Configure SCADAPack x70 Devices in Geo SCADA Expert

On a Geo SCADA Expert system, you configure the Geo SCADA Expert database so that entries in the database correspond to the plant and measuring instruments on your system. This section summarizes the database items that you need to configure to represent the SCADAPack x70 devices on your system.

In order to represent SCADAPack x70 devices, both the relevant 'parent' driver and the SCADAPack x70 extension components have to be installed and running on the Geo SCADA Expert servers on your system (see Confirm that the Relevant Geo SCADA Expert Components are Installed).

When you configure SCADAPack x70 items in the Geo SCADA Expert database, many of the settings for those items need to correspond to the settings of the relevant SCADAPack x70 devices on your system. Some settings are either fixed (incorporated into the design of the physical device), or are configured by an engineer. You need to have access to, or an understanding of, the settings of the SCADAPack x70 devices on your system before you can configure the SCADAPack x70 database items successfully. For example, if Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate with SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol, you need to specify the DNP3 Address that is associated with each SCADAPack x70 device.

You also need to be aware of which optional features are required for each driver item. Such features might include:

• Alarm views
• Alarm redirections
• Historic data storage
• User methods.

You can also use core Geo SCADA Expert features with driver database items, including Lists, Trends, actions, and Mimics. For actions that are specific to this particular driver, see the relevant section in this driver guide. For information on core actions, see Actions that are Common to Many Drivers in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Drivers. For information about Lists, Trends, and Mimics, see the core documentation.

In order for Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with SCADAPack x70 devices, you need to configure:

1. A 'parent' driver Channel to represent each communication connection between a SCADAPack x70 device and the Geo SCADA Expert server (where the 'parent' driver corresponds to the protocol that Geo SCADA Expert is to use to communicate with the SCADAPack x70 device). For example, an appropriate DNP3 Channel if Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate with a SCADAPack x70 device using the DNP3 protocol (see Configuring a DNP3 Channel in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the DNP3 Driver).
2. A 'parent' driver Outstation Set to define each collection of SCADAPack x70 devices (where the 'parent' driver corresponds to the protocol that Geo SCADA Expert is to use to communicate with the SCADAPack x70 devices). For example, an appropriate DNP3 Outstation Set if Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate with SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol (see Configuring a DNP3 Outstation Set in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to the DNP3 Driver).
3. A SCADAPack x70 Device Configuration item for each SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate (see Configure a Device Configuration Item). You use this database item to store the SCADAPack x70 configuration that Geo SCADA Expert is to download to the device.
4. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Outstation item of the appropriate type for each SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate. For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Direct Outstation to represent a SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate via a single uninterrupted connection using the DNP3 protocol (see Configure SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Outstations). The database item is used to control the operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert that vary depending on the communications protocol being used, such as how Geo SCADA Expert is to retrieve data from the SCADAPack x70 device.

   On the configuration Form, you associate this database item with the SCADAPack x70 Device Configuration item with which it is to form an 'object-pair'; together, the two database items represent a single SCADAPack x70 device.

5. A SCADAPack x70 Analog Configuration item for each analog measuring instrument or control device that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device (see Set up Analog Configuration). You use this database item to store the SCADAPack x70 configuration that Geo SCADA Expert is to download to the SCADAPack x70 for that particular measuring instrument or control device.
6. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Analog Point of the appropriate type for each analog measuring instrument or control device that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device. For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Analog Input Point to represent an analog measuring instrument on a SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert communicates using the DNP3 protocol (see Configure Analog Points for DNP3 Communications). The database item is used to control the operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert that vary depending on the communications protocol being used, such as how Geo SCADA Expert retrieves and processes the point data.

   On the configuration Form, you associate this database item with the SCADAPack x70 Analog Configuration item with which it is to form an 'object-pair'; together the two database items represent a single analog measuring instrument or control device that is connected to a SCADAPack x70 device.

7. A SCADAPack x70 Digital Configuration item for each digital measuring instrument or control device that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device (see Set up Digital Configuration). You use this database item to store the SCADAPack x70 configuration that Geo SCADA Expert is to download to the SCADAPack x70 for that particular measuring instrument or control device. (With control devices, this is regardless of whether the control is maintained or pulsed.)
8. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Digital or Binary Point of the appropriate type for each digital measuring instrument or control device that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device. (With control devices, you use this type of point for maintained, rather than pulsed, controls.) For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Binary Input Point to represent a digital measuring instrument on a SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert communicates using the DNP3 protocol (see Configure Binary Points for DNP3 Communications). The database item is used to control the operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert that vary depending on the communications protocol being used, such as how Geo SCADA Expert retrieves and processes the point data.

   On the configuration Form, you associate this database item with the SCADAPack x70 Digital Configuration item with which it is to form an 'object-pair'; together the two database items represent a single digital measuring instrument or control device that is connected to a SCADAPack x70 device.

9. A SCADAPack x70 Counter Configuration item for each counter-type measuring instrument that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device (see Set up Counter Configuration). You use this database item to store the SCADAPack x70 configuration that Geo SCADA Expert is to download to the SCADAPack x70 for that particular measuring instrument.
10. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Counter Point of the appropriate type for each counter-type measuring instrument that is connected to the SCADAPack x70 device. For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Counter Point to represent a counter-type measuring instrument on a SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert communicates using the DNP3 protocol (see Configure Counter Points for DNP3 Communications). The database item is used to control the operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert that vary depending on the communications protocol being used, such as how Geo SCADA Expert retrieves and processes the point data.

    On the configuration Form, you associate this database item with the SCADAPack x70 Counter Configuration item with which it is to form an 'object-pair'; together the two database items represent a single counter-type measuring instrument that is connected to a SCADAPack x70 device.

11. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Pulse Action of the appropriate type for each digital control device to which Geo SCADA Expert is to send pulsed, rather than maintained, controls. For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 Pulse Action (NULL) item to represent a digital output on a SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert communicates using the DNP3 protocol (see Configure Pulse Actions for DNP3 Communications). The database item is used to control the operational aspects of Geo SCADA Expert that vary depending on the communications protocol being used, such as how Geo SCADA Expert transmits and processes the pulse control data.

    On the configuration Form, you associate this database item with the SCADAPack x70 Digital Configuration item with which each pulse control action forms an 'object-pair'; together the two database items represent a single digital control device to which Geo SCADA Expert is to send pulse controls on the SCADAPack x70 device. (With SCADAPack x70 Trip-Close Pulse Actions, you associate each of the two actions (Trip and Close) with different Digital Configuration items.)

12. A SCADAPack x70 I/O Module of the appropriate type for each:
    • SCADAPack x70 device with which Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate
    • Separate I/O module that you are using to extend the number of I/O (points) on those SCADAPack x70 devices.

    You use the I/O Module(s) to define how the physical inputs and/or outputs are configured on each device or I/O module. You do this by referencing the SCADAPack x70 Configuration items that represent the physical inputs and/or outputs that you are using on the device or I/O module (see Configure I/O Modules).

13. A protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Slave Device for each downstream slave device with which Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate via a SCADAPack x70 device (see Configure Geo SCADA Expert to Communicate with, and Monitor the Status of, Downstream Slave Devices).

    With some protocols, you might also need to configure a protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Slave Scanner.

    You should also configure a SCADAPack x70 Analog or Digital Configuration item and corresponding protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 Analog, Digital or Binary Point for each item of communications status that you want to monitor on the downstream device. (Some devices represent communications status as analog, while others represent it as digital.)

To minimize the time that it takes to configure the required databases items for this driver, you may want to configure them in the order listed above, as set configuration requires you to specify a channel, and outstation configuration requires you to specify a set, and so on. Additionally, each protocol-specific outstation and point database item requires you to specify the SCADAPack x70 Configuration database item to which it is to form an 'object-pair'.

To add a 'parent' driver item (such as a channel or outstation set) to the database:

1. Select the Create New option from the context-sensitive menu for the Group into which you want to place the database items (see Add an Item to the Database).
2. Select the relevant branch for the 'parent' driver (such as the DNP3 branch if Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate with SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol).
3. Select the appropriate database item from that branch.
   

To add a SCADAPack x70 Configuration item (such as an Analog Configuration item) to the database:

1. Select the Create New option from the context-sensitive menu for the Group into which you want to place the database items (see Add an Item to the Database).
2. Select the SCADAPack x70 branch.
3. If need be, select the relevant option in order to display a further menu level.
   (For example, if you are adding a SCADAPack x70 Device Configuration item, select the Devices option, or if you are adding a SCADAPack x70 I/O Module, select the I/O Modules option.)
4. Select the appropriate database item from that branch or menu level.
   

To add a protocol-specific SCADAPack x70 item (such as an outstation or point) to the database:

1. Select the Create New option from the context-sensitive menu for the Group into which you want to place the database items (see Add an Item to the Database).
2. Select the SCADAPack x70 branch.
3. Select the relevant protocol-specific option, to display a further menu level (such as the DNP3 option if Geo SCADA Expert is to communicate with the SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol).
4. Select the appropriate database item from that further menu level.

The protocol-specific database items are the ones with which users will interact on a day-to-day operational basis in Geo SCADA Expert. For more information, see Understand the SCADAPack x70 Driver.