Implementing the FSGateway Redundant Object with InTouch as the Data Source

Tech Note 1036

Implementing the FSGateway Redundant Object with InTouch as the Data Source

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Topic#: 002874
Created: April 2014

Introduction
This Tech Note explains configuring FSGateway as a Redundant OPC server, using the FSGateway Redundant Object. The FSGateway
reduntant object is configured with InTouch objects as the primary and backup data sources. This Tech Note is derived from a service
request from a Wonderware distributor.

Application Versions
InTouch (all versions)

Matrikon

Preparation:
Assuming the readers already have InTouch applications running in at least two separate network nodes, in our demonstration we are
using two nodes with the ip address of 10.2.81.29 (remote InTouch app node) and 10.2.81.116 (happen to be in the local node -
Localhost, local InTouch app node, notice the InTouch does not have to be running in local node at all)

In our demonstration, we have created in our InTouch applications

An Identical Access Name Internal configured with View and Tagname.

An identical item named Tag1 which is tied to the $Second attribute so we can display the running data update.

Setting up the FSGateway Primary and Backup InTouch Data Source Objects
1. From Wonderware System Management Console (SMC) under DAServer Manager/Default Group/Local, navigate to
FSGateway/Configuration.

2. Highlight the Configuration item and right-click/select Add InTouch Object (Figure 1 below). This is the Primary InTouch node.

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Implementing the FSGateway Redundant Object with InTouch as the Data Source

FiguRE 1: Add PRimaRY INToucH NodE

InTouch Runtime Node

1. From the InTouch object configuration editor, you can browse the location (node name from the network) where the primary
InTouch application is running; or, if you know the InTouch application node IP address, you can provide the IP address manually
(Figure 2 below).

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FiguRE 2: IP AddREss oR NEtWoRK NamE foR INToucH NodE

2. Type the path of the InTouch application's Tag Dictionary (DB) (Figure 3 below).

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FiguRE 3: INToucH Tag DictioNaRY DB PatH

Note: The InTouch application tag DB folder must be properly shared in the network environment, otherwise you will not be able to
browse the path. When you provide the path manually without the folder being shared, you will get an invalid configuration (Figure 4
below).

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FiguRE 4: INToucH Tag DB FoldER SHaREd

Figure 5 (below) shows the path of the InTouch application DB is successfully browsed in.

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FiguRE 5: INToucH App SHaREd FilE

3. Next, add the group object under the InTouch object (Figure 6 below).

FiguRE 6: INToucHGRoup ObJEct

Once the group object is added, you can use the tag browser to verify if the connection to the InTouch app DB is good. You
should be able to browse all the items in the InTouch app’s tag dictionary. Figure 7.

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FiguRE 7: VERifY tHE INToucH DB CoNNEctioN

4. Repeat the same steps to add the backup InTouch object and group object (Figures 8 and 9 below). Notice this object will use a
different InTouch application in a different network node. In our demo, the first InTouch app is located at IP address 10.2.81.29,
and the backup InTouch app is located in the local node (Loacalhost).

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FiguRE 8: BRoWsE to 2Nd ApplicatioN PatH

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FiguRE 9: NEW INToucHGRoup

Setting up the FSGateway Redundant Device Object

1. From the SMC/FSGateway/Configuration list, add the Redundant Device Object (Figure 10 below).

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FiguRE 10: Add REduNdaNt DEvicE ObJEct

2. From the Redundant Device Object configuration window, browse the InTouch objects you have created as primary and backup,
then add them respectively (Figure 11 below).

FiguRE 11: BRoWsE to PRimaRY aNd SEcoNdaRY INToucH ObJEcts

In this example, the Primary Device is called New_InTouch_000.New_InTouchGourp_000. The Secondary (Backup) Device is
called New_InTouch_001.New_InTouchGourp_000. Later we will observe from these device names to identify which device is
active and which is inactive (in backup mode).

3. Last, select a Ping Item for the Redundant Device Object (Figure 12 below).

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FiguRE 12: PiNg ItEm $DatE

The Ping Item keeps both primary and backup input source alive, even when the data is not pulled from that side. For example, if
the redundant object pulls the data from primary side, no items pulled from the backup side. Without the ping item, the Redundant
object does not know if the backup object is available or not, in order to failover.

Figure 13 shows the completed redundant object.

4. Activate the FSGateway.

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FiguRE 13: ActivatE FSGatEWaY SERvER

Testing the FSGateway OPC Server with Redundant InTouch Sourece

To test the FSG OPC server with redundant IT source, you will need an OPC client software. There are many available such as Matrikon
Explorer, Kepware OPC test client, etc.

In this Tech Note, we use the Matrikon Explorer.

1. Download the Matrikon Explorer free from the Matrikon website. It is located in OPC Tools.

2. Install it on the FSGateway node, then start it up, click Server, and choose one of the available OPC servers on that node.

In this example, pick FSGateway and then click Connect (Figure 14 below).

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FiguRE 14: CoNNEct WitH tHE FSGatEWaY SERvER

Once connected, the Connect option is disabled, and at the bottom of the Matrikon Explorer window you will see the
Connected OPC Server name, status (Connected) and state (Running).

Then click the Add Group (Figure 15 below).

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FiguRE 15: OPC SERvER Status

3. Add a group and call it Test.

4. Add an item from the OPC server (Figure 16 below) by clicking Add Item, and then browsing to available item from the OPC

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Server panel (FSGateway)

FiguRE 16: Add ItEm

5. Browse to an item in the FSGateway tree and add the item to the advice list (Figure 17 below).

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FiguRE 17: BRoWsE aNd Add Tag1 fRom tHE OPC SERvER (FSGatEWaY REd ObJEct)

6. Click Validate and look for the data updates.

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FiguRE 18: ValidatE to gEt Data UpdatE

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FiguRE 19: SHoWiNg tHE ItEm Tag1 UpdatEs

You may add additional items from the FSGateway redundant object for monitoring and testing purposes, for example adding the
$sys$ActiveDevice to show which input source is currently active.

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FiguRE 20: THE pRimaRY DEvicE NEW_INToucH_000 is CuRRENtlY ActivE

7. Next, shutdown the InTouch application in the Primary node. Observe that the $sys$ActiveDevice has now updated to the backup
input source: New_InTouch_001 is now the active device (Figure 21 below).

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FiguRE 21: $SYs$ActivEDEvicE

Troubleshooting Tips
One of the common mistakes that the user may encounter is missing the Device Groups under the FSGateway InTouch object, if no
custom Device Group is create, the InTouch object will use default device group name Default, however as you can see in Figure 22,
that the Redundant object will not recognize InTouch object without group as supported device.

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FiguRE 22: DEvicE Not SuppoRtEd WitHout DEvicE GRoups

Ping Item Status Stays BAD

Issue

After the InTouch source fails and recovers, the ping item to the remote InTouch object in the Redundant Device quality status stays
BAD.

Wonderware tests show that when you force the InTouch application shutdown in the Remote node, the redundant device object fails
over to the backup InTouch source. Then, after restarting the InTouch app in the Remote node, the ping item quality stays BAD even
though the InTouch in the Remote node is running again.

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Cause

This symptom is due to the parameter setting in the Redundant Device object called Reconnect Attempt, was by default set at 3,
meaning the redundant object will only try to reconnect to a data source 3 times then give up. So by the time the InTouch is recovered,
the Red has given up and no longer try to reconnect any more.

Resolution

To resolve this issue, all you have to do is modify the Reconnect Attempt setting to a -1. This means the Redundant object will keep
trying (unlimited times) until reconnection is accomplished (Figure 23 below).

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FiguRE 23: SEt REcoNNEct AttEmpts to -1

A. Chaque

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