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Job configuration

Based on the procedure for the SIMATIC S7 upload type, an example of the device-specific job configuration is shown. There are deviations in the Job configuration for other device-specific upload types, which can be found in the device-specific tutorials for these upload types.

Section: Job configuration

Example:

Figure: Job configuration, sections SIMATIC S7 settings and details of the access path

  1. Start AdminClient and open the Jobs module.
  2. In the Project tree, select the component for which the job is to be created.
  3. Click on the Create button in the menu bar or drag and drop the component into the Jobs area (in the middle of the screen).
  4. Check that the specific Upload type is selected in the Job configuration area (right-hand side of the screen).
  5. Under Execute, select how the job is to be executed from the dropdown menu: According to schedule, Not scheduled, Using BackupClient or Triggered by URL.

Section: General

  1. Job name: Select a meaningful name for the job (maximum 64 characters).
  2. Component: Enter the path to your component in the Project tree in the field.

  3. Warn if backup is older than: Select an age for the backup from the dropdown list, if required. The default selection is Never warn. If a time period is selected here, jobs for which the backup is older than the selected time period are marked with a warning symbol in the Backup timestamp column.

    Figure: Job configuration, warning if backup is older than

  4. Schedule: This field is only displayed if the value According to schedule has been selected in the Execute dropdown menu.

  5. Clicking in this field opens the Schedule dialog. Here you can define the start time and the intervals for the job execution.

    Figure: Schedule dialog

  6. On error: This field is only displayed if the value According to schedule has been selected in the Execute dropdown menu.

  7. Clicking in this field opens the On error dialog, in which you can specify whether the job execution should be repeated in the event of an error. The maximum number of attempts and the pause between attempts can be configured for the repetitions.

    Figure: Error dialog

  8. Executed by: The name of the computer from which the job is to be executed is displayed here. By default, this is determined automatically. If the job is only to be executed on one of the synchronized servers in the case of server synchronization, the corresponding server must be selected here. If Automatic is selected, the job is executed by both servers after synchronization.

Info

After importing a license with a new serial number, it may happen that the (old) serial number is displayed here instead of the computer name. If this occurs, you can take the following steps:

  • Restart the VDog MasterService if you have not already done so.

  • If the display is still incorrect, you must select a new computer name. Otherwise the job cannot be executed according to schedule.

Section: Notification

The Notification is only displayed if you have specified in the Upload type specific configuration dialog that Job specific or daily emails should be sent for job execution.

  1. Click in the Who to notify field.
  2. The Who to notify dialog opens.
  3. Select the users and groups that are to be notified and activate the corresponding checkboxes.
  4. Email recipients that are not octoplant users can be entered in the Additional email addresses field. Enter multiple recipients separated by commas.

Section: Upload and Comparison

  1. Save policy: The following options are available in the dropdown list:
    • Always save backup (overwriting previous backup if equal): Select this option if you want to create a maximum of one backup. It contains the current values and all other files that are ignored during the comparison.
    • Save backup only if different from previous backup Select this option if a backup should only be created if a change has been detected (depending on which values are included in the comparison).
    • Always save backup (keeping previous backup even if equal): Select this option if a new backup is created each time a job is executed. If your traceability rules specify that backups are kept for at least one year, you must set the value for the number of retained backups (rollover) accordingly - taking into account the backup frequency. Please note that this storage strategy together with a high value for the rollover can take up a lot of storage space.
  2. Number of backups retained (rollover): Set the desired value. Once this value has been reached, overwrites the oldest backup. The default value is 5.

  3. Upload agent: If you want to use an upload agent for this job, select the upload agent from the drop-down list. Then click on Check connection to ensure that octoplant can access the computer on which the agent is installed. If the check fails, the job will also fail.

    Info

    Note that when using an agent, all user information and paths refer to the computer on which the agent is installed and not to the server. If you later define a user name or a network path, this must exist on the computer on which the agent is installed or the path must be accessible from this computer.

  4. Compare policy: Select a compare policy from the drop-down list. The following three options are available:

    • Server version <-> Backup, Previous backup <-> backup First, the backup of the version on the device is compared with the last checked-in version of the project, then the backup is compared with the previous backup. This option provides you with more information than the others. However, the information must be interpreted correctly. Examples:
      • If the backup differs from the previous backup but not from the last checked-in version of the project, this indicates that a new version of the project has been developed, checked in and installed on the device (this is the recommended workflow).
      • If the backup differs from the last checked-in version of the project, but not from the previous backup, this indicates that a new version of the project has been created and checked in, but not yet installed on the device.
      • If the backup differs from both the last checked-in version of the project and the previous backup, this indicates that a new version of the project has been developed and installed, but has not yet been versioned and checked in.
    • Server version <-> Backup: The program running on the device is compared with the last checked-in version of the project. Job results are not compared. This option is recommended if the octoplant system (regardless of the comparator configuration) always detects differences between the backup and the previous backup. In this situation, it does not make sense to execute the comparison.
    • Previous backup <-> Backup: The program that is executed on the device is compared with the previous backup. Comparison is not made with the latest version. If a difference is detected with this option, this can mean the following:
      • A new version of the project was developed and installed on the device.
      • Actual or force values were not ignored during the comparison (which means that the backup always differs from the previous backup).
      • The program on the device was changed. You can use the compare function of octoplant to determine which changes have been made.
  5. Compare agent: If you want to use a compare agent for this job, select the compare agent. Then click on the Check connection button to ensure that the computer on which the agent is installed can be accessed. If the check fails, the job will also fail.

  6. If you select the Enable configuration of job-specific compare checkbox, you can use the Comparison configuration button to customize the comparison settings for this one job:

    Figure: Job configuration, Comparison configuration dialog

Section: Automatic version creation after job execution

This section is only displayed if in the Upload type specific configuration dialog

  • in the General tab, the Enable automatic version creation checkbox is activated, and
  • in the tab of the corresponding upload type, the Enable automatic version creation checkbox is activated.

Create Version when: In the dropdown list, you can specify when a new version of the component should be created automatically:

  • Never: No automatic versions are created.
  • Differences found (Server version <-> Backup): A new version is automatically generated if differences between the server version and the backup were found after the job execution.
  • No base version exists: If no basis version exists, a basis version is automatically created regardless of the job result.
  • Always: If the job has run successfully, a new version is automatically created. If an error occurred during job execution, no new version is created.

Section: Job information

In this section you will find the Job ID and the Component ID. These are relevant for Scripting, for example.

Section: SIMATIC S7 settings

From here, make the settings that are specific to the selected upload type.

Section: Details of the access path

Select the Access path via which communication with the controller is to take place.

Section: Backup

Reduce the network load and exclude defined blocks from the comparison.

Section: Advanced

Change the TCP/IP port, specify a CPU password, configure retries in the event of an upload failure and specify waiting times between data packets.

FAQ

Can I set up the octoplant server to back up one device at a time?

You can set the backup time so that your devices are backed up with a time delay (never multiple devices at the same time). Go to AdminClient > Jobs > Job configuration > General > Schedule.

Alternatively, you can set the number of uploads that can be performed simultaneously. To do this, proceed as follows:

  1. Open AdminClient > INI files

  2. Select the AgentStation.ini file (path to the file: {Drive}:\vdServerArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Upload)

  3. Search for the [Common] section or add it. Enter the key 4900 with the value 1 (only 1 comparison may be carried out simultaneously)

  4. Add the section for the upload class under [Common] and enter the key 4900 with the value 1.
    Example:

[Common]
4900=1
[FTP]
4900=1

The values in the example mean that no more than one comparison is ever created simultaneously.

The number of comparison that may be executed in parallel can be configured as follows:

  1. Open AdminClient > INI files

  2. Open the AgentStation.ini file (path to the file: {Drive}:\vdServerArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Compare)

  3. Search for the [Common] section. If it does not exist, add it. Write the key 4930 and the value 2.

  4. Under this section, add the Upload class together with the key 4930 with the corresponding value for the parallel Comparison, e.g.:

[Common]
4930=2
[FTP]
4930=2

The values in the example mean that no more than two comparisons are ever carried out simultaneously.

Notes

  • The [Common] section can be followed by several sections of the upload class type. Possible upload classes are e.g. UNC, FTP and SimaticS7.

  • The value specified in the [Common] section is the maximum value. If a higher value for 4900 is assigned in one of the following sections, the maximum value defined in [Common] applies.

  • Possible values: Min value = 1, Max value = 1024; Default value = 5

Where can I find the 32-digit job ID and how can I copy it to the clipboard?

Proceed as follows to find the job ID:

  1. Navigate to the Jobs area.
  2. Activate the Job ID column.
  3. The job ID is displayed if the job has been executed at least once.

Proceed as follows to copy the job ID to the clipboard:

  1. Click on the Job ID and copy it with CTRL + C.

  2. Paste the copied text into a text editor (e.g. Notepad). The job ID is pasted together with the remaining job information.

  3. Copy only the 32-digit job ID. For all possible uses of the job ID, it is necessary that it is complete and correct.

Why does a job fail even though an agent is installed and the upload job is configured correctly?

Possible cause

This problem can occur if the agent does not have administrative rights for an application that must be started in order to run the job.

Solution

Proceed as follows to ensure that the log-on account for the agent is set up correctly:

  1. Open the Windows Services console (Windows > Start > services.msc).
  2. Double-click on the agent service VDogUploadAgent or VDogCompareAgent.
  3. Open the Logon tab.
  4. The This account option should be selected. If this is not the case, select the option and enter the user name and password of an account that has the necessary administrative rights.

For more information on job configuration for the general upload types, see the following sections.