Database

Chapter	Contents
Data backup in WinCC OA	Information about backup possibilities in WinCC OA.
Supported Database Combinations	An overview over the possible database combinations within a WinCC OA project.
Upgrading a project using ISO character sets to UTF8 character sets	From WinCC OA version 3.16 on, creating projects with ISO character sets (e.g. en_US.iso88591) is no longer supported. Already existing projects are still supported and the conversion of ISO settings to utf8 settings is done internally. This new regulation influences the upgrade procedure of existing projects.
Database Configuration	The concept for archiving process data handles the saving and readout of information that occurs during process control or visualization. This involves values and messages that are generated by value changes. In data archiving, the management of resulting data files (backup, swapping out and deletion of files) at system administration level is explained.
Archive/Export Raima	The data that is collected during operation of WinCC OA is saved in a database or, more precisely, in database files. Due to the limited capacity of the storage medium and the need for data integrity, it is desirable to export these files at specific intervals to another storage medium, for instance to an external hard disk or DAT tape. On the other hand, it is sometimes necessary to import files back into the system from an external database where they were archived. The Archive Control panel allows archiving as well as import and export of database files.
ASCII Manager	The ASCII Manager allows you to input and output and thus edit data points and data point types and to configure data points. The data are passed to the ASCII Manager in an ASCII file (hence the name).
Online Backup	All the configuration information, the current alarm database and the values history (for a restricted time period) can be backed up during operation.
Archive Compression	Compression is used to minimize the large amount of historical data. For instance, only daily or weekly averages are of interest after a certain period of time. In this case, average values are archived first hourly. Then weekly or monthly averages are calculated from these and archived. This makes it easier to obtain an overall picture of the data.
DP Groups	With the aid of data point groups it is easier to manage and edit related data points. You can also define groups within groups.
PowerConfig Editor	The PowerConfig Editor allows creating specific PowerConfigs. If e.g. a message conversion with a logarithmic function should be created, then a new PowerConfig must be created with the specific settings. When such specific PowerConfigs are needed, you can use the PowerConfig Editor to create PowerConfigs for the project quickly and easily. For more information see chapter PowerConfig Editor, basics.
NextGen Archiver (NGA)	The NextGen Archive (NGA) for is a new archiving solution which extends flexibility while keeping the possibilities and strengths of the current methods (ValueArchive (+ RAIMA) and RDB archiving ).
RDB Archive Manager	RDB archiving by means of a specially designed RDB Archive Manager allows archiving values and alerts in a relational database (hence the name RDB = Relational Data Base). You can read this data either from WinCC OA or by means of external tools that allow querying the Oracle database.
RDB Archive Groups	The RDB can manage multiple archive groups (for example, an archive group to store values for the "Drives" group). These archive groups contain several tables that archive the values. Alerts are stored in only one group.
RDB Compression	RDB compression means that the Oracle database is able to calculate the compressions on its own, provided that for archiving of values a relational database (RDB) is used. Compression is used in order to minimize a large amount of historical data. For instance, only daily or weekly averages are of interest after a certain period of time.
RDB Log	The RDB log viewer displays the information from the RDB log tables time-assorted. The displayed information and error messages are logged when running RDB operations (RDB archiving, RDB compression).
RDB Parallel	WinCC OA uses following methods to archive values and alerts: HDB (= History Database, used to save value changes) RAIMA (Alert database, used to save alerts) RDB (= Relational Database, used to save value changes as well as alerts) These methods can be used at the same time, so that it is possible to save project values at the HDB/Raima and also in the RDB at the same time. For more information see chapter HDB/RAIMA - RDB Parallel, Basics.
OLE DB provider	OLE DB is a Microsoft specification for accessing data on different computers. It is based on Microsoft's COM technology and is the successor to the older and limited ODBC technology. While ODBC uses static APIs for data access and is limited to SQL, OLE DB uses ADO to provide a quick and easy facility for programming applications.
HDB/RAIMA - RDB	Describes the parallel usage of HDB and RDB inside a WinCC OA project.

Data backup in WinCC OA

Information about backup possibilities in WinCC OA.

An overview over the possible database combinations within a WinCC OA project.

Upgrading a project using ISO character sets to UTF8 character sets

From WinCC OA version 3.16 on, creating projects with ISO character sets (e.g. en_US.iso88591) is no longer supported. Already existing projects are still supported and the conversion of ISO settings to utf8 settings is done internally.

This new regulation influences the upgrade procedure of existing projects.

Database Configuration

The concept for archiving process data handles the saving and readout of information that occurs during process control or visualization. This involves values and messages that are generated by value changes. In data archiving, the management of resulting data files (backup, swapping out and deletion of files) at system administration level is explained.

Archive/Export Raima

The data that is collected during operation of WinCC OA is saved in a database or, more precisely, in database files. Due to the limited capacity of the storage medium and the need for data integrity, it is desirable to export these files at specific intervals to another storage medium, for instance to an external hard disk or DAT tape. On the other hand, it is sometimes necessary to import files back into the system from an external database where they were archived. The Archive Control panel allows archiving as well as import and export of database files.

ASCII Manager

The ASCII Manager allows you to input and output and thus edit data points and data point types and to configure data points. The data are passed to the ASCII Manager in an ASCII file (hence the name).

Online Backup

All the configuration information, the current alarm database and the values history (for a restricted time period) can be backed up during operation.

Archive Compression

Compression is used to minimize the large amount of historical data. For instance, only daily or weekly averages are of interest after a certain period of time. In this case, average values are archived first hourly. Then weekly or monthly averages are calculated from these and archived. This makes it easier to obtain an overall picture of the data.

DP Groups

With the aid of data point groups it is easier to manage and edit related data points. You can also define groups within groups.

PowerConfig Editor

The PowerConfig Editor allows creating specific PowerConfigs. If e.g. a message conversion with a logarithmic function should be created, then a new PowerConfig must be created with the specific settings.

When such specific PowerConfigs are needed, you can use the PowerConfig Editor to create PowerConfigs for the project quickly and easily. For more information see chapter PowerConfig Editor, basics.

NextGen Archiver (NGA)

The NextGen Archive (NGA) for is a new archiving solution which extends flexibility while keeping the possibilities and strengths of the current methods (ValueArchive (+ RAIMA) and RDB archiving ).

RDB Archive Manager

RDB archiving by means of a specially designed RDB Archive Manager allows archiving values and alerts in a relational database (hence the name RDB = Relational Data Base). You can read this data either from WinCC OA or by means of external tools that allow querying the Oracle database.

RDB Archive Groups

The RDB can manage multiple archive groups (for example, an archive group to store values for the "Drives" group). These archive groups contain several tables that archive the values. Alerts are stored in only one group.

RDB Compression

RDB compression means that the Oracle database is able to calculate the compressions on its own, provided that for archiving of values a relational database (RDB) is used. Compression is used in order to minimize a large amount of historical data. For instance, only daily or weekly averages are of interest after a certain period of time.

RDB Log

The RDB log viewer displays the information from the RDB log tables time-assorted. The displayed information and error messages are logged when running RDB operations (RDB archiving, RDB compression).

RDB Parallel

WinCC OA uses following methods to archive values and alerts:

HDB (= History Database, used to save value changes)
RAIMA (Alert database, used to save alerts)
RDB (= Relational Database, used to save value changes as well as alerts)

These methods can be used at the same time, so that it is possible to save project values at the HDB/Raima and also in the RDB at the same time. For more information see chapter HDB/RAIMA - RDB Parallel, Basics.

OLE DB provider

OLE DB is a Microsoft specification for accessing data on different computers. It is based on Microsoft's COM technology and is the successor to the older and limited ODBC technology. While ODBC uses static APIs for data access and is limited to SQL, OLE DB uses ADO to provide a quick and easy facility for programming applications.

HDB/RAIMA - RDB

Describes the parallel usage of HDB and RDB inside a WinCC OA project.