Choosing a Configuration Strategy for WITS

When configuring a new Field Device, you need to choose an appropriate configuration strategy. To choose a strategy, you need to consider:

• The capabilities of your Field Device.

  If your Field Device does not support configuration download, you will need to enter the full configuration using the vendor-supplied Configuration Application.

  If your Field Device does not support configuration upload, you will need to import the configuration into ClearSCADA.

• The capabilities of the Configuration Application supplied with your Field Device.

  Some Configuration Applications can only be used to specify some of the incremental configuration settings. For the other settings, you will need to use ClearSCADA and download to the Field Device.

• The quality of the communications link(s) between ClearSCADA and the Field Device.

  The configuration files for a Field Device can be quite large, and so uploading or downloading may be too slow or impractical on an unreliable link.

• Do you want to centralize configuration management in ClearSCADA (and download to your Field Device)? Or would you prefer to have engineers on site enter the configuration (and then upload or import to ClearSCADA)?
• Do you want to prepare the bulk configuration in advance or create it on site during the installation of the Field Device?
• Is remote access to ClearSCADA available on site during the installation of the Field Device?
• Do you want to use ClearSCADA's Group Template feature to reduce the amount of configuration required? Group Templates are suitable if you have multiple Field Devices that require similar configuration.

Taking the above considerations into account, you need to make some decisions:

Are you going to use Group Templates? If yes, see Using Group Templates with WITS Field Devices.

Are you going to use a vendor-supplied tool, such as the Configuration Application to apply most of the incremental configuration? If yes, use one of the following strategies:

• Full Configuration in Configuration Application, Load into Field Device, Upload to ClearSCADA
• Full Configuration in Configuration Application, Load into Field Device, Import into ClearSCADA
• Full Configuration in Configuration Application, Import into ClearSCADA, Download to Field Device

Are you going to use ClearSCADA to apply most of the incremental configuration? If yes, use one of the following strategies:

• Minimum Configuration in Configuration Application, Load Into Field Device, Upload to ClearSCADA
• Minimum Configuration in Configuration Application, Import into ClearSCADA, Download to Field Device
• Minimum Configuration in Configuration Application, Load into Field Device, Import Into ClearSCADA, Download Changes

You may also decide that you want to pre-configure ClearSCADA and then upload or import the configuration at a later time. If so, see Pre-Configure ClearSCADA - Upload or Import Later.