RCS-7 Plus

RCS-7 Plus is a Real-time Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) software system designed by Auspex Inc. RCS-7 Plus utilizes a 64-bit high performance CPU, high-resolution graphics subsystem, multi-tasking, virtual memory, OpenVMS operating system and X-Windows capability.

RCS-7 Plus Standard Features

Standard features include: calculations; real-time, historical and x/y trending; historical, format generation, on-line database generation, off-line database generation, on-line disk-file maintenance, off-line disk-file maintenance, report generation, alarm processing, scan generation, restarts, rate-of-change processing, data smoothing; demand scan, data time tagging, sequential controls; breaker statistics; composite points; remote logging; remote operator station; map-board interface and networking.

RCS-7 Plus Optional Features:

Optional features include: Load management; RTU emulation; capacitor switching; real-time spreadsheet interface; MMI terminal, MMI DECwindows Semi-graphics, Full-graphics, Graphical MMI (pixel graphics), failover, Aydin interface and RCS-7 Plus source code. Also offered is Auspex's SCADA Front End Processor (S-FEP) for improved telemetry processing with most field devices and protocols.

Telemetry

RCS-7 Plus will support most standard protocols that are byte oriented, asynchronous operation, without I/O custom drivers. RCS-7 Plus has a multi-protocol handler which enables communication with different protocol devices concurrently.

The computers communicate with the field devices using dial-up telephone, leased line, microwave or radio interfaces. Additional wide area or local area network interfaces can be used.

Field Device Interface

The following field devices have been interfaced with RCS-7 Plus by Auspex or by end-users. In some cases an Auspex S-FEP (SCADA Front End Processor) was required for protocol conversion.

* S-FEP

System Security

Security is maintained by forcing every user or operator to "log on" to the system. Each user is assigned a name & password. The system manager can assign certain operating & display privileges based on the user responsibility & location.

System Restart

To back up the system, the entire database is snapped to Disk every 30 seconds (tunable) with interactive changes snapped as entered. This will handle a complete data loss. (i.e., alarms, nodes, display, etc.)

Health Monitoring (Failover)

The SCADA system performs health monitoring as follows:

The system can distinguish between communication line failures and computer failures. Therefore, before the backup CPU can take control of an operating primary CPU, both the interrupt and the data links must fail within a tunable amount of time.

Failover Occurrence

On detection of a primary system failure, the SCADA package performs a bumpless transfer to the backup system and continues processing on the backup system. The backup CPU will switch all SCADA devices to itself and restart as primary. All SCADA functions will resume normal operation within a few seconds of the switch.

Redundant Dual-CPU Operation

In a redundant dual-CPU configuration, the SCADA system sends changes from the primary system periodically and by exception to the backup system. This maintains the backup system in a "hot" standby mode.

Networking

RCS-7 Plus SCADA operates on the following networks:

Support for WAN & LAN is provided.

Through optional DEC hardware and/or software, the RCS-7 Plus SCADA system can connect and communicate with an SNA network.

RCS-7 Plus Licenses

An Object License is provided with the standard RCS-7 Plus system. Operator Station interface licenses are provided as needed.

Source code is available as an optional product on an individual site license or universal site license basis.

RCS-7 Plus Database

The RCS-7 Plus real-time database is table driven and can be modified to include new memory resident data without software changes. The database is accessible by application programs. The database tools are on-line and off-line maintenance functions that allow the user to build, modify, or delete entries and effectively manage data.

Point definitions can be entered through an operator terminal. Off-line points are entered using an ASCII source file. In many cases an ASCII file containing existing database information can be edited for use by the off-line database generation subsystem.

The database is time stamped on a point basis, which is displayable, allowing the user to see the last time the point was scanned. Min, Max and averages are also kept.

Calculations

The RCS-7 Plus software will perform basic calculations on accumulations and averages. For accuracy, the telemetry subsystem stores the raw accumulator counts in the database which was converted to a floating point number.

With 2,000 calculations, for example, the frequency of each type of calculation is user defined between 1 and 32,767 seconds per calculation.

Real Time Color Graphics

RCS-7 Plus supports two independent MMI color graphics display systems. One is semi-graphics and the other is full- graphics. Both MMIs support real-time graphics, X-Windows and MOTIF and use fill-in-the-blank inputs in an interactive mode. They provide for immediate visual results on completion of the editing process. There are no commands to be compiled.

The semi-graphics MMI has user definable fonts to allow for special characters and symbols. It can be used with X-Window/Motif display devices, AYDIN terminals, VT-330/VT-340 terminals and VT-220/VT-320/VT-420 terminals.

The full-graphics system supports pop-up windows, zoom in/out and pan left/right/up/down and can only be used with X-Window/Motif display devices. The system allows dynamics to be copied and/or moved on the display.

Data import/export must be done through the database. The MMIs can display data in the RCS-7 Plus database. The displays are pixel based and the size depends on the type of display terminals being used.

Adding a Value

Both MMIs are independent of the database. Displays can be created/modified to display data in many different formats. Both MMIs allow the displays to be modified on-line.

Making a Value Dynamic

Both MMIs support color and appended characters associated with a quality word with each real-time database point. When the telemetry processes a database change it sets a flag indicating that data has changed which causes the displays to update showing the change.

Display Terminals

The following display terminals are supported by RCS-7 Plus:

The graphics display routine is able to alter its output based on calculations performed on the input data. While both MMIs support this feature, the semi-graphics MMI only supports this feature on a limited number of displays.

Trending

Four "pens" per graph area with one to four graph areas per display can be used when plotting trends.

Trend Presentation

Trends are defined to a specific size with a defined scale. The trends can be defined to be scroll left or scroll right and shaded or unshaded. Pixel resolution trends are only available on X-Window devices and character trends are used for all character oriented terminal devices.

Alarm Subsystem

Alarming is performed as data is collected or calculated. How the alarm is displayed and acknowledged is user-defined. An alarm window can be used to display an alarms list in FIFO or LIFO order. It can be configured to display only acknowledged alarms, unacknowledged alarms or both. Alarms can be acknowledged individually, per page or by color. Alarms can be defined to be deleted upon acknowledge or where they must be explicitly erased. Alarms can be defined to be displayed or not and logged or not.

Alarms can be acknowledged either through push buttons or via select lines. The operator can select an individual alarm and acknowledge it, or acknowledge all alarms or alarms of the same color. The operator can also acknowledge all alarms being displayed via a push-button.

Alarming supports audible alarms. Every point in the database has alarm processing information as part of the definition. This is used by the alarming software to determine if audible alarms should be generated.

The analog software supports high/low limits alarms and high/low reasonability. For digital alarms, the telemetry subsystem can handle 1 bit, 2 bit and 1 bit with 1 bit memory. The device error processing subsystem handles I/O device communications failures.

Reports

Auspex's RCS-7 Plus report generation can generate pre- determined reports on any time schedule from 1 second to 1 year. A report can be generated by periodic scheduling (spooled the report) or by operator demand (immediately).

When a report is created, the operator has the option to send the report to a hard copy device and/or save it to a file to be printed at a later time.

System Installation

Installation of RCS-7 Plus uses the standard OpenVMS installation procedures. Configuring or starting the system is dependent upon the complexity of the system. A simple system (with RTUs, printer, and workstations) can be configured in one day.

RCS-7 Plus Training

Auspex offers the following RCS-7 Plus training:

The classroom is set up with operator stations for the students.

The instructor utilizes documentation handouts, overhead projectors, lectures and hands-on training. A complete set of Auspex Operator and Programmer's manuals are available as an option.

System Support

Telephone Support is a monthly contract providing 8 hours unlimited support using in-house equipment, telephone and/or modems to repair, modify or change an existing computer system.

Maintenance Support is a monthly contract which includes the telephone support plus software updates (source or object depending on customer licenses) for the RCS-7 Plus software.

OpenVMS/RCS-7 Plus Maintenance is available for RCS-7 Plus and OpenVMS which includes RCS-7 Plus software updates, telephone support and OpenVMS updates to the latest version of DEC's OpenVMS operating system.

Standard service hours are between 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. Central Standard Time, Monday through Friday, except on holidays. Emergency service is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Documentation

The standard RCS-7 Plus Documentation set available:

New Software Releases

A total new software package will be delivered, then integrated with the project specific software.

New Hardware Platforms

New hardware platforms are generally compatible with older releases and do not require any special consideration.

Product Migration

All software is upward compatible to the most current release of RCS-7 Plus. Special programs are available to automatically convert old data (such as displays or database) to newer releases. Conversion programs are automatically included and executed with each release if required.

Key Benefits

[Bullet] Supports legacy field devices
[Bullet] Multiple protocols per communication line
Table driven configuration
User definable telemetry protocols

Pricing

Quotes available on request.

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Auspex, Incorporated, 9874 Sageorchard, Houston, TX 77089
713-524-3100 o Sales at  Product Information

Copyright © 1985-2022 Auspex, Incorporated
updated 01-Jan-2022

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