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FactoryTalk VantagePoint provides dashboards, trends and reports against a broad range of real time and historian
data sources.
To start using FactoryTalk VantagePoint you will need to complete the following steps:
1.
2.
3.
You are now ready to begin using FactoryTalk VantagePoint (hereafter referred to as VantagePoint). The VantagePoint
Portal will start at the end of the installation process and allows you to start viewing and analyzing your manufacturing
data. This Quick Start Guide will help you with your initial configuration. Detailed information about each step and the
capabilities of VantagePoint can be found in the online Help file which is installed with the server.
Please check the website www.incuity.com for updates to this document.
Network access to the plant data sources (Control systems, HMI systems and historians) that VantagePoint will
be configured to access data from; and
In environments where control networks have been separated from business networks the Server will require a network
card attached to each network.
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These products in addition to all applicable service packs and updates should be installed prior to the installation of the
FactoryTalk VantagePoint Server.
The Windows Server should be configured as an Application Server and a member of the domain (if applicable to your
organization). If you are using a domain, it is recommended that you be logged onto the server where you will be
installing VantagePoint as a domain user that has local administrator rights on the server.
A detailed description of the options on this screen can be found in the VantagePoint install options.htm file
located in the VantagePoint folder on the DVD.
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To install VantagePoint EMI navigate to the VantagePoint EMI folder. Run the setup program (setup.exe) on the target
machine. There are two options when installing the VantagePoint EMI Server.
Note:
A detailed description of the options on this screen can be found in the VantagePoint install options.htm file
located in the VantagePoint EMI folder on the DVD.
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Note:
Several SQL Server databases are created during the VantagePoint installation.
When the installation completes you will have access to the VantagePoint Portal (Portal). On the VantagePoint Server,
the applications that comprise a VantagePoint System can be found under the start program group: Start | All Programs |
Rockwell Software | FactoryTalk VantagePoint.
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VantagePoint utilizes capacity based licensing which requires the FactoryTalk Activation Server. The FactoryTalk
Activation Server is installed during the installation of the VantagePoint Server and runs on the same server. When
completing the activation process, the generated license file(s) must be located in folder searched by the activation
server.
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When first installed, VantagePoint will use a Grace Period License if the FactoryTalk Activation has not been
completed. The Grace Period License allows the system to run for 7 days from the time of the initial installation.
The expiration date of the Grace Period License is displayed in Manager and in the Help About on each of the
VantagePoint applications.
For VantagePoint and VantagePoint EMI, a Grace Period License activates VantagePoint functionality and sets
the capacities to 5x Named Users, 5x 3rd Party Real-time Connector Instances and 5x 3rd Party Historian
Connector Instances. There is no restriction on the number of FactoryTalk Live and FactoryTalk Historian
connectors that can be configured. In addition, a Grace Period License limits tag creation to 50 calculation tags,
50 Incuity tags and 100 storage tags.
The FactoryTalk Activation Server will not start if a valid VantagePoint license is not found.
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The FactoryTalk Activation Server runs as a service. After the activation process is completed you can close the
FactoryTalk Activation Tool.
The reactivate process from VantagePoint Manager needs to be completed each time you add additional
capacity to the system through FactoryTalk Activation.
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VantagePoint Simulator
A simulator is installed with VantagePoint so that you can begin learning the product before you have it attached to your
plant data sources. Several instances of the simulator are created during the installation. Additional instances can be
created by right clicking on the Simulator node and selecting Create Instance.
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NO
Connecting Rockwell
Automation data
sources to
VantagePoint that
are not associated
with a FactoryTalk
Directory.
YES
NO
YES
FACTORYTALK HISTORIAN
Use the VantagePoint
Standalone FactoryTalk
Historian connector to
reference data items from a
FactoryTalk Historian.
OPTION 2
OPTION 1
Using RSLinx Enterprise, create
Device Shortcuts that links directly
to underlying control devices.
Reference these data items via the
Device Shortcut in the
VantagePoint Manger.
End
Note:
FactoryTalk VantagePoint does not support browsing the online folder of RSLinx Classic or connectivity to a PI
collective.
When using the VantagePoint FactoryTalk Historian Connector, the following two conditions must be met:
1. A Trust needs to exist between the VantagePoint Server and the machine hosting the Historian before
creating this connector.
2. The machine hosting the target Historian must be added to the PI-SDK on the VantagePoint Sever
machine.
If your environment requires RSLinx Classic, please consult the product documentation or contact Rockwell
Technical Support for further assistance.
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VantagePoint requires a FactoryTalk User account to connect to the FactoryTalk Directory. VantagePoint can create a new
user for this purpose and automatically assign necessary rights within FactoryTalk Security to operate correctly. If you
choose an existing FactoryTalk User account, that user account must be a member of the FactoryTalk Administrators and
FTHAdministrators groups for VantagePoint to operate.
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For the purpose of this Quick Start Guide we will choose to import Live Data.
When importing FactoryTalk Live Data tags you can choose to import structures from a Logix controller as VantagePoint
Types or just import controller tags as simple data items. When importing structures from a Logix controller, the import
wizard will search the associated controller offline file (.ACD file) and locate structures which VantagePoint can map to
existing pre-defined Types or create new User Types to map to the selected User Defined structures in the controller
program. The advantage of importing these structure definitions is for using them when building report templates and
leveraging the context of the data within the structures as a single entity. Refer to the VantagePoint Help for additional
information.
If you choose to import the FactoryTalk Live Data as simple data items you will be able to create your own Trends,
Dashboards and other reports against these items in VantagePoint. These "simple" items are not associated with any
Type structures in VantagePoint but still can be referenced as data elements in custom built reports.
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The first step is to browse the FT Directory for the device items
you want to import. Move the selected item to the right pane
and determine whether sub-folders should be included.
In this example we have selected to import simple items
associated with a Counter and a Timer.
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Using VantagePoint
After the VantagePoint Server has been installed and the FactoryTalk Activation process completed, everything can be
done from a remote client. VantagePoint has been designed so that all of the administration tasks including connector
configuration and building your model can be done from a remote client. You no longer need to work on the computer
that is running the VantagePoint Server.
Casual users will be able to begin by browsing to the Portal. From the Portal they will be able to view any reports, trends,
dashboards, etc. that have been saved to the model. They can start using the applications Trend and XY Plotter by
starting them from the Portal (through links on the Homepage or from the menu items) and using them for ad hoc
analysis of the data that VantagePoint exposes.
Depending on your network configuration you may also experience improved performance of the VantagePoint
applications if the client install has been completed.
Portal
The Portal is where users can go to see what is in their VantagePoint System. Users can browse to the portal via the
address: http://YourServerName/VantagePointPortal. The Portal has preconfigured reports generated by the analytic
tools; Trend and XY Plotter, as well as preconfigured reports and dashboards.
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You can browse the Portal content from the Reports menu.
Some sample content based on the built-in simulator is
included. There are also components that can be used to
build your own reports in the Report Library folder.
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Trend
Trend is a client application that runs in an Internet Browser and allows you to query data and plot them on a graphical
display. Trend relies on the VantagePoint Server to present data from multiple sources in an orderly fashion, allowing you
to navigate to specific data, and then plot that data.
Key features include:
Data can be trended over an historical period of time, a pre-set period of time, or in real time.
Can display and compare multiple tags concurrently independent of the data source of the tags.
Can be saved as time-periods, or batches, and used to compare trends over different time periods.
Once you have selected a tag, or multiple tags, you can manipulate the data in a graph in a variety of ways, including
panning, zooming, and scaling. Trends that are configured can be published to the VantagePoint Model and available to
other users through the Portal.
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XY Plotter
XY Plotter is a client application that can run in an Internet Browser and displays the relationship between two items
selected from the model. It supports analyzing data from multiple tag pairs over multiple time periods.
Key features include:
Users can easily identify the boundaries that define normal or optimal conditions for a trace, by employing
user-defined shapes.
Determine if a Tag Pair is outside of a defined boundary.
XY Plots that are configured can be published to the VantagePoint Model and available to other users through the Portal.
After a plot has been published to the Model, users can access
it through the Portal.
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Excel
The Office Excel Office Add-In is the tool that end users will want to use to fully exploit the power of VantagePoint. Users
can:
Create powerful reports that use data from anything in the VantagePoint Model.
Build content for the VantagePoint Portal available to anyone in your organization with access to a browser
When working on a client machine it is necessary to install the Excel Office Add-in. This can be done from a menu item
on the VantagePoint Portal.
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This is the same report shown above being viewed from the
Portal. From the Portal, a user can open and update the
report without needing anything more than a browser.
Depending on how the report is created in Excel, Parameters
can be created allowing the same report to be used to analyze
data for a different time period, piece of equipment, process
variable, etc.
Dashboard Builder
The VantagePoint Dashboard Builder adds a rich visualization on top of the reports and analysis that can be created with
Excel. VantagePoint uses Xcelsius Engage 2008 for creating dashboards. You will need to install Xcelsius if you want to
create new dashboards and add them to your VantagePoint System. Once the dashboards have been created, they are
available for anyone to use through the Portal. VantagePoint includes a library of pre-built dashboards.
Dashboard Builder is purchased as an optional component of a VantagePoint System and has a separate installation
program. When you purchase Dashboard Builder you will be provided with an installation code (it does not use
FactoryTalk Activation). You may try the Dashboard Builder using the following 30-day trial installation code:
CR51K-8V5W2V7-0M0MPU3-X277
Note:
Dashboard Builder requires a version of Microsoft Excel that supports XML Maps. Versions of Microsoft Excel that
support XML Maps include MS Office Professional 2003, 2007 and MS Office Enterprise 2007.
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Manager
VantagePoint Manager is the tool used to configure and manage a VantagePoint Server. The targeted audiences of this
application are people who will develop and maintain the VantagePoint Model, the VantagePoint Server, and associated
services such as Security Management.
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Next Steps
This guide has given you a quick introduction to the basic VantagePoint functionality. Use the online help for more
information about:
Trend
XY Plotter
Portal Customization
Managing Security
Ability to access data from databases including Oracle, MS SQL Server and data that can be accessed through
OLEDB and ODBC.
Advanced Security
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Hardware
2.5 GHz
2 GB Hard Drive Space
2048 MB RAM
Full Client
Software
Hardware
1.5 GHz
100 MB Hard Drive Space
512 MB RAM
Browser Client
Software
.Net 2.0
Internet Explorer v6, 7 or 8
Adobe Flash Player (for Dashboard viewing)
Copyright 2009 Incuity Software, a Division of Rockwell Automation, Inc. All Rights Reserved.This program is protected by U.S. and International
copyright laws as described in the about box.
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