Micromod Micro-PWC: 53PW6000 MicroPWC Operators Manual - Manual (Page 155)

Micro-PWC OPERATOR’S MANUAL
Utilities 141
11.13 Console Group Synchronization
11.13.1 Console Group Synchronization Overview
The concept of console groups provides the ability to define separate groups of console nodes on the
same network. Separate configurations can be maintained within each console group, and the configura-
tion data is automatically distributed to only those Micro-PWC consoles assigned to that node group.
A console node is assigned to a console group when the Micro-PWC software is installed. Instructions for
assigning a Micro-PWC console to a group are in the Installation Guide provided with the Micro-PWC soft-
ware. (Console group assignment can be changed after installation, but changing this assignment requires
careful thought and planning; refer to the Micro-PWC Installation Guide for a discussion of this topic.)
Advantages to using console groups include:
• Dividing nodes into console groups reduces the load on large systems when synchronization
occurs.
• Separate configurations can be maintained on the console nodes in each group.
Node Up and Node Down messages continue to be distributed network-wide.
Node names must be unique on the network; that is, there cannot be two nodes named CON1 on the
same network, even if assigned to different console groups.
Historical Database tagnames must be unique; console nodes in all console groups can access historical
data from all nodes. For example, a console node in console group 2 can trend historical data that is col-
lected and stored on a console node in console group 1. However, the Historical Database configuration
(i.e., the definition of what tag.atom to collect, what rate to collect it at, how long to retain the information,
and so on) is not synchronized between console groups.
Synchronization of configuration data within a console group is performed automatically each time a node
is introduced (or re-introduced) on the network. It is also performed automatically each time a configuration
change is made. The Console Group Synchronization utility provides the ability to obtain one or more
types of configuration information from a different console group and copy that data onto the local console
group. This operation is similar to the Backup/Restore utility (see
Section 11.2, Backup and Restore ), but
requires no tapes, diskettes, or other physical media.
A graphical overview of the console groups on the network is available from the System Status Display
(discussed in
Section 3.4, System Status Display ). To view it, go to the System Status Display and select
Utilities > Console Groups Display from the menu bar. The Console Groups Display window ( Figure 11-38 )
will appear. Use this display to determine to which console group the local node belongs, and to determine
what other console groups are available, what their numbers are, and what console nodes belong to them.