum/Explorer Infrastructure......................................................56

5.4 CS 1000/CS 3000 Graphics Conversion .................................................65

5.5 Excel Add-In ..............................................................................................66

5.6 Trend Analyze Window.............................................................................70

5.7 Trend Templates .......................................................................................73

6. Exaquantum/Web...........................................................................80

6.1 Benefits of the Web ..................................................................................80

6.2 Architectural Overview.............................................................................81

6.3 Scope of Supply........................................................................................82

6.4 Authoring Web Contents..........................................................................84

6.5 Deployment Options.................................................................................84

7. OLE DB Client.................................................................................86

7.1 OLE DB Client Tools.................................................................................86

7.2 Query Types ..............................................................................................87

7.3 OLE DB as a Programming Interface......................................................91

8. Exaquantum OPC Server...............................................................93

8.1 OPC Interface Compliance.......................................................................94

8.2 OPC Server applications..........................................................................95

9. Exaquantum APIs...........................................................................96

10. Deployment Options......................................................................98

10.1 Tested OPC Servers .................................................................................98

10.2 Platform Availability .................................................................................99

Exaquantum

Plant Information

Management System

TI 36J04A10-01E

Edition

TOC-2

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10.3 Exaquantum Deployment and Network Configuration ...................... 100

11. Glossary........................................................................................110

Revision Information............................................................................122

TI 36J04A10-01E 8th Edition; Feb 05 2007-00

1. System Overview

Exaquantum is a Plant Information Management System (PIMS) combined with a

powerful user interface and web application.

The operations within process-based industries are generally controlled by a

Process Control System (PCS). A PCS typically produces large amounts of data

that must be converted into information to facilitate management decisions and

optimize the operation of the plant. Exaquantum processes data from the various

systems within a plant, including the PCS, to deliver high-value business

information to all decision-makers throughout the organization.

This Technical Information document describes the functionality of Exaquantum.

It is described in enough detail to provide engineers with a concept of the product,

and provide adequate knowledge of Exaquantum so they know how users can

make best use of the product.

PCS, DCS, PLCs etc

Local Area Network

User PC User PC

Intranet

External Data:

ERP,

LIMS, etc

OLE DB,

ODBC, etc

Web client

TIC1-2

Web client

Exaquantum/Explorer

Exaquantum/PIMS

(Server)

Exaquantum/PIMS

(Server)

OPC Servers

Exaquantum/Web

PCS Interface

Administration Tools

Real Time Database

Historian

Long-term

Tags

A tag is the basic unit of the Exaquantum data structure. There are three distinct types of

tags in the system:

- Process tags where data is collected from or sent to an OPC server

- Calculation tags

- Manual entry tags for user entry or for 3

party packages to store their data such as

LIMS values.

A tag is configurable with settings categorized as:

- Type of tag: OPC, Calculated or Manual

- References (static information): Description, Engineering Units, Engineering Range

- Data type: integer, string, floating-point, etc.

- Nature of tag: continuous or discrete

- OPC settings: OPC update rate and percent deadband

- Historian notification rule: none, on-change or time (specific frequency)

- Calculation equation

- Which aggregations to perform.

A typical tag may consist of a number of items/tags, as shown below:

A Tag

Raw Item

Reference Item 1: Description (item)

Reference Item 2: Engineering Units (item)

Reference Item 3: Engineering Range (item)

Aggregation

Hourly (tag)

Monthly (tag)

Mean value (item)

Minimum value (item)

Maximum value (item)

Mean value (item)

Minimum value (item)

Maximum value (item)

Mean value (item)

Minimum value (item)

Maximum value (item)

TIC 2-2

Daily (tag)

Figure: Example Tag Data Structure

Since a tag’s elements are configurable, the complexity of the structure depends on the

definition. Whenever a tag is discussed without a detailed definition, a ‘standard

configuration’ is referred to. For example, Exaquantum performance is measured based

TI 36J04A10-01E 8th Edition; Feb 05 2007-00

on a standard configuration of tags. The following configuration is considered as this

standard:

A tag with ten (10) items:

- One raw item (such as .PV)

- Three reference items (Description, Engineering Units & Engineering Range)

- Six aggregation items (two aggregation periods (such as 1 hour and shift) x three

calculations for each (such as Minimum, Maximum and Mean)).

The tag name will appear as part of the access string for all items in the tag (see

‘Identifier’, below under ‘Items’).

A function block tag can be a ‘shortcut’. The intended use and characteristics of a shortcut

are as follows:

- The primary purpose of shortcuts is to allow a cascaded calculation expression. For

instance, if there is one input that needs a unit conversion (e.g. from flow to weight),

it can be made into a function block. If there is another calculation to sum up several

such weights, that can be another function block. In the latter case, do not reference

inputs (weight tags) by the full path name, as they may move from the original place

to another in the tag structure; this invalidates the expression. It is better to use a

shortcut as a replicating dummy tag within the sum function block expression. The

expression stays valid regardless of where tags are located. The assignment of real

tags to shortcuts can be managed far more easily as a configuration task than by

updating the expression.

- A shortcut is invalidated when the associated tag is deleted or moved. A tool is

available to list such invalid shortcuts in the server.

- A shortcut can reference all types of tags (OPC, Calculated or Manual)

- A shortcut is not counted as a licensed tag.

Items

The item is the smallest data-bearing component in the system. All items have a:

- Identifier

- Value

- Timestamp

- Quality code.

The Identifier is different in nature from value, timestamp and quality. It has no memory

allocated to it, as it is simply a name; the others have memory spaces allocated to store

their representation.

z Identifier

The Identifier is a string by which the subject item is addressed. It always starts from the

Root folder down to the subject of interest, each of elements being delimited by a dot (.).

These are typical identifiers:

- Raw item

Root.Folder.Tag.Value

- Reference item (Description in this example)

Root.Folder.Tag.Description

- Aggregation item (value)

Root.Folder.Tag.Aggregations.Hourly.Mean.Value

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z Value

Value is the fundamental item of a tag. It is the data source from which the value

originates that determines a tag’s type:

- OPC tag: the value comes from the PCS via the OPC server

- Calculated tag: the value is generated by the Exaquantum Calculation Engine

- Manual tag: the value comes from an external unsolicited source such as human

entry, ASCII file import, ODBC/OLE DB or other systems through the data access

API.

OPC data is transferred to Exaquantum in an event-driven way based on the configurable

update (scan) rate and percent deadband. The update rate is the minimum time between

updates. The percent deadband is specified as percentage of the engineering range

which the PCS data must go outside off before a data transfer to Exaquantum occurs.

All three types of tags can have aggregations. Unlike a tag’s original raw values, which

are event-driven in nature, aggregations are time-dependent, being available at the end of

the aggregation period, for example each hour, day or shift.

z Timestamp

The timestamp is used for assigning the value to history and aggregations, allowing them

to be sorted. It is therefore very important how a timestamp is assigned for values. The

source of the timestamp for each tag type is as follows:

- OPC tag timestamps are supplied by the OPC server or by Exaquantum. Whenever

time synchronization is implemented, it is recommended that OPC server time be

used, as this is the time that is closer to the source. However, when there are more

than one OPC servers that are not time-synchronized, Exaquantum time should be

considered.

- Calculated tag timestamps are assigned by Exaquantum when the calculation takes

place.

- Manual tag timestamps are assigned by the program that writes the value.

For example, the Tag Editor (an Exaquantum configuration tool) assigns the system

time at the point of update.

Exaquantum assigns to Aggregation items the timestamp of the aggregation period

Time synchronization between Exaquantum and the OPC server(s) is important because

the raw value timestamp is used in aggregation calculations that take place at

Exaquantum time.

Time resolution is always ‘seconds’, although the OPC specification defines a 100

nanoseconds resolution interface. Time is rounded to seconds because most client

programs are based on second precision, and therefore values with a finer time resolution

may cause confusion. For example, if a user shows a list of raw values, and performs a

summation with Excel, the summation will look incorrect because Excel rounds the times

to ‘second’ resolution. In this case, the calculated summation would be correct if the times

were not rounded to seconds. The preference, therefore, is to allow Excel (and other

similar tools) not to round the results.

Whenever the time resolution is of particular concern, for example the time of event

messages, Exaquantum does not round such time to seconds

Maximum and Minimum aggregations are time stamped at the point when the Maxima or Minima occur within an

aggregation period.

The second resolution is a client issue. The Exaquantum OPC client program rounds the time to seconds, VB

programming interface can handle only second resolution. The RTDB and Historian, however, deal with time in a file

time resolution (100 nanoseconds).

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z Quality

The quality code contains 32 bits of information. The lower 16 bits represent the OPC

status (Primary Quality); this status can be GOOD, UNCERTAIN, or BAD. The higher 16

bits represent a sub-status (Secondary Quality) that qualifies the OPC status.

How the status UNCERTAIN is interpreted, and hence used, is often vendor dependent.

Exaquantum applies the following policy:

“Uncertain state is the best guess of value”; this means that values can be used with an

understanding that it is not perfectly accurate.

Reflecting this policy, the interpretation of quality in an Exaquantum/Explorer trend is as

follows:

- Uncertain points are shown in the graph as GOOD points

- Uncertain-Shutdown points are treated as BAD, resulting in no graph beyond this

point.

There is an additional Primary Quality that is not OPC-related, but is associated with

Offline Tags. This is ASSUMED.

z Assigning Quality

The logic of assigning quality depends on the type of items:

- OPC tags inherit the quality code provided by the OPC server (except BAD-OPC err,

which is assigned by Exaquantum when the communication fails).

- Manual tags accept the source specification along with the value.

- Calculated tags – the default is determined as follows:

- If any source item is BAD, then the result is defaulted BAD

- If all of the source items have GOOD, then the result is defaulted GOOD

- In all other cases the result is defaulted UNCERTAIN.

The calculated tag code can explicitly override the normally default quality code. If an

error occurs while executing the expression, BAD is always assigned.

- Aggregation items

If all the input values within the period have GOOD quality, then the result is GOOD. If

the period of BAD quality exceeds a system-wide defined period (%GOOD period),

then the result is BAD. In other cases, the result is UNCERTAIN.

UNCERTAIN is a kind of GOOD in terms of calculating the %GOOD period. For example,

if all the values over an aggregation period are Uncertain, the resulting aggregation has a

quality code Uncertain, not Bad.

z Quality at Shutdown and Start-up

At shutdown and start-up, quality codes are allocated as follows:

- OPC tag. Uncertain-Shutdown is assigned. Soon after a subsequent start up, the

value is recovered by OPC value.

- Calculated tag. Uncertain-Shutdown is assigned. Soon after a subsequent start up,

the value is calculated and recovered.

- Manual tag. Preserved across the period when Exaquantum is shut down.

- Reference items. Preserved across the period when Exaquantum is shut down.

- Aggregation items. At a subsequent start up, the aggregation value is calculated

based on the values saved at the time of shutdown, with a special quality code of

Uncertain-Estimate. This potentially results in the correct value for the period

interrupted by the shutdown and BAD value for the entirely missed periods.

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z Quality of Data Restored by History Catch-up

History Catch-up is a function that restores raw, calculated and aggregation values which

would otherwise be lost. The system allows an option to read OPC server’s history

information at start up, and restore values. Quality codes are allocated as follows:

- OPC tags:

- When the OPC historical interface can receive the value before the shutdown

point, that value will override the shut down point. If no value is available the

shutdown point is unchanged.

- If the catch-up fails in the middle of the catch-up operation, a shutdown mark

Uncertain-Shutdown is inserted at that point.

- Calculated tags do not have any special points.

- Aggregation items behave in the same way as at start-up.

History Catch-up will only operate where the OPC Server(s) support OPC HDA.

z Quality of History Information

There are several cases where the quality of history information is affected, for example:

- When an archive (of historian) is created and put offline, the missing period will be

marked BAD

- When a system database is restored with a backup made some time before

(catastrophic recovery), all values from the end of database up to the time when the

database is restored will be marked BAD.

z Quality of Offline Tags

There are situations when the input source(s) of OPC Tags may be unstable (e.g. during

calibration), and the user needs to disconnect the input from Exaquantum to prevent the

unstable data being stored and affecting calculations. This is achieved by setting the tags

Offline.

- When a Tag is set Offline all OPC or Calculation result Items for that Tag will have

their primary quality set to ASSUMED.

- The user may manually update a Tag value while it is Offline – in this case the

secondary quality will always be set to REPLACED.

- The Offline status of Tags will be preserved across Exaquantum shutdown.

Flat Tag Structure

The ‘flat tag’ structure is used to locate tags directly under a folder. Unlike function block

tags, a flat tag has no relation to other tags when one is created, modified or deleted. This

structure is inherited from Exaquantum R1.0 and is preserved for the following potential

usage though usage of flat tags is not limited to only these examples:

- To replicate non-structured PCS tags

Some types of PCSs, such as a PLC, may not have a structured functioning unit.

In this case, flat tags may be used to replicate PCS tags in Exaquantum. Other

Exaquantum logical units, like function blocks, may refer to such replicated tags by

way of a ‘shortcut’. The benefit of this approach is that PCS data can be

configured to acquire data and to store historian data, even before the usage is

designed and implemented in the form of function blocks.

- To allocate constants

If their usage is system-wide, it is logical to configure constant values in flat tags

rather than in function blocks.

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2.2 Calculations and Aggregations

Calculations

Exaquantum’s Calculated tags can contain calculations ranging from simple,

equation-based calculations (e.g. Result = SQR(TagA + TagC )) to complex, scripted

calculations using Microsoft VB scripting.

Figure: Example of a Scripted Calculation

The results of the calculations are no different from ‘raw’ process values; they may also be

historized, aggregated, and used in other calculations. Exaquantum calculations are

event-driven. When a new value arrives from a data source, the real-time database

decides whether any derived items need to be updated as a result of this new value (on

the basis of the dependency relationships Exaquantum maintains).

By adding the Cross-server Calculation feature, tags from other Exaquantum servers can

be made available for use in calculations.

Exaquantum provides a number of useful features:

- Aggregation items can be used in calculation expressions. When they are used as

inputs, users can perform data processing based on the latest aggregation results.

When they are used as outputs, users can generate their own aggregation logics.

- Calculations are event-driven by nature, however timer functions allow time

dependent processing, e.g. to monitor that a value does not change for 5 seconds.

- Besides a rich set of pre-configured functions, such as the quality helper functions,

users can use their own function libraries inside the script.

- In order that a malfunctioning calculation does not to affect the entire system, the

execution of a script is subject to time-out monitoring.

- Timer functions are available. They are particularly useful for monitoring the

situation where there is no event update for a specified period of time.

- Expression allows for relative addressing within a function block calculated tag.

Such a function block is location-independent and should be the most common.

- Calculated tags can generate internal events that trigger applications through Event

Handling; this allows configuring applications to be closely linked to data processing.

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Cross-Server Calculations

In an Exaquantum multi-server environment the data from all the connected Exaquantum

servers can be made available for viewing by all the connected clients. However in a

standard configuration the data can not be used in calculations. Adding the Cross-server

Calculation feature (also known as ‘Exaquantum OI' (Open Interface)) allows the data

collected on one Exaquantum server to be used in calculations on another Exaquantum

server.

Figure: Conceptual representation of Cross-server Calculations

This facility is provided by adding an Exaopc server module to the Exaquantum

installation. This allows one Exaquantum server to make its data available through an

OPC interface. Thus one Exaquantum server can connect to the OPC server interface on

another Exaquantum server as if they were connecting to an OPC.

In calculations, tag data collected using the Cross-server Calculation feature can be

treated just like the tags from any other OPC server.

Aggregations

An Exaquantum aggregation is a special type of calculation that is carried out over a

pre-defined period (aggregation period), according to a specified rule (aggregation

method).

z Aggregation Periods

A tag can have aggregations defined for one or more Aggregation Periods such as an

hourly aggregation and a daily aggregation.

Aggregation periods are defined by a time period and an offset. This allows definitions

such as:

- 'Every day at 2 am'

- 'Every hour at 30 min after the hour'

- 'Every 15 min at 0, 15, 30 and 45 minutes after the hour'.

Some aggregations are calculated based on raw values, while others are calculated

based on other aggregation results.

The features of the various aggregation periods are summarized in the table below.

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Table: Aggregation Periods

Aggregation

Period

Description Time Period Offset

Can be Derived

from

Hour Once every hour Fixed (60 minutes) 0 to 59 (min) Raw, Custom

Day Once every day Fixed (24 hours) 0 to 23 (hours) Hour, Raw,

Custom

Month Once every

month

Fixed (1 month) 1 to 28 days, or

‘Last Day’

Day, Hour, Raw,

Custom

‘Custom’ type User-defined

periods

e.g. 8 hours as a

Shift

Configurable time periods

(maximum 24 hours)

Time period’

minus 1 minute

Raw (fixed)

z Daylight Saving Compliance

If the ‘Automatically adjust clock for daylight saving changes’ box is checked in the

Windows Date/Time properties of the Windows Control Panel, Daily aggregations and

Custom aggregations longer than one hour behave in the daylight saving compliant

manner as:

- Calculations on daylight saving changes days are for 23 hours or 25 hours

accordingly

- Aggregation calculation offset stays at the specified local time over daylight saving

changes.

z Aggregation Methods

Two Aggregation types (Discrete and Continuous) are standard in Exaquantum.

The Discrete type provides the following aggregation methods:

- Count

- On Time

- On State (this is used to define any single state or value a user wants to count or

time).

The Continuous type provides the following aggregation methods:

- Mean

- Minimum

- Maximum

- Standard Deviation

- Summation (including an Differential Summation option)

- Spot Value.

In order to calculate quality, an aggregation method called %GOOD is defaulted

whenever particular aggregation methods are selected. These methods are On Time for

Discrete, and Mean, Standard Deviation, or Summation for Continuous.

z User-supplied Aggregation Method

Users can either make use of pre-defined, system-supplied aggregation methods

(above), or execute their own by using the ‘Aggregation calculated tag’. A typical case is

the calculation of an hourly aggregation based on two other hourly aggregations, to be

averaged and multiplied by a constant.

To make use of the aggregation calculated tag, a calculated tag should be created based

on a tag template to allow this aggregation. An expression must then be entered so that

the aggregation(s) is supplied by the calculation.

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2.3 Additional Real-time Database Features

2.3.1 Alarms and Events

Exaquantum obtains alarms and events from the PCS (where supported) via OPC Alarms

and Events (A&E) servers. Alarms and events are historized, and are available for

viewing through Exaquantum/Explorer, Exaquantum/Web or for access by Applications

through the ODBC/OLE DB and COM/DCOM Interfaces. Filters can be defined, which are

applied to the incoming data, in order to reduce the amount of data stored in Exaquantum.

These filters are exclusive, that is they define what data is not required to be stored in

Exaquantum.

2.3.2 Event Handling

Exaquantum includes the ability to activate application programs when:

- Any A&E messages are received from the PCS

- All aggregation calculations for an aggregation period are complete

- A calculated tag expression sends an event.

The event processing is implemented by the user as an external program to read the

Microsoft Message Queue (MSMQ) for prompting messages, and process them

accordingly. Exaquantum provides a configuration program that registers events to

execute application programs, defines parameters to be passed to application programs,

and selects which MSMQ the message is directed to.

Typical uses of the Event Handling function, and thus application programs, could include:

- Triggering reports at the end of an aggregation calculation

- Doing batch-oriented tracking or processing

- Providing the number of times a pump has been turned on and/or run hours.

Such Application programs work only on an Exaquantum server.

2.3.3 Data Write to Control System

Exaquantum has the ability to write values to the PCS through the OPC server.

When an OPC tag is configured to be ‘write-able’, writing to such a tag results in further

write access of the value to the associated PCS. An Exaquantum/Explorer client,

calculation expression, or application programs that write values using the Data Access

API can also trigger write operations.

To ensure that a data write takes place properly, it is often necessary to configure the PCS

and/or OPC server so that the PCS accepts data write requests. Exaquantum security

controls (described next) are available to further restrict the ability to write to control

systems.

All write operations are recorded in the Exaquantum system audit log with information

such as user, time, items (or tags), and the value. The previous value(s) before the write

operation is kept in the Historian to allow the Exaquantum audit log user interface to

display the original and updated values.

2.3.4 Access Security Control

Access security control is one of the major concerns of PIMS administrators. In order to

satisfy both administrators and users, Exaquantum provides a fine control mechanism, in

addition to the basic user authentication, called ‘Role Based Namespace’ (RBNS) which is

described in Chapter 4.

The main features of Exaquantum access security control are:

- The access to general resources that users are granted depends on the Windows

Groups that they belong to. Such Groups, and hence controlled resources, are:

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- QUserGroup – access to any Exaquantum resource

- QAdministratorGroup – all administration work (able to use Administration tools)

- QExplorerDesignGroup – Exaquantum/Explorer design

- QDataWriteGroup – data write access in general.

Each user can also have their own custom view of accessible information controlled by

the Role Based Namespaces they are assigned.

- A user can be assigned read-only permission for the resources in the Role Based

Namespace and none other. For instance, if a graphic created by user A contains

a tag that does not appear in user B’s Role Based Namespace, the graphic

shows the tag as unavailable when user B runs the graphic.

- Role Based Namespace allows an access control list to be defined that indicates

what resources the user can or cannot write to at a tag level if required.

- A user can belong to more than one Role Based Namespace.

- If a user has no Role Based Namespace defined, the intrinsic namespace is

defaulted, thus all users must be assigned appropriate security groups.

Besides the access security control mechanism, Exaquantum provides a rich audit log

allowing administrators to easily keep track of operations or changes made to the system.

The audit log includes the following operations:

- System Operations

- Write Operations

- Tag and Function Block generation

- Namespace changes

- Archiving

- System start up/shutdown (including the status of the History catch-up)

- Recalculation of Aggregations.

2.3.5 History Catch-up

History catch-up recovers missing process data within Exaquantum that occurred during

an Exaquantum shutdown period. It does this by automatically reading OPC data from

those OPC Servers supporting OPC HDA (Historical Data Access) and HAE (Historical

Alarm and Event which is only available from Exaopc) interfaces when Exaquantum is

re-started.

History catch-up provides the following features:

- Data in the historian covering the Exaquantum/PIMS server downtime period is

populated as if the Server had remained online.

- All Item data is populated as:

- Raw data

- Aggregated data

- Calculated data

- All Alarm and Event data is restored (only available with Exaopc).

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- The catch-up behavior for Exaquantum is configurable as follows:

- Catch-up may be turned on or off

- If HDA access fails, the behavior may be configured to either fail Exaquantum

start-up or skip the failure and carry on.

- The start of HDA catch-up may be configured to the first aggregation period

boundary of a selected aggregation before the start-up time.

- The Exaquantum Service Control Manager tool, which can be used to manually start

up and shut down Exaquantum, shows the progress of the catch-up operation

together with the estimated completion time. This allows the user to abort or cancel

the catch-up if required. The option is useful if the estimated time to completion is too

long.

2.3.6 OPC Data Recovery

OPC data recovery performs a similar function to history catch up (see previous section)

with the main difference being that data recovery is used on demand on a running

Exaquantum system.

The features of OPC data recover are:

- OPC data recovery can be used when the loss of data is other than as a result of the

Exaquantum/PIMS server shutdown, such as network interruption or system failure.

- The Exaquantum/PIMS server is running.

- The time at which the recovery takes place can be determined to suit local

operational conditions. In cases when system load is high or variable, it may be

advantageous to choose specific times of low activity before recovery takes place.

- Multiple sources of data can be treated individually. This allows greater freedom to

spread the load to suit local operating conditions.

- OPC data recovery will run as a background task alongside with the normal

Exaquantum/PIMS activity. There is no unscheduled delay while the data is

recovered.

- Alarms & Events are recovered if connected to Exaopc.

OPC data recovery is available in the form of an Exaquantum/PIMS system tool. It

provides the following features:

- One or more OPC data sources can be selected for recovery.

- The start and end time covering the period of OPC data loss can be configured.

- Each period of missing OPC data will be displayed and can be individually selected

for recovery.

- During operation, the status of the recovery process is displayed.

There are some limitations:

- Aggregations and calculations are not (re)calculated.

- Alarm and Events are only recovered when connected to Exaopc.

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Examples

The following two scenarios demonstrate where data recovery can be used to get data

that will not normally be recovered by history catch-up.

Examples showing the difference between data availability using history catch-up and the OPC

data recovery tool.

z Example 1

If history catch-up is enabled, the data between times B and D will be recovered

automatically when the Exaquantum/PIMS server is restarted. Because the OPC server

was unavailable when the Exaquantum/PIMS server was shut down, the data between A

and B will not be recovered that way, however it can be recovered manually using the data

recovery tool. If History catch up is not enabled then data for the whole period could be

recovered using the data recovery tool.

z Example 2

Because the OPC server was not available when the Exaquantum/PIMS server shutdown

at B, and restarted at D, none of the missing data will be recoverable by history catch-up.

However, assuming it is available on the OPC server, data for the whole period can be

recovered using the recovery tool.

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3. Historian

The Exaquantum Historian is a powerful, efficient and fast data storage and

retrieval component that:

- Stores real-time process data, aggregated data and reference data

- Stores PCS alarms and events and Exaquantum internal events

- Historizes all process data with an Identifier, Value, Timestamp and Quality

- Offers secure long-term archiving.

Clients can also make use of the Historian to retrieve information for a particular

period, and then perform various types of analysis on it whose output is generally

in the form of reports.

3.1 Historian Configuration

Historian Data Categories

The Exaquantum Historian stores a variety of data within an Relational Data Base (RDB)

such as the following categories:

z Raw Data

These are OPC, Calculated and Manual tag values. They can be of any data type that

Exaquantum recognizes such as integer, long integer, single-precision floating-point,

double-precision floating-point or string.

z Aggregated Data

Similar to raw data except only the long integer and double-precision floating-point data

types are used for numeric values.

z Reference Data

Description, Engineering Units and Engineering Ranges. They are a separate category

because the rate at which data changes is significantly slower than in other categories.

z Alarms and Events

A structured set of data elements.

The Historian allocates different database tables for each of these data categories. These

categories are often called Archive Groups as they are bound to archiving units.

Historian Configuration Parameter

The Historian allows some configuration tailored to how the user uses it.

z Historian Storage Interval

Users can choose from the following types of raw historian interval, on a per tag basis:

- None

- Time (set of selectable frequencies)

- On change.

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The raw historian interval is not the same as the OPC update rate. Therefore if ‘Time’ has

been selected, any changes (to the OPC update rate) that are a finer resolution than the

raw historian interval are not stored in the Historian, even though the actual information

shows changes.

Periodic time does not result in periodic historian storage. Information is stored only when

the value has changed since the last Historian update.

Regardless of the type of raw historian interval selected, system-wide events such as

start-up and shutdown cause values to be stored. In these cases, the information is

allocated an appropriate secondary quality code.

3.2 Historian Data Processing

Interpolation

Because of the event-driven nature of Exaquantum, it is unlikely that values are actually

stored in the Historian for the exact time that users want to look at. As a result of this,

interpolation of data takes place. There are number of possible ways of interpolating data,

including:

- Cast-forward: the previous value is extended in the future direction

- Cast-backward: the following value is extended in the past direction

- Linear: points are connected with straight lines

- Other more sophisticated ways, including Exponential.

In Exaquantum, interpolation is carried out either by clients, or by the data access layer

that resides between the clients and server. It relies heavily on the way in which

information is stored in the Historian. The Historian is tuned so that it can support

Cast-forward only; there is therefore a certain limitation in other interpolation methods.

From the client viewpoint, the following figure illustrates interpolation in Exaquantum:

Period for request

(a)

(b)

(b) (c)

TIC 3-1

In this example, as a result of interpolating four points (point (a), multiple points (b), and

point (c)) will be passed to client; points (a) and (c) having been added by the data access

layer.

When clients (Exaquantum/Explorer) are using the Trend control, they can choose one of

two ways to interpolate data, either Cast-forward or linear. In all other scenarios, only the

Cast-forward method is supported.

If a request is made for future time (i.e. if the end time is in the future), the interpolation is

made so that a BAD point is inserted at ‘Now’. This results in disabling any line that may

otherwise appear in the Exaquantum/Explorer trend in the future time period.

Historian Timestamp and Relevant Processing

The Historian assumes that a value’s timestamp is UTC; this is true for every item. The

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Historian stores values according to the UTC time series, and uses it as a key to identify

stored values for read access. Two processes that are heavily dependent on the

timestamp alignment issue are described below.

z Late-arriving Historian Data

The Historian makes use of RTDB technology (Microsoft SQL Server 2005), where the

database schema is designed so the read operation is done most efficiently. In order that

the search operation can take place less frequently, information for a certain period of time

is combined in the form of a Binary Large Object (BLOB), and put into the database. This

ensures high performance during read operations but low performance whenever there is

a need to write to a past time.

In most cases, the system is tuned so that requests to write values to the past time period

rarely happen. However, in those cases where requests (often referred to as late-arriving

data) do happen; this results in a high CPU load for a period of time. Such cases include:

- LIMS data entry. Values are entered into Exaquantum some time after the sample

timestamp

- A backward change in server time. A backward time change is likely to result in data

loss whenever UTC duplicates. Therefore Exaquantum does not expect any large

amount of time drift, especially backwards.

z Versioning Data

When a write request is made that coincides with an existing data point in terms of the

timestamp, a new value is always ‘appended’ after the existing point; it does not overwrite

the existing one. Ordinary users of the History information cannot get multiple points for a

particular point in time. A special program, however, can retrieve all points. Such a

program would be an audit trail log user interface that can show the previous and new

values for the write operation.

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3.3 Archiving

Archiving is the process used to move part of the current Historian information to a

separate archive that is to be handled separately from the online Historian database.

For example, an archive can be backed up by an external medium or it can be removed

from the disk to make more space for the online Historian database. The backed up

archive can then be restored into the disk so that it is seamlessly available, together with

the online database, to Exaquantum. With this mechanism, the Historian can allow a

virtually unlimited amount of its information to be available to the user.

Archiving Groups

An archive can be made on an Archiving Group basis. The groups are:

Table: Archive Groups

Archive Group

Type Sub-type

Description

Raw Slow -

Manual and Calculated tags whose Raw Historian Period is greater than the

configured boundary setting.

OPC data whose OPC Period is greater than the configured boundary setting.

Raw Fast -

Manual and Calculated Tags whose Raw Historian Period is less than, or equal

to, the configured boundary setting.

OPC data whose OPC Period is less than, or equal to, the configured boundary

setting.

Monthly Calendar month aggregations

Daily Daily aggregations,

Hourly Hourly aggregations

Aggregation

Custom Customer defined aggregations with a period of less than one day

Reference - All reference items

Alarm & Events - Alarm and Event data

System Events - System event data

System Audit

Trails

- Changes to the tag structure

Raw (and possibly Alarms and Events) archives are likely to be used for analyzing

production, while aggregation archives might be used to (re)produce reports.

Archiving Parameters

The user can control the size of an archive based on both the size of the media and the

number of days to cover.

- Media size is meant to restrict the size of the archive to fit into the medium with which

the archive will be backed up. This is a physical requirement that must be met before

the following one is addressed.

- Number of days is meant to satisfy usability requirements. For example, where the

user wants to make an archive on a time basis that is appropriate to his operational or

management requirements (such as on a monthly or quarterly basis).

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Auto-archiving and Auto-deletion Options

In order for administrators to be freed from daily administration tasks, archiving allows

them to configure the auto-archiving or auto-deletion of Historian information. These

options are configured on a ‘per archive group’ basis, and are not system wide.

These options rely on the ‘Retention Period’ of an archive group as follows:

- Auto-archiving. When the online information exceeds the Retention Period, an

archive will be created in accordance with the above mentioned archiving

parameters, i.e. media size or days.

- Auto-deletion. When the online information exceeds the Retention Period, any

excess part of the Historian information is automatically deleted, on a day basis.

When the auto-archiving option is selected, there is also an option for a backup to be

created automatically.

Once Exaquantum historical data has been archived, the historical data can be removed

(made offline) automatically from the Exaquantum database after a configurable time

period. For example, data may be archived every 30 days but still kept online for access

by Exaquantum users for an additional 60 days before automatic removal.

3.4 Historian Management Tool

Exaquantum provides a tool to manage the Historian database. Typical cases that the

tool will primarily address are when the disk is full and when time is accidentally changed

to the future. These are described below.

z When the disk gets full

This situation should not occur if constant administration work is performed. However, if

the disk does become full, the best way to resolve the problem is to delete the old historian

information to make space for the Historian database until a permanent solution is

implemented.

z When time is accidentally changed to the future

Normally Exaquantum is time-synchronized to a single OPC server. Whenever the OPC

server time changes accidentally to the future (for instance one-year ahead), Exaquantum

time will catch up eventually. One or more values with a future timestamp will be stored in

the Historian. When the time is corrected, all of the now ‘proper values’ received from the

OPC server are regarded as Late-arriving data which cause considerable problems to the

Historian. In this case any wrong future values are simply removed from the Historian by

this tool.

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4. Management and Administration

Tools

Exaquantum is easy to install, configure and commission. This is achieved

through a powerful combination of thoughtful design, a ready-to-run platform and

a comprehensive set of tools. The ready-to-run platform contains most of the

infrastructure and data support required for the rapid deployment of large-scale

integrated information systems. The set of tools, used for both management and

configuration purposes, are integrated into the Microsoft Windows Management

Console (MMC).

Overview

The following Exaquantum tools are available:

- System Configuration

- OPC Gateways

- Production Calendar

- History Catch-up Parameters

- Server Management

- Role Based Namespace Builder

- License Management.

- Tag Configuration

- Tag Template

- Function Block Template

- Tag Generation (four ways are available for generating function blocks/tags)

- Tag Editor.

- Archiving

- Advanced

- Event Generator

- HIS Tag Generator.

- Help and Support.

Certain tools used by Exaquantum are for system administration. These are available

from within the Windows Operating System (refer to Windows Help for more information):

- Windows Tools

- User Manager

- Backup and Restore

- Performance Monitor

- Event Viewer

- Microsoft SQL Server Enterprise Manager and other tools for database

administration.

Some important concepts for configuring Exaquantum are described in the following

sections.

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Microsoft Management Console

The Microsoft Management Console (MMC) is used to access all Exaquantum

Management and Administration tools ensuring that Exaquantum tools are handled in a

manner consistent with the administration tools of many Microsoft products such as SQL

Server.

Figure: Microsoft Management Console with embedded Exaquantum Tools

The tools available within Exaquantum are displayed in the left part of the screen as a tree

view. The administrator can expand each group to see the related sub-groups and/or the

tools.

When a group is selected, the sub-groups and/or tools are displayed (as icons) in the right

part of the screen. The user can access any tool either by selecting it from the tree view,

or by clicking on the appropriate icon. At each level there is an option to return to the Main

Menu (by clicking on the ‘Main Menu’ icon).

The Exaquantum Management Console can be opened either on the Exaquantum server

or on any installed client machine, provided that the user is authorized to use this tool.

In the Exaquantum/Web environment, these tools may be accessed from a client IE

through the Windows Terminal Server facility.

In a multi-server configuration, administration tools should be associated with one server

at a time.

Not all of the functions available from the Management Console are accessible to installed

client machines; some can only be used on the server.

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4.1 System Administration Tools

4.1.1 Exaquantum Servers Configuration

The Server Management tool is used to define which Exaquantum servers make up the

set of multiple servers used within Exaquantum. Before the Role Based Namespace can

be configured, the Exaquantum servers must be defined.

4.1.2 OPC Gateway Configuration

OPC Gateways are OPC servers from which OPC values are retrieved by Exaquantum.

To start configuring an OPC Gateway, certain information is required.

The most important piece of information that an administrator must define is the OPC

server type. This is because Exaquantum can only connect to an OPC server type that

appears in the pull down list. Any missing types must be defined using an Exaquantum

tool which adds the missing type to the pull down list.

Whether or not Exaquantum reads Alarms and Events from an OPC gateway (assuming

the OPC gateway supports OPC A&E) and whether these Alarms and Events are filtered

is configurable. Other parameters, such as ‘Use Exaquantum time’, can be invoked only

by restarting the Exaquantum server.

4.1.3 History Catch-up Parameters

The History Catch-up Parameters tool is used to define the behavior of History Catch-up

as follows:

- Whether or not it should run at start up

- What should happen if the catch-up operation fails (e.g. abort the start up or cancel

the catch-up to start normal processing)

- When exactly restoration of data should start (either preceding shutdown or at a

boundary of a selected aggregation period).

4.1.4 Role Based Namespace Builder

The Role Based Namespace (RBNS) Builder is a mechanism by which Exaquantum

administrators can configure Exaquantum users’ view of Exaquantum information. It also

provides a vital part of the access security control mechanism.

In order to configure the RBNS, the various user roles need to be identified first, e.g.

Operators of Area 1, Site Manager, Plant Maintenance, etc.

Important aspects of the RBNS are described below.

z What administrators can Configure in the Role Based Namespace

A wide variety of operational and managerial information that Exaquantum provides can

be screened to meet the individual’s data utilization requirements. Such information

includes:

- Folder structure

- Function blocks

- Tags.

z Configuration

All items within the RBNS are configured under the top root node. Folders can appear

underneath in a multi-level hierarchy. Any other elements are located below a folder.

Folders and elements can be configured as follows:

- A folder can simply be a pointer to an existing folder within an Exaquantum server.

All the contents under the RBNS folder are then a replication of the pointed folder.

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The administrator can specify either inclusive or exclusive name filters to limit the set

of contents. The filter also allows the administrator to specify whether or not the

aggregation information is exposed. For function blocks, the administrator can pick

up a part of member tags.

- A function block or tag can be a pointer to an existing function block or tag within an

Exaquantum server.

As such, there is no occurrence of the Exaquantum server name or identification within a

path name of a function block or tag. Administrators can configure folder names so that

they convey a server name or plant designation, but so that the software does not actually

interpret the folder name.

z Item Path Name

In order to identify the RBNS by a path name, each path name always starts with an

RBNS name followed by folder(s) then the object, e.g. MyView.Folder 1.Tag1.Value.

There are special path names that start with ‘Root’. This allows for backward

compatibility. In this case, the default RBNS called ‘Root’ is used. By default this is

equivalent to the intrinsic (actual) namespace, and the administrator may change

according to the access security requirements.

z Data Write Security

Folders, Function Blocks and Tags within an RBNS can be defined to be read or

read/write.

z Replication

RBNS information, along with Exaquantum Servers information, will be replicated among

relevant Exaquantum servers. This is useful as it allows a consistent RBNS to be used,

even when the designated server is changed from one to another.

The designated server is where a client first goes to get the required information, such as

the RBNS. When a designated server is not available (e.g. it is shut down), a client such

as Exaquantum/Explorer can go to the stand-by designated Exaquantum server.

Replication can be performed with the RBNS Builder.

4.1.5 License Management

The License Management tool is used to administer the Exaquantum license code for an

individual Exaquantum server. In an Exaquantum multi-server configuration, the license

key for each server is periodically checked to ensure that it is valid and unique. A license

breach on any of the Exaquantum servers is notified to users on all configured servers.

4.1.6 Production Calendar

The Production Calendar is used by administrators to define the:

- Aggregation period to be used (such as shifts)

- Parameters of each aggregation period

- Dependency of aggregations.

How the production calendar is configured affects all tags that need to have aggregations

associated with them. Hence the production calendar must be defined before tags are

configured.

It is possible to change production calendar definitions after configuring tags. However,

as some changes (such as changing dependency) result in inconsistencies in the tag

template, it is sometimes necessary to correct tag templates as well.

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4.2 Tag Configuration Tools

The process of tag configuration is based on templates. It is a means of classifying tags

and function blocks in terms of their structure and properties. Defining such settings in a

separate data structure reduces the necessity to repeatedly set the same values for large

numbers of tags.

The first stage in configuring tags and function blocks within Exaquantum, therefore, is to

identify the same structure and properties across prospective tags and/or function blocks.

Tag Templates and Function Block Templates can then represent this information,

respectively. When tags or function blocks are subsequently produced, they can be

associated with the proper templates.

4.2.1 Tag Template

The purpose of the Tag Template is to define a structure and set of properties upon which

tags can be based when they are created (both function block tags and flat tags). Tag

Templates must be configured before Function Block Templates.

Figure: Tag Template Screen

Changes to the Tag Template are controlled by versions. This means that there could be

a number of templates with the same name, but slightly different definitions. This is

important because having versions allows changes to existing tags to be assessed when

templates are to be updated. New tags are always created based on the latest version of

the specified tag template.

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4.2.2 Function Block Template

The Function Block Template is used to define which member tags a function block would

contain when it is created. The Function Block Template also defines member tags’ initial

or default values. For example, a manual tag has an initial ‘value’ and a calculated tag has

an ‘Expression’.

Figure: Function Block Template Screen

As with the tag template, the function block template is version-controlled. New function

blocks are always created based on the latest version of the specified template.

4.2.3 Tag Generation

Tag Generation is a set of four tools that generate tags and/or function blocks. In each

case the tool is a guided process with steps to be followed. The tools are:

- OPC Equalization – retrieve the PCS tag list through OPC server Browse interface

- OPC File Import – retrieve the PCS tag list from a file

- Function Block Generation – specify function blocks directly from a text file

- Tag File Import – specify tags and their definitions from a text file.

The tool used depends on the scenario, as follows:

- If the system has a pre-configured OPC server ready for Exaquantum access, the

best choice is OPC Equalization. It assumes a tag naming convention established in

the PCS tags, so that a potentially huge number of tags can be easily filtered by tag

names using wildcard definitions. Currently this tool can only be used with Exaopc

connected to CENTUM CS, CENTUM CS 1000 or CENTUM CS 3000 DCSs.

- If the system does not have a pre-configured OPC server ready for Exaquantum

access, OPC File Import may be used. It is identical to OPC Equalization, except

that the administrator must define all the information (essentially a list of tag names)

that OPC Equalization normally creates automatically.

- The Function Block Generation tool allows administrators to create function blocks

with whatever parameters that they want to specify. For instance, Exaquantum

logical function block names can be allocated only with this tool.

- If the administrator wants to construct flat tags, then Tag File Import should be used.

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All four invoke various interactive steps; all start by either selecting a ‘job’ to run, or

creating a new one.

A ‘Job’ is used to identify the task that has created the tags/function blocks. This

information is useful when templates are changed. A typical scenario is:

- Tags/Function blocks are created by one of the four methods described previously.

- When some changes are required (for example to add an aggregation period, to

change the OPC update rate, or to add/remove/rename function block tags), a typical

way is to find the job that created the subject tags/function blocks, and re-run it, after

changing the template accordingly. Administrators can typically locate a job through

the Tag Editor, as a particular tag/function block usually drives the required change;

the Tag Editor shows the job when it is used to access such a tag/function block.

- When a job is rerun (or run), administrators are provided with an analysis report that

shows the changes that are to take place. Administrators are then prompted to check

the changes, and select an action: to continue, to change templates again, or even to

cancel the operation.

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4.2.4 Tag Editor

The Tag Editor is used to create, update and delete individual tags (both function block

tags and flat tags). It allows:

- Creation of folders, function blocks, OPC tags, Calculated tags and Manual tags

- Editing of tags and function blocks by changing the associated templates (using the

Template tools), and applying the templates through the Tag Editor

- Display of an analysis report whenever administrators attempt to make an update,

deletion or creation of tags and function block

- Provision of information of a job that created the tag or function block

- OPC item ID to be specified and modified

- Setting the status of OPC tags and calculations to Offline.

Figure: Tag Editor Screen

When Changes Take Effect

Changes can be made through various tools; the timing depends on the nature of the

information to change.

z Tag/Function Block Oriented Information

Most of the changes made through the Function Block and Tag Templates take effect

when the Tag Editor or Tag Generation tools are subsequently used to reconfigure

function blocks and tags. However, when the Tag Editor changes certain values, the

changes take effect immediately. These values are:

- Tag name or Function block name

- OPC gateway/item ID

- Reference data

- Value of Manual tags

- Expression of Calculated tags

- Offline or Online status.

There are some Tag Template values that cannot be changed once tags are created.

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These values are:

- Tag type (OPC/Manual/Calculated)

- Data type

- Aggregation type (Continuous/Discrete).

z System-wide Information

How changes to some of system-wide information are implemented is detailed below.

Table: System-wide Information

Types of Information Information to Change Program or Timing

Production calendar Offset Next re-start

Add/Remove When tag templates are changed

and tag generation is re-run

OPC gateway Host name Next re-start

System wide parameter %GOOD threshold Next re-start

Tags created after changing these values will work with the new value immediately.

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4.3 Database Management and Advanced Tools

There are several other configuration and administration tools which are described in this

Section.

4.3.1 Archiving

Archiving removes a requested amount of data from the Historian Data database into an

Archive database and allows the archive to be managed independently.

z Various Disk Space Administration Scenarios

PIMS requires constant administration to ensure that there is sufficient data storage

available to accommodate the ever-growing Historian information.

Scenarios and required tasks include:

- The most rapidly growing types of Historian data (or ‘Archive Groups’) are raw data

and Alarms and Events data. Weekly, bi-weekly, or even monthly archiving and

backing up are recommended for this data.

- Unless information is archived, even the largest available disk storage will eventually

become full. It is therefore recommended that periodic monitoring of the disk storage

be set up, so that emails can be sent when a particular threshold is reached, for

instance. This monitoring is configured using the SQL Server mechanism; for further

information see the Engineering Guide.

- If the entire disk storage is consumed without any prompt, then one of the Historian

Management tools may be used to free disk space. The tool deletes the old raw data

and Alarms and Events data until a pre-defined amount of free space is available.

This tool is intended to recover what would otherwise be a catastrophic situation.

This tool can be optionally configured to run periodically, so that free disk space is

always assured.

z What the Archive Tool Does

The Archive tool provides administrators with following functions:

- Create and configure archives

- Allows for searching of archives

- Set up archiving parameters (days of archive, media size, etc.).

z Archive States

An Archive is essentially a small database that holds information of one Archive Group for

a limited period of time. It can be in one of several different states:

- Candidate – The Archive is still a part of the online Historian information. In this state,

the archive size (essentially days) can be tuned by a ‘trial and error’ approach. The

information can also be backed up. The Delete operation can be used to

permanently remove this information from the Historian without making a back up.

- Backed-up, Online – The Archive has been backed up to an external media, but the

information is also still available for clients (i.e. it is Online). The ‘Unrestore’

operation can be used to remove the archive from the disk which will increase the

amount of free disk space. The Backup operation is also available to make another

backup.

- Backed-up, Online, requiring re-backup – The Archive has been restored from a

backup. During the restore process, the Archiver added elements (indexes, columns)

that were present in the QHistorianData database, but not in the archive database.

These may have been added to QHistorianData during an upgrade of Exaquantum.

- Not Backed-up, Online – The Archive has been made, but not backed up to an

external media. This state is abnormal and indicates that the action to back up the

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archive has failed. The Backup operation must be repeated immediately.

- Offline – The Archive does not exist on disk and therefore is not available for clients.

The Restore operation allows the archive to be brought back online, for clients to

access.

- Removed – The Archive, that should be online, does not exist on the disk; the system

has removed it. This situation may occur when the Exaquantum database has been

restored from a previously made back up, so the archive was not included.

4.3.2 Event Handing

Exaquantum Event Handling provides the functionality to support event-driven

applications built on top of the standard Exaquantum data processing. Typical

applications include, but are not limited to:

- Automatically printing reports at the end of shifts

- Batch tracking

- Emailing or paging upon events.

The General concepts of Event Handling are described below.

z Source Events

Events that can trigger application programs are as follows:

- OPC Alarms and Events

- Exaquantum internal events, such as:

- End of an aggregation period

- User events defined within calculation tags.

The Event Handling server filters what would otherwise be a huge number of events, and

sends only those events that applications are interested in, up to a maximum of 500

events.

z Applications

Applications may be programmed to wait for one or more Microsoft Message Queue

(MSMQ) of interest through which the Event Handling server sends events.

They are background programs that run without having associated Windows screens.

Sample application programs are available on request from a Yokogawa representative.

z Configuration Interface Utility

An Exaquantum tool accessed from the Management Console (‘Event Generator’ under

the ‘Advanced’ tree folder) provides the following functionality:

- Displays a summary of registered applications

- Registers/unregisters application information

- Displays current Event Filter condition information

- Adds/deletes/modifies Event Filter condition

- Loads Event Filter condition

- Generates Manual Events.

4.3.3 HIS Tag Generation

The HIS Tag Generation tool allows tags to be generated from information gathered from

CENTUM CS 1000 or CENTUM CS 3000 DCS trend groups.

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Figure: HIS Tag Generation Screen

The general operational flow is as follows:

There are 16 blocks for CS 1000 and

20 blocks for CS 3000.

This Tag Generation tool shows information and provides the following functionality:

- The current number of tags together with a licensed number of tags is displayed.

- The selecting of an OPC Gateway from a list.

- Browsing a HIS (Yokogawa’s DCS Human Interface Station) computer displays a list

of tags that can be generated together with their associated groups.

- When generating tags the HIS Tag Generation Tool will create tags with the following

settings:

- Tags will be generated under Root.<HIS name>.<Trend Block number>.<Trend

group number> folder as flat tags.

- The Exaquantum tag name will become <Tag Name>.<Tag Type>, e.g.

01FIC001.PV will be created instead of 01FIC001_PV.

- Templates will be created and assigned based on the data type and update rate.

Update rate will be converted as follows:

Browse HIS

Select blocks

Generate tags Show tag information

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- 1SEC becomes a 1 second Exaquantum update rate

- 10SEC becomes a 10 second Exaquantum update rate

- 1MIN becomes a 1 minute Exaquantum update rate

- 2MIN becomes a 2 minutes Exaquantum update rate

- 5MIN becomes a 5 minutes Exaquantum update rate

- 10MIN becomes a 10 minutes Exaquantum update rate.

If the selected HIS is also an OPC Gateway then there is a maximum of 64 one

second tags or 128 ten second tags that can be generated.

- The Exaquantum tags ranges are set to the Display ranges.

- Administrators may optionally select or de-select tags before generating tags so that

the number of tags generated falls within the tag count limit.

- Administrators may import tags from a HIS that has already been imported from. In

this case the Tag Generation Tool will only generate tags that are new.

4.4 Help and Support

The Exaquantum Management Console provides a file-based URL link to a support page

written in HTML. The support page contains hypertext links to the on-line help files

shipped with Exaquantum and to the Exaquantum support web-site on the worldwide

web.

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4.5 System Tools for Administration

The following administration tools are available to different categories of administrators.

4.5.1 Tools Intended for Administrators

z Start-up and Shutdown

Users can manually start up and shut down Exaquantum through a simple user interface

program called Exaquantum Service Manager. This program provides a progress view

and operational options while History Catch-up is in progress.

Exaquantum can be configured to start up automatically when the computer is started.

There is also a command line tool that provides a way to automatically shut down the

system upon receipt of a UPS message.

z Database Backup and Restore

The databases of the Historian and other configurations can be written to external media

(as supported by SQL Server 2005) for later restoration. These tasks are carried out

using the standard SQL Server backup and restore functions.

z Windows Resource Backup and Restore

In order to restore Exaquantum-specific resources in Windows system, it is suggested

that a backup be taken. The user can decide which tools to use.

4.5.2 Tools Intended for Installation and Configuration

Engineers

z Installation

The ‘InstallShield’ program is used to install and uninstall Exaquantum components.

z User/Group Configuration

The Exaquantum Users must be created before the Exaquantum system is ready for use.

Guidance is given in the Installation Guide document.

z Time Synchronization

Exaquantum time should be synchronized with OPC server time. A special tool is

provided to specify which OPC server Exaquantum time should be synchronized with, and

how frequently the synchronization should take place. The target OPC server does not

need any dedicated software to do this.

Exaquantum/Explorer is usually configured to time synchronize with an Exaquantum

server or use the time provided by the network.

z Database Sizing Tool

This tool retrieves information that indicates how large a disk must be for it to be able to

store the data planned for the Historian and other Exaquantum databases.

z Database Creation Tool

The SQL Server Exaquantum databases can be recreated with this tool.

z Database Expansion Tool

The Exaquantum Historian database can be expanded with this tool. This is normally used

following an initial Installation, to expand the QHistorianData database to its working size.

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z Performance Monitor

The standard Windows Performance Monitor tool is used for the purpose. This is

especially useful when the project is at an early stage, when there could be a number of

performance and stability oriented issues.

z Diagnostics

This tool provides two particular types of health indicator information:

- Version check tool, which verifies the integrity of the installation

- OPC diagnostics, which checks the health of the OPC communication.

z Event Log

The Exaquantum and SQL Server software execution process log files are made available

to assist Yokogawa engineers during configuration and fault finding operations. They can

be displayed using the Windows Event Viewer.

4.6 Support Tools

The following Support tools are available. In the Exaquantum multi-server environment,

tools are associated with one single server at a time.

4.6.1 Configuration Reporting Tools

Cross-reference Tool

The Cross-reference tool allows administrators to produce reports of cross-referenced

information that exist for a specified list of tags or templates in Exaquantum.

There are three types of Cross-reference checks that can be performed:

- References to specified tags in Exaquantum calculations or shortcuts

- All tags attached to a specified Tag Template

- All Function Blocks attached to a specified Function Block Template.

The Cross Reference tool has a flexible approach to reporting; the selection of tags or

templates to search for allows selection of single tags or templates, wildcards, and folders

(i.e. all tags within a folder), or a combination of all three.

Tag Configuration Viewer

The Tag Configuration Viewer assists configuration engineers in diagnosing problems and

checking that the Exaquantum system is set up correctly.

The Tag Configuration Viewer provides:

- A viewer that displays Tag Configuration information

- A consistency checker that runs a check on the Exaquantum system and reports on

various known configuration problems

- An export facility to store configuration information in CSV files.

4.6.2 Exaquantum Versioning Tool

The Exaquantum Versioning tool checks that the versions of all Exaquantum-related files

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on the computer are correct. The files that are checked are those installed by

Exaquantum, and common files that are installed as part of other software. The

Versioning tool compares a list of all expected files, and their version numbers, with the

actual files on a specific computer.

The Versioning tool also allows an administrator to create a log of ‘file version information’,

based on what is currently installed on the computer. This can also be used to perform the

version checks, rather than using the list supplied at installation. This is a useful option

after installation, as it allows the administrator to check the ‘as installed’ software.

4.6.3 System Event Message Viewer

The System Event Message Viewer displays the audit log messages that are generated

when significant events occur within Exaquantum. These event messages are stored

within the Exaquantum database and may be viewed for a selected time range for

individual or selected categories. In a multi-server Exaquantum configuration, a single

server can be selected. One message is written for each event.

The contents of the list can be saved as a CSV file for use in other packages or

applications.

There are six categories of event messages:

- System Operations

- Write Operations

- Archive Operations

- Tag Generation Operations

- Namespace Audit Trail

- Recalculation operations.

4.6.4 Status Monitoring Tool

The Status Monitoring Tool collects information about:

- Disk usage

- SQL Server database usage

- Exaquantum – OPC connection interruptions.

Either a windows message is sent to a specified computer, or a program or script may be

executed, as defined by the system administrator, at a specified time every day.

A notification may be raised for the following conditions:

Disk usage

• Free Space less than, greater than, equal to or not equal to a set value.

• Used Space less than, greater than, equal to or not equal to a set value.

SQL Server database usage

• Free Space less than, greater than, equal to or not equal to a set value.

• Used Space less than, greater than, equal to or not equal to a set value.

Exaquantum OPC Connection

• Define the period to monitor how many times the OPC communication is

interrupted between Exaquantum and each OPC server.

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Figure: Status Monitoring Tool, Disk usage

Figure: Status Monitoring Tool, Database usage

4.6.5 Exaquantum Startup Configuration Tool

The Exaquantum Startup Configuration Tool provides the ability to:

- Enable History Catch-up while Exaquantum is not running

- Configure Exaquantum to start upon starting of the operating system.

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5. Exaquantum/Explorer

Exaquantum/Explorer has been designed using the standard Microsoft Multiple

Document Interface (MDI) and ActiveX technology. This gives it a Microsoft look

and feel so users who are familiar with Microsoft products will feel comfortable

with most of its interactions and terminology.

The user interface screens (documents) can be created from a set of predefined

graphics and controls (e.g. Trends, Alarm and Event Viewers, Excel Viewers, lines,

text, buttons, drop-down lists, etc.) that present the plant information in a clear and

easy-to-understand way.

5.1 General

Exaquantum/Explorer provides the infrastructure to build and link ActiveX controls into

cohesive, industry applicable applications and reports. It can operate in either Design

Mode or Run Mode. Design mode is used to create and modify user documents, using

components that are available for document configuration. In Run mode, users can view

and monitor the information contained in the documents that were created in Design

mode. The number and type of actions that users can perform in Run mode depend on

the attributes and functions added to the documents in Design mode.

Figure: Exaquantum/Explorer – Design Mode

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The Exaquantum/Explorer infrastructure includes these features:

- Native Objects such a lines, text, shapes

- Active X controls, such as Trends, Trend Comparisons, Alarm and Event Viewers

- Host Document for Controls

- Multiple Document Interface

- General Reporting Environment

- Tag Configuration

- Report Times

- Data Parameterization

- Scripting.

These features are described in Section 5.3.

The analysis and reporting features of Exaquantum/Explorer comprise a range of ActiveX

controls. Each control specializes in a particular graphical representation of data from the

Exaquantum Data Server. Furthermore, these ActiveX controls are hosted by the

Exaquantum/Explorer infrastructure, which offers a number of features that can make the

most of the ActiveX controls.

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5.2 ActiveX Controls

The Exaquantum/Explorer functionality is implemented by ActiveX controls. Most of the

important and useful ActiveX controls are supplied with Exaquantum/Explorer. This

section describes some of commonly used ActiveX controls.

5.2.1 Trends

One of the greatest value of a PIMS system is in the long-term history, and the primary tool

for examining history is the Trend control. There are a variety of scenarios in which a user

will examine trends, for example, when the user wants to:

- Instantly view a tag trend, without having a pre-configured application

- Select ‘personal’ trends for rapid and frequent access to particular views of history

- Find pre-configured trends in a structured User Interface, using the interface

structure to find particular groups of tags for particular times

- View live updating or static history trends.

z Trend Control

Figure: Trend Control Components

The Exaquantum Trend control supports all the above scenarios. The main features that

support this range of uses are:

- Tags can be added to a Trend from the Exaquantum Data Selector by using ’drag

and drop’. The Data Selector presents all the tags in the user’s Role Based

Namespace.

- Tags can be assigned to the Trend control while the control is running.

- The Trend control and Data Selector can easily be built into applications, configured

with tags and saved as personal files. A Trend is then displayed by simply selecting a

file.

- The Trend control can be built into many pages of a single application and configured

with tags relevant to the page. The navigation facilities of the application can then

lead the user to the page containing the trend of interest.

Graph

Component

Time bar

Component

Legend

Component

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- The Trend control has a wide range of possible settings, including pen colors, line

styles, live/historical, update rate. To ease the configuration process there are a

range of typical templates for the most frequently used settings.

Once a user is viewing an instance of the Trend control configured with the tags of

interest, he may want to fine-tune the plot range of the time and amplitude axis, to further

investigate the tag history. Features to aid this are:

- Full control of the time-scale axis, start and end times, by direct setting

- Full control of the Y-axis, by direct setting. Up to six axes can be configured; they can

appear either stacked or grouped (overlapped).

- Zoom facility. The user can use the mouse to select a rectangle on the Trend, and the

rectangle will expand to cover the whole trend area, (the axis scaling changes

automatically).

- Choice of point representation. Points on a trend can be connected by a line, or

extended step wise, or be left unconnected.

- The Trend cursor can be positioned at any time. Details of tag values and the

selected time will then appear in the legend area.

5.2.2 Trend Comparison Control

Figure: Trend Comparison Control Components

The Trend Comparison control provides all of the functionality of the Trend control but also

allows a reference trend to be configured. This allows comparison between a live or

historical trend with a known reference trend from a specific time in history. To aid this

facility, groups of tags assigned to a trend may be saved to the database with a start and

end time so that they may be reloaded at a later time to act as a reference.

Time bar

Com

onent

Legend

Com

onent

Reference

end

Graph

Com

onent

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5.2.3 Data Entry Grid

Figure: Typical Data Entry Grid

The Data Entry Grid control allows the user to view information for a selection of tags

where the information is displayed in a tabular form for a selected time.

Some information is best presented to the user in the form of a Data Grid, for example,

several laboratory analysis results belonging to a single sample of a product.

In addition to being able to display information about tags, the Data Entry Grid allows data

values and data qualities for tags to be changed and written back to the database by the

user, for a selected time.

Tags can be easily configured to the Data Entry Grid with the aid of the Data Selector.

5.2.4 Alarm and Events

Alarms and Events are key types of information stored by Exaquantum (where supported

by the data source).

Alarms are abnormal conditions that are defined for objects within the PCS. Each

condition may include sub-conditions that enable the user to accurately identify the cause

of the alarm. For example, the LevelAlarm condition may include sub-conditions such as

HighAlarm, HighHighAlarm, LowAlarm, and LowLowAlarm.

Events are any changes to the PCS settings that may have an impact on site processes

such as operator actions or system configuration changes.

Exaquantum/Explorer provides the ability to display current or historical alarm and event

information through the Event Summary Control, and live updating data through the Event

Update Control. In both of these controls, inclusive filters may be defined to display only

those alarms and events that match specific conditions.

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z Event Summary Control

Figure: Typical Event Summary Control

By default, the Event Summary Control is displayed as a table of events in ascending

chronological order. The table can be re-ordered by any column. Double-clicking on any

event in the list will display a Detail window.

z Event Update Control

Figure: Typical Event Update Control

The Alarm and Event Update Control displays a list of the latest and events. The list is

constantly updated as new alarms and events are received. In addition the control can be

configured to display an alarm button that will flash when a new alarm or event is received.

There are other configuration options that determine the style and size of the list, and how

it is updated.

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5.2.5 Web Browser

Figure: Example Web Browser Control

The Web Browser Control allows Web pages to be displayed in a host application,

possibly with other ActiveX controls present.

5.2.6 Excel Viewer

Figure: Typical Excel Viewer

Excel is an invaluable tool for process data analysis and reporting. Excel has easy access

to Exaquantum data, data in other Excel files, and any data available through an ODBC

link. The user may have a reporting requirement that integrates data from one or more of

these sources, and performs summary calculations.

The Excel Viewer allows an Excel file to be instantiated within an application, and hence

viewed from the application.

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5.3 Exaquantum/Explorer Infrastructure

5.3.1 Native Objects

Native Objects are similar to ActiveX controls, but are available only in the

Exaquantum/Explorer environment. Examples of Native Objects are text box, edit box,

and list box.

Figure: Example of a Document with Native Objects

Native Objects can be categorized as:

Drawing objects: e.g. line, circle, rectangle.

Animated objects: e.g. gauge, pointer.

Miscellaneous object: e.g. bitmap.

Window objects: e.g. list box, text box.

The most commonly used object is the text box. A text box can be configured to show a

tag value by simply using “drag and drop” from the Data Selector.

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5.3.2 Host Document for Controls

Controls are hosted by the Exaquantum/Explorer container. This container has the

appearance of a document (in the following text, the word “Document” means a container

configured with ActiveX controls).

Figure: Example Document

With Exaquantum/Explorer in Design mode, a document can be populated with controls,

which can be customized and also configured with tags. The document also supports a

powerful scripting language (for more information, see Scripting).

The normal range of edit actions is supported. Drawing operations are supported with a

configurable grid and snap-to-grid behavior.

Exaquantum/Explorer documents may also be saved in HTML format, and viewed in a

business Intranet through Microsoft’s Internet Explorer. Exaquantum/Explorer must be

installed on the client computer to do this, and that client computer must be able to access

the Exaquantum/Explorer documents.

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5.3.3 Multiple Document Interface

Multiple documents can be active at the same time, and selected with the mouse. A

document can be saved as a file, and this file can be activated by double-clicking it.

Multiple documents can be activated simultaneously, with mouse selection or using the

Window task bar to determine the foremost document.

However, the number of documents of interest will generally be sufficiently large that

selection by mouse or taskbar is impractical. In this case, navigation between documents

can be achieved with Button control navigation, allowing a hierarchical User Interface to

be built. Navigation facilities can be added to documents, so that from one active

document it is possible to ‘navigate to’ or ‘select’ another document. It is also possible to

load the new document into a specified area on the current document.

Using navigation, a large set of documents can be linked together in a structured

hierarchy that matches the site structure. For example, the initial document may have a

navigation button to Utilities. Utilities may have navigation to Water. Water may navigate

to Tank3. The Tank3 document may have pressure, level, and flow tags for Tank3.

Figure: Example of Navigation Buttons on a Document

Exaquantum/Explorer also supports collecting documents into a single entity called a

Workbook. The Workbook defines the Run mode environment: it sets the initial

document, the Window style, and whether the Data Selector, Application Launcher and

menus are available or disabled.

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5.3.4 General Reporting Environment

Some users may use Exaquantum/Explorer as their single point-of-access for many

applications. These applications may be general Office applications (such as Microsoft

Word, and Excel) or they may be specific site applications (such as a Reconciliation

package or Operations Logbook).

This is achieved through the Application Launcher, which can be used to open any

external application. For example, from the Application Launcher it would be possible to

launch Microsoft Word.

Figure: Example of Application Launcher

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5.3.5 Tag Configuration

Tag configuration means the connection of Exaquantum tags to controls.

Exaquantum/Explorer supports ’drag and drop’ to maximize the ease and speed of tag

configuration therefore allowing tags to be ‘dragged’ from the Data Selector and ’dropped’

directly onto the control.

The Data Selector shows the hierarchical structure that represents the user’s view of

Exaquantum process data (Role Based Namespace).

Figure: Example of the Exaquantum Data Selector used by the Exaquantum Excel add-in

The Data Selector can be used to search for and select specific data. If a tag has an

associated description, then this will be displayed after the tag name with ‘/’ as a

separator. Data can be attached to the controls in a document by dragging the applicable

item or tag from the Data Selector onto the control. This function binds the data to the

Control. When the document is run, the data is displayed on the document.

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5.3.6 Report Times

The data in a document will be associated with a time or period. For example, a single

primary value will be for a single time, an aggregation value will be for a Calendar Period,

and a trend will have a time period. Exaquantum/Explorer supports the association of all

types of data with times and periods relevant to the Exaquantum server data.

Users will expect to select a time of interest (perhaps when a plant shutdown has

occurred) and navigate through many documents with an unchanging time frame.

Exaquantum/Explorer provides a comprehensive time selector for this. The Set Data

Range/Update window allows the user to set any of three global time variables.

Figure: Set Data Range/Update Window

The three global time variables that Exaquantum/Explorer supports are SpotTime,

ReportStart, and ReportEnd. Generally, Spot Time is used where data is for a single point

in time, and ReportStart/ReportEnd are used where data is for a period. The values of

these variables can be preserved through all documents. Tag data can be bound to any of

these variables when the tags are selected for inclusion in a document.

Other types of time binding are also possible; data can be bound to:

- ‘NOW’ meaning the displayed data contains the latest value (live)

- A selected, unchanging, time

- A Calendar Period boundary.

5.3.7 Data Parameterization

The purpose of data parameterization is to introduce a level of indirect binding of control

properties within documents to external data. A single document will be able to display

different data, depending on the setting of parameterization variables.

When a tag is bound to a control, it is the whole tag path that is associated with the control,

for instance “Root.Boiler1.10PI001.PV.Value”. Data Parameterization allows some part of

the path to be dynamically assigned when the document is running. This is particularly

useful for switching the view of the data from primary value to an aggregation value.

For example, assume a text box is bound to the tag:

"Root.Boiler1.10PI001.PV."+<AggregationMEAN>+"Value:Value"

When the AggregationMEAN mean variable has the value NULL, then the text box will

display the value of tag 10PI001.PV.

When the AggregationMEAN mean variable has the value “Aggregations.Day.Mean”,

then the text box will display the average Day value of tag 10PI001.PV.

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The AggregationMEAN mean variable is a simple, locally held variable in the document,

and can easily be changed with scripting.

5.3.8 Scripting

Scripting provides the ability to create programmatic interaction between components in a

document, and between documents. It introduces programming flexibility into the whole

of the Exaquantum/Explorer environment, and can be divided into three areas:

- Control to control interaction

- Tag data to control interaction

- Document to document interaction.

Control to Control Interaction

A control has events and properties. One control can interact with a second control by use

of scripting configured in an event, whereby the script in the first control manipulates the

property of the second control.

A simple example is:

- A button and a textbox are configured on a document

- The button eventclick event is configured with text1.text=”hello world”

- Therefore, when the document is run and the button is clicked, the text box will

display “hello world”.

This type of scripting is applicable to Exaquantum/Explorer as an Application. It offers the

possibility to create forms style user interfaces.

Scripting is achieved with the Script Editor or the Script Wizard which are described later

in this document.

Tag Data to Control Interaction

A tag can be bound to a control by simply dropping the tag onto the control. This is a quick

way to configure the display of a tag value. There may be further requirements on the

display of a tag value, beyond the basic value.

For example, there may be a requirement to indicate the tag quality value by the color of

the tag value. Good quality could be represented by a white Tag value and Bad quality by

a red Tag value. This gives immediate feedback to the user of the ’worth’ of the data being

examined.

Another requirement may be to automatically format the number of decimal places

displayed as a function of the magnitude of the Tag value. For example, if the Tag value is

between 1 and 10, show 2 decimal places, if the tag value is between 10 and 100, show 1

decimal place.

These requirements can be achieved by binding the Tag to the control with scripting. This

is a very powerful feature of Exaquantum/Explorer.

Document to Document interaction

Document interaction is controlled by the Manager object. A document can call on the

methods/properties of the Manager.

It is possible to have two active documents, and for one document to interact with the

other document.

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Our previous example could be re-used in this context. A button on Document1 could

have the ‘eventclick’ event configured as:

Dim Doc As Object

Set Doc = Manager.Documents.Item("Document2.pxd")

Doc.text1.text=”Hello World”

Set Doc=Nothing

The result being that when the button on a document is clicked, “Hello World” appears in

the text box on Document2.

This feature may be useful in a User Interface that is required to manage the whole

document structure in some manner that is different to the standard Exaquantum/Explorer

approach.

Script Editor

The Script Editor allows the editing of existing or the creation of new script files. It is also

used to define functions and subroutines, which may be used in more than one script.

This creates a library of shared routines for a particular document.

Figure: Script Editor Window

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Script Wizard

The Script Wizard assists in identifying objects, properties and methods for inclusion in

script. A list of the properties and methods for each currently configured Control can be

obtained by using the drop-down lists at the top of the wizard. If a user needs to access a

property or call a method, clicking on the Insert button will insert the required code into the

edit window at the current location of the cursor.

Figure: Script Wizard Window

The Exaquantum/Explorer scripting language is similar to Microsoft Visual Basic Scripting

with the addition of a comprehensive help system and Script Wizard.

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5.4 CS 1000/CS 3000 Graphics Conversion

This tool converts CS 1000 and CS 3000 DCS graphics into Exaquantum/Explorer format.

Once converted, the graphics can be switched easily from showing raw to aggregation

data or from current value to history value. Graphics may be converted from SVG format

or by connecting to a HIS station to import a CS graphic directly.

CS 1000 and CS 3000 DCS graphics can also be imported in Exaquantum/Web format.

Figure: CENTUM CS 3000 Graphic

Figure: Exaquantum/Explorer Graphic

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5.5 Excel Add-In

The Exaquantum Excel Add-In extends the standard Microsoft Excel capabilities to

provide control and display of real-time and historical information. The Excel Add-In:

- Makes live and historical Exaquantum data available within Microsoft Excel

- Utilizes simple 'drag and drop' of Exaquantum data into spreadsheets

- Uses the standard Exaquantum Data Selector

- Integrates with the Exaquantum Production Calendar for setting report start and end

times.

Figure: Example of an Excel Add-In Display

In order to use these features, in addition to the Exaquantum system a user requires

Microsoft Excel to be installed.

During installation of the Exaquantum client, the Excel Add-in feature must be selected.

5.5.1 Aggregations

In addition to the standard facilities available in Exaquantum/Explorer, the Excel Add-in

provides access to functions for calculating ad-hoc Aggregations. In this context,

aggregations provide a way of summarizing raw data over a specific time period. The

difference between standard aggregations and those available with Excel Add-ins is:

- Standard aggregations are calculated using the data available at the end of the

configured period and automatically stored in the Historian database for later use.

- Aggregations in Excel are requested by a client and calculated on the fly as required.

Values are calculated using the data currently available. The result is delivered to the

client, for use in a spreadsheet.

Advantages

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The main purpose of Excel aggregations is to create a reduced data set from the raw data

for use in reports, where less detail may be required. In many situations, this method has

several advantages over standard aggregations and spreadsheet calculations:

- Increased flexibility to adjust the time frame and parameters. Periods for aggregation

can more easily be adjusted to match local business or operational needs.

- The ability to create historical aggregations. If requirements change, previously

collected data can be used to create aggregations retrospectively.

- More efficient use of resources. Calculation is performed on the server and sent to

the client, reducing the load on both the client PC and network. This can be

significant for large numbers of aggregations over a long period.

- Reduced storage requirements because all the data does not automatically get

stored. For example two-minute aggregations for a prolonged period will produce a

significant amount of data. Producing the equivalent aggregation on demand, for

only the period necessary, requires less storage.

- Less error due to late arriving data. Standard aggregations are calculated using the

data available at the end of the period. Data that arrives later, such as LIMS, or

erroneous values that were subsequently corrected, will not be included in stored

aggregations.

It can be difficult to identify in advance exactly what aggregations to configure. Therefore,

In order to cover every eventuality, a large number of aggregations were created and

stored, which were rarely used. The ability to create aggregations as and when necessary

means that, in many situations, the need to store a large number of regular aggregations

can be reconsidered.

Functionality

To help produce meaningful reports the built in aggregation functions provided are:

- Minimum - the minimum value recorded during the calculation period.

- Maximum - the maximum value recorded during the calculation period.

- Mean - the running mean value calculated over the calculation period.

- Standard Deviation - the standard deviation over the calculation period.

- Summation:

- Standard: the sum of the values over the calculation period.

- Differential: the differential sum of the data between successive calculation

periods.

- Spot Value - the value at the start of the calculation period.

- On Count - the number of times the value changed from 'off' to 'on' during the

calculation period.

- On Time - the total amount of time the values was 'on' during the calculation period.

The additional functionality provided by of these types of aggregations is only available in

the Exaquantum Excel Add-in feature. It is accessed using an enhanced version of the

Set Data Range/Update window, which provides the extra controls necessary to configure

the aggregations.

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Figure: Set Data Range/Update dialog box from the Excel Add-in

Examples of use

The following scenarios demonstrate just two of the many situations where the flexibility of

Excel aggregations can be used to great advantage.

z Multi-state monitoring

If a user needs to monitor a device that can be in one of several states, for example the

operation of a pump. For maintenance purposes it is necessary to monitor the exact load

provided by the pump over a given period. The pump could have 5 discrete operation

levels, each associated with a load levels:

Off= 0

Standby = 5%

Low = 25%

Medium = 50%

High = 100%

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By monitoring the duration that the pump is in each operating level and calculating the

resulting overall time/load ratio, the point at which maintenance or inspection is required

can be scheduled.

To achieve this with aggregations, a user would set an ‘On time’ aggregation to capture

the duration that the pump was in each of the level states, and use the functionality within

Excel to calculate the overall load over the given period.

z Performance evaluation

If the performance of a piece of equipment is under investigation aggregations can be

configured covering tightly defined periods and very specific parameters in order to

expose any anomalous behavior.

For example if a pump is under suspicion because the throughput is not as high as

expected. In this case a combination of aggregations can be configured to extract all the

relevant statistics related to the performance of the pump for just the period that it was

operational.

During the investigation, the monitoring criteria can be easily adjusted, and the statistics

recalculated, in order to concentrate on any anomalous performance, perhaps during the

start up phase, or after a certain period of operation at full capacity.

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5.6 Trend Analyze Window

The Trend Analyze screen will allow an operator to use a single screen for advanced

analysis of tags along with their associated Alarms & Events.

It provides the operator with:

- A graphical display (trend) displaying tag information varying over time.

- The ability to compare trends from the same tag over different periods of time, by

using two charts stacked one above the other.

- View trends from the tags that are in based in different groups.

- A list of the tags responsible for the ten most frequently occurring alarms and events,

which can be used to produce trends.

- The facility to save and reload groups of trends for later use.

- A display, for the selected time period, Alarm and Event information for all tags

contained in the Trend or for an operator selected tag in the Trend.

All user interaction is carried out through on-screen documents.

5.6.1 Trend View

The Trend View provides:

- Adding tags from the data selector.

- Saving and Loading of tags in trend groups.

- Setting of the time period covered by the display.

Figure: Trend View

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5.6.2 Trends and Alarm and Events

This document allows a user to examine the behavior of trends, but in particular those

related to the top ten alarm tags.

Figure: Trends and Alarm and Events

The top ten alarm tags are shown in the dialog below:

Figure: Top Ten Alarm Tags

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5.6.3 Trend Comparison

This document allows a user to select sources of data and display them simultaneously

as trends in two trend charts stacked one above the other.

The time period covered by the two trend charts can be changed independently to enable

the trends to be compared over different periods.

Figure: Trend Comparison

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5.7 Trend Templates

With the goal of improving engineering efficiency, nine Exaquantum/Explorer trend

templates are supplied that can be applied or adapted to meet different requirements.

5.7.1 Trend Templates Main Screen

When the Trend Templates Exaquantum/Explorer workbook is started, the following page

is displayed to allow the user to select the appropriate template:

Figure: Trend Templates Main Screen

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5.7.2 Illustrations of each Template Type

Figure: Four Pen Trend Screen

Figure: Eight Pen Trend Screen

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Figure: Trend Comparison Screen

Figure: Four Trends Screen

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Figure: Six Trends Screen

Figure: Nine Trends Overview Screen

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Figure: Alarms & Events Screen

Figure: Combined Trend and Alarms & Events Screen

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Figure: Alarms and Events by Type Screen

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6. Exaquantum/Web

Exaquantum/Web is designed for intranet deployment of the Exaquantum user

interface. Exaquantum/Web provides a thin client alternative to

Exaquantum/Explorer and delivers the benefits that customers expect when

choosing web technology.

With Exaquantum/Web, Exaquantum information can be used even more

effectively by being combined with data from a variety of sources within the user’s

working environment. Exaquantum/Web provides the best features of

Exaquantum/Explorer, without the need for a full client installation prior to use.

6.1 Benefits of the Web

One of the main benefits is the reduction of the cost of ownership; this is achieved

through:

- Minimum specification of PC hardware

- Centralized administration of software installation and management.

Contemporary software is making increasing use of Web technology because of the

benefits to both developers and users. For the developers, constantly evolving

technology enables them to make the most of their expertise. Also, because of the

existence of and adherence to Web standards, the amount of compatible technology that

is now available has greatly increased. The main benefit to the user is ease of use

provided by a common interface standard.

Some of the specific benefits include:

- A standard framework that:

- Allows the grouping of Exaquantum data into logical categories such as process

mimics, alarm and event views or reports

- Gives the user a customized view of the available resources.

- Web authoring tools that allow users to configure any combination of Web compliant

components to work together. For example, a user may configure the Outlook e-mail

environment next to the Exaquantum Alarms and Events viewer, so that all prompts

can be seen through a single screen.

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6.2 Architectural Overview

The illustration below outlines the make-up of the architecture:

Framework

Web Applications

Tag

Viewer

Function

Block

Viewer

Mimics

Exaquantum

Excel Add-In

Security Layer

Data

Selector

RBNS

View

Mimic

View

Trend

View

A&E

View

Exaquantum Views

Internet Explorer Microsoft Excel

Trends

Alarms

And

Events

Figure: Web UI Overview

This architecture can be split into a number of key areas.

z Framework

The framework is a customizable and extensible web framework through which views of

Exaquantum data are displayed. The views include the display of the Role Based

Namespace, and selection of Mimics, Trends and Alarm and Event displays.

z Web Applications

Exaquantum Applications are also accessible through the framework. These applications

are for viewing Tags (Tag Viewer), Function Blocks (Function Block Viewer), Mimics

(Mimic Viewer), Trends, and Alarms and Events.

z Excel Add-In

The Exaquantum add-in for Microsoft Excel provides almost identical functionality to that

of the thick client Excel Add-In. Spreadsheets that have been configured with the thick

client version of the Excel Add-In are usable without any changes.

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6.3 Scope of Supply

The most significant difference between Exaquantum/Web and Exaquantum/Explorer is

that the runtime container is Microsoft Internet Explorer (IE). Exaquantum/Web

comprises a number of components that are used to build the UI. These components are

explained below.

Graphics Editor and Conversion Tools

Exaquantum/Web provides the following tools to address industry requirements:

z Graphics Editor

This is a stand-alone thick client that allows users to configure mimics for viewing on the

Web. It creates graphics files in Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) format. SVG is the W3C

standard that is set to be the next generation graphics markup standard.

The Graphics Editor allows users to create graphics using basic graphical elements such

as lines, circles, rectangles, or text. The properties (i.e. color, position, and value) of a

graphic object can be dynamically changed, based on data values.

The Graphics Editor does not allow ActiveX controls such as the Trend and Alarm and

Event Summary to be embedded in the graphics files. This is achieved using the web-

authoring tool. Scripting of the graphical elements is limited to basic expressions.

z Exaquantum/Explorer Graphics Conversion

This tool converts Exaquantum/Explorer graphics into Exaquantum/Web format so that

graphics are available in the Web environment. The conversion tool strips off Script. This

can be replaced manually by expressions to animate graphical objects.

The conversion also removes ActiveX controls such as Trends and Alarm and Events. In

the web environment these controls can be displayed alongside, for example, a plant

mimic using a web-authoring tool such as Microsoft Front Page.

z CS 1000/CS 3000 Graphics Conversion

This tool converts CS 1000 and CS 3000 graphics into Exaquantum/Web format. Once

converted, the graphics can be switched easily from showing raw to aggregation data or

from current value to history value. Graphics may be converted from SVG format or by

connecting to a HIS station to import a CS graphic directly.

Excel Add-In

The Exaquantum/Web Excel Add-in provides similar features to the Exaquantum/Explorer

Excel Add-In. The following sections contain an explanation of the concept of reporting

steps and a description of Excel Add-In features.

z Reporting Steps

It is useful to identify the steps associated with the reporting activity as follows:

- Template configuration – This is the step by which the user creates templates.

Templates define shapes, types of values to be used, annotations (e.g. a title of

report), etc. They are meant for a particular usage, e.g. a Daily report of utility

consumption, but the report values are yet to come.

- Data source configuration – This is the step to run the templates and allocate the

data sources from which the report values are to be retrieved. Allocation is typically

done by dragging and dropping target tags onto a template. The outcome of this step

may or may not be saved as runable reports.

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- Publishing – As the template and data source have been configured, report values

should be now retrieved from the data source. The user may or may not tune

retrieved values. Once the values are satisfactory, the user can publish the report.

Publishing a report is essentially saving the worked out report in a read-only format.

Web Applications

A suite of applications provides views to Exaquantum data. The applications are

accessible from the Exaquantum Home Page which acts as a portal to any web-based

applications that are configured. For Exaquantum/Web these are:

- Role Based Namespace based Tag & Function Block Viewer

- Graphics

- Trends

- Alarm and Events.

Note: Exaquantum/Explorer contains some features that are not currently available through Exaquantum/Web.

These include the Alarm and Event Update Control, Data Entry Grid and run time configuration of Trends.

z Role Based Namespace Browser

The Web version of the Role Based Namespace Browser is available to create a fully

personalized and integrated user interface environment.

z Tag Viewer

This allows Tag details (i.e. Name, Description, Units and Engineering Limits) to be

viewed. Value, Quality and Timestamp can be viewed for a spot time or a period in tabular

form. For users with the appropriate permission, values can be written back to

Exaquantum.

z Function Block Viewer

This allows the Value, Quality and Timestamp for a spot time for all of the tags within a

Function Block to be viewed.

z Graphics

This view will show process graphics. It allows graphics to show data at a specified spot

time and for raw or aggregated data.

Pre-configured Components

In order for users to easily configure the Web-based user interface, Exaquantum/Web

provides a number of pre-configured components.

z Trends

The trend components are a vital part of Exaquantum/Explorer that provide a

comprehensive view of Exaquantum data.

The Exaquantum/Web Trend component is a down-loadable ActiveX control that allows

functionality as rich as that of the Exaquantum/Explorer Trend component. It

communicates with the server by using HTTP so that the component fits in with Web

network requirements.

The trend component allows users to select properties to fine-tune trend behavior.

z Alarms and Events

The viewing of Alarms and Events is provided by a version of the current Alarm and Event

ActiveX control that has been adapted to the web environment. For example, the user

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can select OPC server(s), type of Alarms and Events, time period and which columns to

display.

6.4 Authoring Web Contents

Users will need to configure a number of pages to meet their own specific requirements.

The major components to be configured, and how to configure them, are as follows:

- Mimics, through the Graphics Editor

- Pre-configured Trends, through the authoring tool

- Alarms and Events, through the authoring tool.

To enable users to configure Exaquantum/Web pages easily, Exaquantum provides

configuration time features for Trend and Alarms & Events.

Microsoft Front Page is the recommended authoring tool. Exaquantum also provides a

Front Page Add In that allows:

- Simple 'drag and drop' of Exaquantum data

- Publishing of mimics, trends and other views.

For more detailed information, refer to Volume 4 of the Exaquantum Engineering Guide.

6.5 Deployment Options

License

The Exaquantum license key code that the Exaquantum administrator will receive on

purchasing Exaquantum will encode the purchased options.

When a license for multiple Exaquantum servers is purchased, the user will receive as

many license codes as for the number of servers present. Each code is unique even if the

conditions (i.e. number of tags, etc.) are the same.

If the Exaquantum/Web option is selected, all license codes will allow installation of the

Exaquantum/Web option.

Installation

To enable Web access to one or more Exaquantum/PIMS servers there must be at least

one Exaquantum/Web server in the system. The basic Web functionality is provided by

the Microsoft IIS (Internet Information Server), which is supplied as a Windows installation

option with all the supported operating systems (except where Microsoft 2000

professional or Microsoft XP is used as an Exaquantum server). Internet Information

Server must be installed on the same platform as the Exaquantum/Web server.

- For small lightly loaded systems, the Exaquantum/Web server can be deployed on

the same hardware as the Exaquantum/PIMS server.

- For larger systems the Exaquantum/Web server should be deployed on dedicated

hardware.

- Exaquantum/Web is not available where Microsoft 2000 professional or Microsoft XP

is used as an Exaquantum server.

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7. OLE DB Client

The Exaquantum OLE DB Client application allows the user to view a 'snapshot' of

Exaquantum data using OLE DB/ODBC compliant reporting and analysis tools,

such as Excel and Seagate Crystal Reports.

OLE DB allows generic access of information in various forms. Exaquantum

makes full use of the technology by defining several access methods that primarily

expose Trend information.

Exaquantum provides a simple wizard tool that allows users with no technical

knowledge of OLE DB/ODBC to retrieve information.

7.1 OLE DB Client Tools

The OLE DB tools consist of:

- A Query Wizard for the production of QOLEDB queries

- An Item Selector for the selection of items.

Query Wizard

Users can construct query commands in an intuitive and comprehensive way,

Exaquantum provides a wizard designed for Microsoft Excel. Using the Query Wizard,

users are allowed to take advantage of OLE DB Client without knowing query parameters

detail.

The Query Wizard prompts users for appropriate options. The first step is to select a query

type, e.g., QTrendData, and a set of query specific selections will follow. In the case of

QTrendData, these are:

- Select Times

- Select Options ‘IncludeEdge’ or ‘IncludeBounding’

- Select Items

- Select Columns

- Finished.

Item Selector

The Item Selector is a standalone program accessible through the standard Window

Programs menu. It provides the ability to select items to a list. Items can be dragged from

the Data Selector to the selected list. The list of tags can then be copied to the clipboard

as a comma-separated list. The list can then be pasted into the Crystal Reports entry box

when prompted for the Items in a QData or QTrendData request.

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7.2 Query Types

OLE DB Client has the following query types available:

- QData, retrieves tag data for a determined time (Tag Spot Data)

- QAEData, retrieves Exaquantum Alarm and Event data for a determined time

- QTrendData, retrieves tag data for a specific time and updates the data periodically.

The two of most commonly used commands (QData and QTrendData) are explained

further.

QData: Tag Spot Data

This query will return information for specified items at a particular point in time.

The command consists of the following parameters:

Columns One or more unique column names such as Path name,

Aggregation period, Value, Secondary Quality and Timestamp,

or the ‘*’ character that is shorthand for requesting all columns.

SpotTime A locale formatted date/time string, the minimum time resolution

is 1 second. Pre-defined values, such as NOW, are available, as

well as calculations like NOW – 10 minutes.

Attributes IncludeEdge or IncludeBounding constants.

IncludeEdge The point at the specified time is returned, or if a point does

not exist then an interpolated value is returned from the last

point in history.

IncludeBounding The point at the specified time is returned or if the point does

not exist then the previous point in history is returned.

Items A list of fully qualified comma separated paths to the requested

items. All paths start from ‘Root’.

z Example

The command,

QData< “*”,"24/05/00 11:36:00",

"IncludeEdge","Root.Server1.F001PID01.PV.Value ">

will return a spot value populated into Excel spreadsheet as follows:

Name Aggregation Value Quality Secondary Quality Timestamp

Root.Server1.F001PID01.PV.Value 12 Good None 24/05/00 11:36:00

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QA&EData: Alarm and Event Data

This query retrieves Exaquantum Alarm and Event data for a determined time.

z Query Parameters

The command consists of the following parameters:

Columns One or more unique column names defined by the QAEData

result set, or the ‘*’ character. Multiple column names are comma

separated. The ‘*’ character is shorthand for requesting all

columns.

StartTime Inclusive start time of query for alarm and event data. A locale

formatted date/time string; the minimum time resolution is 1

second.

EndTime Inclusive end time of query for alarm and event data. A locale

formatted date/time string; the minimum time resolution is 1

second.

MessageFilter If a wildcard string is specified then alarms and/or events are only

returned if the message matches the MessageFilter. The default

is ‘*’.

MaximumEvents Specifies the maximum number of alarm and/or events that can

be returned; the default is to return all alarms and events.

OPCServers A list of comma separated OPC server names for which alarm

and event data is required. If no server is specified, data for all

servers is returned.

Server An Exaquantum server name from which to retrieve alarm and

events. If no server is specified, the provider connects to the

Primary server. Note that only one server may be specified.

Filter A generic filter to be applied directly to the alarm and event

database query. The default is no filter.

z Example

This example displays alarm and event data from Server 1 between the specified Start

and End times that have a Severity of 500 and a Data value of more than 20. All columns

will be displayed.

QAEData( "*" , "24/05/00 11:26:00" , "24/05/00 11:36:00" , ,, "Server

1", "", "(Severity = 500) AND (DataValue > 20)")

Server Source Timestamp Message

Server 1 F002PID01 24/05/00 11:26:00 F002PID01 1234567890XXX1234567890 PV = 27.5 NM3/M HI Recover

Server 1 F002PID01 24/05/00 11:26:00 F002PID01 1234567890XXX1234567890 PV = 27.5 NM3/M LO

Server 1 F002PID01 24/05/00 11:26:01 F002PID01 1234567890XXX1234567890 PV = 47.7 NM3/M LO Recover

Server 1 F002PID01 24/05/00 11:26:02 F002PID01 1234567890XXX1234567890 PV = 30.7 NM3/M LO

Server 1 F002PID01 24/05/00 11:26:03 F002PID01 1234567890XXX1234567890 PV = 45.4 NM3/M LO Recover

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Category Severity Condition No of

Attributes

CENTUM

Message ID

Station

Name

Tag Name Recipe Group

Number

Recipe

Name

102 500 HI 10 4354 FCS0101 F002PID02 0

102 500 LO 10 4353 FCS0101 F002PID02 0

102 500 LO 10 4354 FCS0101 F002PID02 0

102 500 LO 10 4353 FCS0101 F002PID02 0

102 500 LO 10 4354 FCS0101 F002PID02 0

Batch ID Unit Recipe

Number

Engineering

Units

Data Value Item Name

0 NM3/M 27.5458030700684 PV

0 NM3/M 47.6892623901367 PV

0 NM3/M 30.7076587677002 PV

0 NM3/M 45.412841796875 PV

QTrendData: Trend Data

This query will retrieve large amounts of trend data at a time. It allows multiple items

and/or span of time within a single query.

z Query Parameters

The command consists of the following parameters:

Columns One or more unique column names such as Timestamp, Value

and Secondary Quality, or the ‘*’ character that is shorthand for

requesting all columns.

StartTime Inclusive start time of query for trend data. A locale formatted

date/time string; the minimum time resolution is 1 second.

EndTime Inclusive end time of query for trend data. A locale formatted

date/time string; the minimum time resolution is 1 second.

Interval If Interval is specified as other than “00:00:00” then data is

returned exactly once per Interval rather than for each data point

in history.

Attributes IncludeEdge or IncludeBounding constants.

IncludeEdge The point at the specified time is returned, or if a point does

not exist then an interpolated value is returned from the last

point in history.

IncludeBounding The point at the specified time is returned or if the point does

not exist then the previous point in history is returned.

Items A list of fully qualified comma separated paths to the requested

items. All paths start from ‘Root’.

z Examples

The first example query fetches the value and quality data of two Tags' values over a

period of time with a re-sample interval of 1 hour. As a re-sample interval has been

specified this dictates that the result set will have a shared Timestamp column for all items

specified.

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QTrendData< “*”,"24/05/00 07:36:00" , "24/05/00 11:36:00" ,

"01:00:00" , "IncludeEdge",

"Root.Server1.F001PID01.SV.Value,Root.Server1.F001PID01.MV.Value

# Represents the string <Root.Server1.F001PID01>

Timestamp #.SV.Value:Value #.SV.Quality:

Value

#.SV.Secondary

Quality:Value

#.MV.Value:V

alue

#.MV.Quality:

Value

#.MV.Secondary

Quality:Value

24/05/00