Field Device manufacturers may produce firmware updates, which can enhance your WITS Field Device. For example, a firmware update may provide additional functionality.
To apply a firmware update to a Field Device, you can:
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Apply the firmware update at the Field Device.
Applying firmware updates to individual Field Devices may involve traveling between sites, so can be time-consuming, and potentially costly. However, if an engineer installs the firmware update and there is a problem, they can react to the issue immediately as they are on site. If previous firmware updates from a particular vendor have caused problems, it may be prudent to apply the update at the Field Device.
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Import the firmware update into ClearSCADA.To do this, you need to use the Import Image action. You can then use Download Firmware to download the firmware update to the Field Device.
Using ClearSCADA to apply firmware updates can be preferable, as it means updates can be installed from a single location (a ViewX client). However, if there is a problem with the firmware update, an engineer may have to visit the Field Device location to rectify the issue.
To use ClearSCADA to store and download firmware update files to your Field Devices, you need to create a WITS Firmware Image items:
- Log on to ViewX via a user account that has the Configure permission.
- Right-click on the System item or a Group item and select Create New and then select DNP3 and then select WITS and then select WITS Firmware Image. This creates a new WITS Firmware Image item. Enter a suitable name for the item.
WITS Firmware Image items only have configuration settings that are common to many types of database item. These include Identification settings and User Methods settings. These are optional settings.
If you want to configure the Identification and User Methods settings, use the Form for the Firmware Image item (see Display a Form in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration). For details on the settings:
- see Defining Identification Details in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration
- see Using the User Methods Tab to Define Custom Actions in the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration.
You have now created the WITS Firmware Image item. You will now need to:
- Import an image file into the Firmware Image item (see Import Image)
- Associate a WITS Outstation with a Firmware Image
You will then be able to:
- Download Firmware to your Field Device
- Export Image