Alarm DB Logger Object

for Wonderware
Application Server

User Guide
Ver 1.x Rev 1.0
PR 00186

WONDERWARE FINLAND
P.O. Box 38
FIN-00371 Helsinki Finland
tel. int. + 358 9 5404940
fax int. + 358 9 5413541
www.wonderware.fi
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Table of Contents
Introduction .................................................................................................................... 1
Installing the Alarm DB Logger Object ........................................................................... 1
Hardware requirements .............................................................................................. 1
Software requirements................................................................................................ 1
Files ............................................................................................................................ 1
Installation .................................................................................................................. 2
Licensing requirements............................................................................................... 4
Demo License installation ....................................................................................... 4
Software key installation ......................................................................................... 5
Configuration .................................................................................................................. 6
General Configuration................................................................................................. 6
Run-Time Object Attributes ........................................................................................ 8
Troubleshooting ............................................................................................................. 9
Advanced Troubleshooting ......................................................................................... 12

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Alarm DB Logger Object for Wonderware

Application Server
Introduction
The Alarm DB Logger Object (Alarm DB Logger) is a component of Wonderware
Finland Alarm Extension Pack and provides functionality to store alarms into SQL
database for alarms coming from Wonderware Application Server (WAS) and/or other
Alarm Providers compatible with Wonderware Alarm System:

Alarm DB SQL Server

Alarm Providers: Object Alarm database -
 Application wwAlarms
Alarms/Events Alarms/Events Event database -
Server wwEvents
 InTouch

Installing the Alarm DB Logger Object

Hardware requirements
The Alarm DB Logger object has the same hardware requirements as Wonderware
Application Server. It is strongly recommended to have computer with 2 gigahertz (GHz)
or faster processor, 32/64-bit. A multi-core processor is also strongly recommended. The
Intel Itanium 2 processor is not supported.
Software requirements
The Wonderware Application Server 3.1 SP1 or later should be installed prior to GSM-
Control Object installation.

Note: if this is our first Alarm DB Logger installation is

Files
- AlarmDBLogger.aaPKG – contains the Alarm DB Logger object and
preconfigured AppEngine and Area for Alarm DB Logger

- P186m10.pdf – User Manual (this document)

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Installation

1) Copy Alarm Gateway object files to some folder, e.g. to C:/Install.

2. Start the ArchestrA IDE and import the AlarmDBLogger.aaPKG file to a new/existing
galaxy (in the further explanation we will assume that a new galaxy grTest2 is used).
If you are using existing galaxy and there are already deployed older Alarm Gateway
object version please, following upgrade instruction from section Object upgrade
procedure.

3) After importing, 2 new templates ($AlarmDBLogger and $AlarmDBLogger_001) are

added to Template Toolbox:

4) 3 new instances (eAlarm_DBLogger_Alarms, aAlarm_DBLogger_Alarms and

aAlarm_DBLogger_Alarms) are created

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eAlarmGateway pre-configured AppEngine for Alarm Gateway

is configured with Scan period 10000 ms:

AlarmDBLogger_Det_Alarms - Alarm DB Logger object instance.

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aAlarm_DBLogger_Alarms - pre-configured Area for Alarm DB Logger – contains

sample automatic script sample for Alarm DB Logger object.

Licensing requirements
Alarm Gateway object support two types of licenses:

 The demo license is for free and provides an unlimited functionality, but it is valid
only for a limited time period.
 The software key enables the Alarm Gateway Object unlimited full time running
without any restrictions.

Demo License installation

The demo license is for free and provides an unlimited functionality, but it is valid only for
a limited time period. After demo license expiration, the Alarm Gateway will stop to
provide the alarms. The demo license can be obtained by sending inquiry to
[email protected].

To activate the received demo License key, you need to set it to object attribute
License_DemoKey:

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If demo license is valid (correct key is installed) attribute License_IsLicensed is true and
in attribute License_DemoExpirationDate is displayed expiration date after that product
stops working.

Software key installation

The software key enables the Alarm Gateway Object unlimited full time running without
any restrictions.

To get and enable the software key:

- get “Product ID” from object attribute License_ProductID (e.g. PR00185 100);
- get “Customer ID” from object attribute License_CustomerID;
- copy/paste it to e-mail (or text file or similar) and provide this “Customer ID” string when
ordering the Alarm Gateway Object;
- when product is purchased, copy the received “Software Key” to object attribute
License_SoftwareKey:

If license ket is valid (correct key is installed) attribute License_IsLicensed is set to true
and product is ready for use.

Licensing run-time attributes:

Attribute Description Run-Time Access

License_CustomerID Unique generated Read-Only
customer ID

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License_DemoExpirationDate Demo license expiration Read-Only

date
License_DemoKey Demo license key User
License_IsLicensed If True then product is Read-Only
licensed
License_ProductID Product ID Read-Only
License_SoftwareKey Product software key User

Configuration
For general information about objects (including relationships, deployment and alarm
distribution) - see the Wonderware Integrated Development Environment (IDE)
documentation.

For information on configuration options for object information, scripts, user-defined

attributes (UDAs), or attribute extensions, click Extensions Help in the Help file header.

All object attributes are grouped into following groups by prefix:

SQL. - defines attributes for Alarm SQL database general configuration and status.
Consumer_ - defines attributes for Alarm Consumer configuration.
Licence_ - defines attributes for licensing – see “Licensing” section for more information

General Configuration
The following section describes the Object Editor options for configuration and the
associated attributes.

Use the General tab to configure and tune the behavior of the Alarm Gateway Object:

Editor Option Associated Attribute Description

Alarm Query Consumer.AlarmQuery Consumer Alarm Query
From Priority Consumer.FromPriority Enter the starting value of the
alarm priority range
To Priority Consumer.ToPriority Enter the ending value of the
alarm priority range
Query Mode Consumer.QueryType Alarm query type.

Server Name SQL.ServerName SQL hostname e.g. GRPC,

LOCALHOST.
Database SQL.Database Wonderware Alarm database
name – that is created with
Alarm DB Logger Manager for
Alarm DB Logger use. e.g.
WWALMDB,
wwAlarm,wwEvent
User SQL.User SQL user (for SQL Server
Authentication)

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Password SQL.Password SQL user password (for SQL

Server Authentication)
Logging Mode SQL.LoggingMode Alarm Logging mode (Detailed
or Consolidated)

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Run-Time Object Attributes

The following table describes the run-time only attributes for the Alarm Gateway Object.

Note: Configurable run-time attributes are described in the configuration sections. For
more information, see Configuration section above.

Attribute Description Run-Time

Access
Started If true Alarm DB Logger is Read-Only
Started and running.
SQL.Connected Alarm DB Logger is connected to Read-Only
alarm database successfully.
Restart If set to true Alarm DB Logger User
restarts alarm consumer and
reconnects to alarms database.
DebugLogging User
Consumer.Status Current status of Alarm Gateway Read-Only
LogLevel User
DebugLogging If true seta LogLevel to 4 = User
enables full debug loging in SMC
Logger for troubleshooting if false
sets Loglevel = 0 -> disables
debug logging.

Note: Due object is actively communication with SQL server it is highly recommended to
run each Alarm DB Logger Object in separate Engine since Alarm Gateway uses scan
interval for reading the alarms.
Minimum recommended Engine scan interval for Alarm Gateway is 10000 ms.

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Troubleshooting
Here are common issues that may occur while using Alarm DB Logger object and
solutions.

1) No alarms from Alarm Provider (WinPlatform) for Alarm DB Logger.

a) check is valid Demo or full license installed for Alarm DB Logger is Attribute
(License_IsLicensed = true) in Object Viewer:

See section Licensing requirements for details about object licensing.

b) check if WinPlatform object has enabled alarming - option Enable InTouch

alarm provider is checked.

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c) if alarms are checked and alarms are displayed in any Wonderware alarm
display from Platform directly, check Alarm DB Logger consumer settings in Object
Viewer, is correct alarm query, FromPriority, ToPriority set (must be the same as in
Wonderware alarm controls):

if alarms are coming to Alarm DB Logger Consumer but on alarms created in alarm
database, check Alarm DB Logger alarm database configuration:

 check is correct alarm database serverName or IP is entered in attribute

SQL.ServerName.
 check is correct alarm database name is entered in attribute
SQL.Database.
 check is correct alarm logging mode is selected attribute SQL.Detailed.
 check is correct alarm database username is entered in attribute
SQL.User.
 check is correct alarm database username is entered in attribute
SQL.Password

SQL Server Management Studio can be used for checking alarm database status.

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Advanced Troubleshooting
For advanced troubleshooting there are possible to enable Debug Mode by setting
object attribute DebugLogging to true to enable full logging or change attribute
LogLevel from 1 to 4:

If debuglogging is enabled Alarm DB Logger logs alarms created to alarm database and
object alarms insert to database performance logs.

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Object upgrade procedure

1) Undeploy all Application engines were Alarm Gateway object is deployed

2) Delete all Alarm Gateway object instances and templates from galaxy.

3) Close ArchestrA IDE.

4) Open ArchestrA and import new version of Alarm Gateway object.

Following “Import Preferences” are recommended for Alarm Gateway object new
version installation into WAS galaxy:

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WONDERWARE FINLAND
Alarm DB Logger Object
Revision History

Oct 2011 Rev 1.0 First Release

Alarm DB Logger Object User Manual Rev 1.0 P186m10