This section provides instructions on creating MSIB nodes and configuring the SQL Server service. From a high level, creating and configuring nodes is a two-part process:
- Create a virtual node or nodes in MSIB for the purpose of exposing APOGEE P2 Ethernet, APOGEE P2 RS-485 field panels via APOGEE Ethernet Microserver (AEM), BACnet IP data or Modbus TCP data from the source.
- Configure the SQL Configuration service for pushing data to a SQL database.
Before beginning
MSIB for SQL Server will push data to a Microsoft SQL database on a customer database server via an ODBC connection. Before creating and configuring the MSIB nodes, you will need to have database tables defined and existing in the SQL database server management tool. MSIB pushes data to existing database tables; it does not create database tables or configure fields in database tables.
MSIB is dependent on the following:
- An existing Microsoft SQL database
- Database tables
- Configured fields
- ODBC connection
- Source file or files
- Site Explorer export file for APOGEE P2 Ethernet, APOGEE P2 RS-485 field panels via APOGEE Ethernet Microserver (AEM) and APOGEE BACnet IP network
- EDE file in comma separated format for each device on a Desigo Insight BAS on a BACnet IP network
- Insight BACnet Server Option export file for data provided by the Insight BACnet server option on an APOGEE P2 network
- CSV file of the Modbus Application File for each Modbus TCP device
- Option one: You can create this from the MSIB Modbus Application Table Template. This file is available on Standard Apps.
- Option two: If you have an existing ISB, you can use App Builder to select the application and export the CSV file.
In creating the CSV file, you only need to include the points for which you wish to collect data. For example, you might be interested in power related points.
- If a proxy connection is needed for the SQL connection, see the section titled User interface.
- For other needs, see System Requirements for MSIB with SQL Service in the section titled MSIB Application Requirements.
Collecting data
To create MSIB nodes and configure services, the following source and client information is required:
- An understanding of both the source and SQL database will be necessary in order to configure MSIB nodes for communication.
- Online access to source data will be necessary to verify communication with the source.
Sending Data from a Single Source to Multiple Destinations
In order to send data from a single source to multiple destinations, a separate node will need to be created for each destination service.
Creating new nodes
For Modbus TCP devices and Desigo Insight BAS, you must use Create Single Node.
Creating multiple nodes
The most commonly used node creation workflow is the multiple node creation. The multiple node creation option allows you to create multiple nodes that come from one source file output and go to one SQL database table.
- Select Create multiple nodes.
- From the Service drop-down list, select SQL Configuration Service.
- In the ODBC DSN field, enter the ODBC Data Source Name of the database to which data should be sent.
The ODBC data source that MSIB uses must be a System DSN rather than a User DSN.
- Enter the Database Login ID for the destination SQL database, if SQL authentication is required for the ODBC connection. For Windows authentication leave this field blank. The windows authentication is set in the ODBC configuration.
- Enter the Database Password for the destination SQL database, if SQL authentication is required for the ODBC connection. For Windows authentication leave this field blank. The windows authentication is set in the ODBC configuration.
- In the Database Table Name field, enter the table name for the destination SQL database table which will receive the data. The default SQL table schema used by MSIB is as follows.
Do not use any of the fields for a primary key. If the default SQL table schema does not fit your needs, see Appendix D - Specifying Alternative Names for SQL Table Columns.
- For Import Type, select Site Explorer Export File or Insight BACnet Server.
- Choose Site Explorer Export File, if your data is coming directly from the field panels.
- For Insight BACnet Server, go to step 17.
- Select Choose file and select the import file.
- Select the Source Service to indicate how data will be acquired for MSIB. Choose BACnet Polling, Siemens P2 AEM Polling, or Siemens P2 Ethernet Polling.
For BACnet Polling and Siemens P2 Ethernet Polling, continue wirh step 21.
- For Siemens P2 AEM Polling, define or select the Existing router.
Ensure that exactly one AEM router is defined for the AEM ALN on which you will be polling.
A P2 field panel supports up to 32 ALN devices per ALN. The AEM used as a router for MSIB cannot be added to an ALN with 32 ALN existing devices. It cannot be added because the AEM device is counted as one of the 32 devices.
- Select the previously defined Existing Router. If no AEM Router is defined, enter a New Router Node Number between 0-99.
This node number must not be in use by any other nodes on the ALN.
- In the AEM Node Number field, enter the node number of the P2 panel to which the AEM is attached.
- Enter the name of the AEM ALN in the AEM ALN Name field.
- Enter the IP address of the AEM in the AEM IP Address field.
- If your Import Type is the Insight BACnet Server, continue here:
- Select Choose file and select the import file.
- Enter the Source IP Address and the Source BACnet Network number. For more information on how to obtain this information, see the section titled Creating and Configuring APOGEE Insight BACnet Server Proxy Nodes
- The Source BACnet Port is used by the source for BACnet communication. The default for BACnet devices is 47808.
- Enter a desired Polling Interval or leave the default of 900 seconds between polling cycles (15 minutes).
- Enter a desired Separation for the number of milliseconds between point requests within a polling cycle or leave at the default of 600 milliseconds.
A separation of 600 means that 1.5 points will be polled per second. With a Polling Interval of 900 seconds, a total of 1,350 points can be polled from this source.
The intent of the separation for a polling period is to reduce the amount of data requested from a device at any one time. Older source devices with limited resources are especially prone to going offline when they are being overwhelmed with requests for data.
- Select Create and start.
- You may need to refresh the page before the data displays. This is especially true for larger amounts of data. MSIB will start sending data to the Navigator site. For details about the operation of nodes, see Working with nodes.
Creating a single node
If you will be sending data from a Modbus TCP device or from Desigo Insight BAS, you must create a node for each device using the single node creation method.
There may be times you wish to add a single node for other reasons. For example, if a panel is added to an existing site or if only one panel is needed from the Site Explorer Tool or Insight BACnet Server output file, you may want to use the single node creation option. To create a single node, you will need to know the Panel Name from the Site Explorer Tool or Insight BACnet Server output file.
Follow the process described below to create a single node.
- Select Create single node.
- Enter a Node Name.
The name must match the desired panel name from the Site Explorer Tool or Insight BACnet Server output file. Panel names are located in the Device Sys Name column of the Site Explorer Tool file. In the Insight BACnet Server file, panel names are located in the fifth column of the row containing the Device object information for the desired panel. For a Modbus TCP device, name your node in a unique, identifiable way.
- From the Service drop-down list, select SQL Configuration Service.
- In the ODBC DSN field, enter the ODBC Data Source Name of the database to which data should be sent.
The ODBC data source that MSIB uses must be a System DSN rather than a User DSN.
- Enter the Database Login ID for the destination SQL database, if SQL authentication is required for the ODBC connection. For Windows authentication leave this field blank. The windows authentication is set in the ODBC configuration.
- Enter the Database Password for the destination SQL database, if SQL authentication is required for the ODBC connection. For Windows authentication leave this field blank. The windows authentication is set in the ODBC configuration.
- In the Database Table Name field, enter the table name for the destination SQL database table which will receive the data. The default SQL table schema used by MSIB is as follows.
Do not use any of the fields for a primary key. If the default SQL table schema does not fit your needs, see Appendix D - Specifying Alternative Names for SQL Table Columns.
- For Import Type, select Site Explorer Export File, Insight BACnet Server, Desigo BAS or Application CSV File.
- Select Choose file and select the import file.
Choose Site Explorer Export File, if your data is coming directly from the field panels. Continue with step 17.
For Insight BACnet Server, continue with step 17.
If you are a Desigo BAS and using an EDE export file, go to step XXX.
If your data is coming directly from a Modbus TCP device, select Application CSV File. Continue with next step.
- Select the Source Service to indicate how data will be acquired for MSIB. Choose BACnet Polling, Siemens P2 AEM Polling, or Siemens P2 Ethernet Polling.
- For BACnet Polling and Siemens P2 Ethernet Polling, continue with step 25.
For Siemens P2 AEM Polling, continue with next step.
- Define or select the Existing router.
Ensure that exactly one AEM router is defined for the AEM ALN on which you will be polling.
A P2 field panel supports up to 32 ALN devices per ALN. The AEM used as a router for MSIB cannot be added to an ALN with 32 ALN existing devices. It cannot be added because the AEM device is counted as one of the 32 devices.
- If no AEM Router is defined, enter a New Router Node Number between 0-99.
This node number must not be in use by any other nodes on the ALN.
- In the AEM Node Number field, enter the node number of the P2 panel to which the AEM is attached.
- Enter the name of the AEM ALN in the AEM ALN Name field.
- Enter the IP address of the AEM in the AEM IP Address field.
- If your Import Type is the Insight BACnet Server, continue here: Enter the Source IP Address and the Source BACnet Network number. For more information on how to obtain this information, see the section titled Creating and Configuring APOGEE Insight BACnet Server Proxy Nodes
- The Source BACnet Port is used by the source for BACnet communication. The default for BACnet devices is 47808.
- Enter a desired Polling Interval or leave the default of 900 seconds between polling cycles (15 minutes).
- Enter a desired Separation for the number of milliseconds between point requests within a polling cycle or leave at the default of 600 milliseconds.
A separation of 600 means that 1.5 points will be polled per second. With a Polling Interval of 900 seconds, a total of 1,350 points can be polled from this source.
The intent of the separation for a polling period is to reduce the amount of data requested from a device at any one time. Older source devices with limited resources are especially prone to going offline when they are being overwhelmed with requests for data.
- Select Create and start.
- You may need to refresh the page before the data displays. This is especially true for larger amounts of data. MSIB will start sending data to the Navigator site. For details about the operation of nodes, see Working with nodes.
P2 AEM Polling
Insight BACnet Server
If your Import Type is the Insight BACnet Server, in Import File, use the Browse button to find the location of the CSV file created from the Insight BACnet Server export and select the desired CSV file.
a. Enter the Source IP Address and the Source BACnet Network number. For more information on how to obtain this information, see the section titled Creating and Configuring APOGEE Insight BACnet Server Proxy Nodes.
b. The Source BACnet Port is used by the source for BACnet communication. The default for BACnet devices is 47808.
c. Enter a desired Polling Interval or leave the default of 900 seconds between polling cycles (15 minutes).
d. Enter a desired Separation for the number of milliseconds between point requests within a polling cycle or leave at the default of 600 milliseconds.
1) A separation of 600 means that 1.5 points will be polled per second. With a Polling Interval of 900 seconds, a total of 1,350 points can be polled from this source.
2) The intent of the Separation for a polling period is to reduce the amount of data requested from a device at any one time. Older source devices with limited resources are especially prone to going off-line when they are being overwhelmed with requests for data.
e. Proceed to Step 12.
Desigo BAS
If your Import Type is the Desigo BAS, in Import File, browse to the EDE File.
Note: An EDE file must only contain the points for a single BACnet device. It cannot contain multiple BACnet devices.
a. Select the Source Network Type to indicate if the source network is local or remote. Choose Local or Remote. If the Source Network Type is Local, proceed to Step 9. If the Source Network Type is Remote, you will need to indicate information about that remote network.
i. Indicate the Source BACnet Network. This is the BACnet network number on which the source device resides.
ii. Indicate the Source BACnet MAC Address. This is the MAC address of the source device.
b. Indicate the Source IP Address. This is the IP address of the source BACnet IP/Ethernet device
c. Indicate the Source BACnet Port. This is the BACnet port defined within the source device.
d. Proceed to Step 12.
Modbus TCP
If your Import Type is Modbus TCP, in Import File, use the Browse button to find the location of the Application CSV file created from the MSIB Modbus Application Table Template and select the desired CSV file.
Note: A Modbus Application CSV file can only contain the points for a single Modbus device. It cannot contain multiple devices.
a. Select the Source Service to indicate how data will be acquired for MSIB. Choose Modbus TCP Polling.
b. If you will be using SI units, click the check box. By default, it is not checked.
c. Complete the information from your Modbus server.
i. In the Modbus Server IP Address field, indicate the Source IP Address. This is the IP address of the source BACnet IP/Ethernet for the Modbus device
ii. In the Modbus Server Sub Address field, indicate the sub address for the Modbus device.
iii. In the Modbus Server Port field, enter the port number of your Modbus device. This is the BACnet port defined within the source device.
d. Enter a desired Polling Interval or leave the default of 900 seconds between polling cycles (15 minutes).
e. Enter a desired Separation for the number of milliseconds allotted before a timeout is considered. The default is 600 milliseconds.
12. When finished, click the Create and Start button. After a successful create and start, the Nodes list will appear with the new Nodes created in the list. MSIB will start sending data to the SQL Server database.
Note: You may need to refresh the page before the data displays. This is especially true for larger amounts of data. For details about the operation of nodes, see the section titled Working with Nodes.