Technical FAQ's
NetSCADA maintains this technical FAQ page as a resource to answer frequently asked technical questions about our products. NetSCADA also maintains an Application FAQ's page as a resource to answer frequently asked questions about our products and how they will adapt to a user's applications. Remember that detailed specifications, user configuration, and operational instructions may be found in the help files and users manuals.

• What programs should always be running in a NetSCADA system?
• What does the Secure Client, the Data Manager, and the Industrial Real Time Scanner do in a typical user's system?
• Do the Secure Client, the Data Manager, and the Industrial Real Time Scanner all have to be located on the same PC?
• Well, if the modules are all on the same PC do you still need to have TCP/IP and a network installed?
• What do the ASAP Security Manager, the Graphics Forms Designer, and the System Maintenance Manager programs do?
• If the ASAP Security Manager does not run all of the time, are my systems and data still secured?
• What about the NetSCADA PLC program, what does it do?
• Why can't I edit my process database points or my devices?
• What does the error message "Can not locate Data Manager- check connection" mean?
• What does the warning message "Device requires 3 scans to update- may impact device update rate" mean?
• What does the warning message "Database write load excessive" mean?
• What does the warning message "Database read load excessive" mean?
• Why is my system acting sluggish?

What programs should always be running in a NetSCADA system?

The typical single PC NetSCADA installation will have the Secure Client, the Data Manager, and the Industrial Real Time Scanner running at all times, as a minimum. On systems with PC based control NetSCADA PLC will be running also. The ASAP Security Manager, the Graphics Forms Designer, and the System Maintenance Managers run as necessary when the user has specific tasks.

What does the Secure Client, the Data Manager, and the Industrial Real Time Scanner do in a typical user's system?

The Secure Client is the interface that operators use to operate the system. In most cases, system operators only see this application as the other components are minimized during normal system operations. The Data Manager handles login/logout of users and all the reads from the historical database and writes to the users application database. The Industrial Real Time Scanner handles scanning the devices in the users' database and all data writes to the historical database.

Do the Secure Client, the Data Manager, and the Industrial Real Time Scanner all have to be located on the same PC?

No! The modules may be distributed across several PCs to distribute the processing load. This distributed processing technique should be used on large systems where processing time is an issue. The only restriction is that the PCs be on the same network and have TCP/IP installed on each PC. This is one of the techniques NetSCADA uses to accomplish a scaleable design.

Well, if the modules are all on the same PC do you still need to have TCP/IP and a network installed?

No. The modules can also communicate directly to one another on the same PC without using TCP/IP. Check the Options Menu Communications dialog selection for Local Communications.

What about the ASAP Security Manager, the Graphics Forms Designer, and the System Maintenance Manager programs, what do they do?

The ASAP Security Manager is used to create, edit and delete system user IDs and privileges, user groups such as operators, system integrators, and system administrators, and configure the firewall for the NetSCADA server components. The Graphics Forms Designer is used to create, edit, and delete graphical forms on which real-time data from the PLCs and RTUs may be displayed. The System Maintenance Manager is used mainly to manage archiving of the system's historical data.

If the ASAP Security Manager does not run all of the time, are my systems and data still secured?

Yes! Since each NetSCADA software module uses ASAP technology, the system is still secure even though the ASAP Security Manager is not running. However, note that system users MUST be entered into the database using ASAP and system firewall policies must be enabled to achieve adequate system security. NetSCADA deals with security on the Internet by using our Authentication and Security for Automation Projects (ASAP) technology (ASAP). ASAP secure operation incorporates the latest Information Protection technology. ASAP encrypts and compresses your data transmissions and passwords. ASAP also provides firewall and portal capabilities to your NetSCADA Servers keeping unauthorized traffic and users out of your critical systems.

What about the NetSCADA PLC program, what does it do?

NetSCADA PLC is an optional software module (Available summer 2000) that works directly with the NetSCADA Real Time Scanner module for NetSCADA HMI, Mid Range Client/Server, or Enterprise Web Client/Server to achieve a complete PC based control system. NetSCADA PLC has the capability of sophisticated batch, logic, and even PID control. Note that this control methodology should only be used with non-safety or non-critical process control systems. Critical safety or process control applications should use PLCs or DCSs to execute local control not dependent on SCADA communications systems or PC based operating systems.

Why can't I edit my process database points or my devices?

You must get a user that is set up as a system administrator to edit your user profile in ASAP Security Manager to give you edit privileges or move you to a users group that has edit privileges.

What does the error message "Can not locate Data Manager - check connection" mean?

This is the error message that is generated when one NetSCADA software component can not locate the Data Manager software component when attempting to establish a connection. The Data Manager component should start first when booting the system. All other components attempt to locate the Data Manager in order to establish a connection. The modules may be configured to use either a local connection or a connection via TCP/IP that may be configured in the Options Menu Communications Dialog on all of the software modules. In order to use a Local Connection, the modules must be installed on the same PC where the Data Manager module resides. When configuring a module to run on a different PC, you must use a TCP/IP (network) connection to the PC where the Data Manager module is installed. Check to ensure the Data Manager module is running, if not start it up. Check that the Options Menu Communications Dialog is set up correctly. If both modules are on the same PC select the Local Communications radio button. If they are on different PCs select the TCP/IP radio button and ensure the proper TCP/IP address for the Data Manager PC is entered. Third, if the modules still do not connect, check the network connection and ensure that TCP/IP is installed on the computer.

What does the warning message "Device requires 3 scans to update- may impact device update rate" mean?

This is a warning message that is generated by the Industrial Real Time Scanner module and is when entering points onto a device's (a PLC or RTU) process database. NetSCADA automatically calculates how many scans are necessary to update a device's process database. Any time when a new point is inserted into the process database that requires the device's update to exceed 2 scans NetSCADA issues a warning that the devices update rate may not be acceptable. Excessive scans to update a devices process database have a negative impact on system performance. A good practice would be to organize the devices process database into consecutive sequential registers in the devices register table for reading with one scan, if possible. This issue is especially critical to systems using slow communications media such as radios or microwave. Read more about organizing your data to ensure adequate system performance on our Resources page.

What does the warning message "Database write load excessive" mean?

This is a warning message that is generated by the Industrial Real Time Scanner module when excessive historical data writes are taking place to the historical database. When the rate of historical writes reaches a critical threshold that endangers the systems ability to record new records into the tables, this error is generated. To locate the source of the problem you may follow the below procedure Turn off all of the devices from automatic scan and wait until the warning message clears. Slowly turn on one device at a time to automatic scan and watch for the warning to reappear. If the warning reappears after turning on a device, examine the device's settings for "Scans per Sample" and examine this devices points for their historical properties settings. Try to use the deadbands and sample frequency properties when setting up points for which you want to save historical data. Additionally try to turn off the recording of historical data for points that it is not necessary to collect data. If your historical database size has grown excessive, run the Maintenance Manager module to archive some of your historical data. Managing the historical database is especially critical to systems with many devices and systems using fast communications media such as hardwire Ethernet. Read more about developing a historical data strategy to ensure adequate system performance on our Resources page.

What does the warning message "Database read load excessive" mean?

This is a warning message that is generated by the Data Manager module when excessive historical data reads are taking place from the historical database. When the rate of historical reads reaches a critical threshold that endangers the systems ability to serve new additional requests from clients, this error is generated. To locate the source of the problem you may follow the below procedure Evaluate how many clients are being served by the Data Manager and if the PC hardware is adequate to service this client load. Turn off all of the devices from automatic scan and wait until the warning message clears. Slowly turn on one device at a time to automatic scan and watch for the warning to reappear. If the warning reappears after turning on a device, examine the device's settings for "Scans per Sample" and examine this devices points for their historical properties settings. Try to use the deadbands and sample frequency properties when setting up points for which you want to save historical data. Additionally try to turn off the recording of historical data for points that it is not necessary to collect data. If your historical database size has grown excessive, run the Maintenance Manager module to archive some of your historical data. Managing the historical database issue is especially critical to systems with many devices and systems using fast communications media such as hardwire Ethernet. Read more about developing a historical data strategy to ensure adequate system performance on our Resources page.

Why is my system acting sluggish?

Check the hard drive light on the PC. If the light is on continuous verify that you have enough memory in your PC to handle your application. Click here to see how much memory is recommended for each NetSCADA software recommendations. Check the Industrial Real time Scan Manager for the warning "Database write load excessive". Check the Data Manager for the warning "Database read load excessive".

Additional Resources