GENESIS64 Basic SCADA

GENESIS64 now comes in two "flavors": GENESIS64 Advanced and GENESIS64 Basic SCADA (also referred to as just "Basic SCADA"). Users can choose one of these two packages when installing GENESIS64. GENESIS64 Advanced is the same GENESIS64 users may be familiar with from version 10.96.1 and earlier. GENESIS64 Basic SCADA is a new entry-level package – the new standard for industrial automation.

Basic SCADA provides the same unparalleled performance as GENESIS64 Advanced, but in a smaller, entry-level package designed to bring only the core functionality needed for a single server system without unnecessary extras. Features such as additional connectivity methods can be added on to customize the package to each site's needs. Basic SCADA systems can be used standalone or as part of a larger architecture along with GENESIS64 Advanced servers.

Because GENESIS64 Basic SCADA is designed to work with single-server environments, distributed licensing is not available. A Basic SCADA system must connect to its own license server. (Cloud licensing is still available.) Redundant GENESIS64 servers are also not available. For these features, use GENESIS64 Advanced.

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA systems can be WebHMI or MobileHMI servers, same as GENESIS64 Advanced. (MobileHMI server requires an add-on.)

The core functionality of GENESIS64 Basic SCADA includes Workbench, GraphWorX64, AlarmWorX64 Server and Logger, basic AssetWorX Server, Hyper Historian Express, RecipeWorX, WebHMI Server, and ScriptWorX64. It can connect to OPC Classic, OPC UA, Mitsubishi Electric devices, and databases. Other features and connectivity are available as optional add-on packages, allowing users to customize their package to fit their site's specific needs.

Some features of AssetWorX are not included in Basic SCADA. Equipment classes (and the Bulk Asset Configurator) are not included, nor is time zone functionality, asset links (for distributed asset trees), and polling groups. Commanding and tree views are not available unless the AssetWorX Navigator add-on is purchased. Runtime parameters of asset properties are also limited. They cannot be used on the real-time tab of a property.

Note that while Basic SCADA systems cannot include linked assets from other servers, its assets can be linked from a GENESIS64 Advanced system.

See the table below for more details about what features come with GENESIS64 Basic SCADA versus GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server.

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA Versus Advanced

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA and GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server are two separate packages of the GENESIS64 suite. They cannot be installed or licensed on the same system. A system with GENESIS64 must be either Basic SCADA or Advanced, not both.

The following table outlines features that are common and different between GENESIS64 Basic SCADA and GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server.

The table entries mean the following:

• A checkmark (✓) – The feature is included in the base license for this product.

• Add-on – The feature is not included in the base license but can be purchased as an additional add-on.

• Can be combined – This feature is not included in the base license but can be purchased as an additional license and combined on the same system.

• NA - This feature is not available with this package and cannot be combined with this license on the same system.

Basic SCADA provides a low-cost entry to a wide assortment of ICONICS automation software features and benefits. This solution helps to reduce engineering costs, is easy to configure and engineer, and includes easy installation of a subset of the standard GENESIS64 features and components. Basic SCADA is intended for systems between 500 and 5,000 tags. When your integrated systems and included data points grow, ICONICS has made it easy to upgrade from a Basic SCADA license to a normal GENESIS64 license with full features and components. The new license can simply be applied with no additional reinstallation required.

As ICONICS is a member of the Mitsubishi Electric Group, Basic SCADA has also been optimized to work with multiple Mitsubishi products.

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA License

The following features are included in the GENESIS64 Basic SCADA license (listed alphabetically):

• AlarmWorX64 Logger

• AlarmWorX64 Server

• AlarmWorX64 Viewer

• AssetWorX (core engine)

• FrameWorX

• GenBroker/GenBroker64

• Global Aliasing

• GraphWorX64

• GridWorX Server

• Hyper Historian Express

• KPIWorX

• Language Aliasing

• License, GENESIS64 Developer Station

• License, New AssetWorX Configured Tags

• Mitsubishi Electric Factory Automation (FA) Connector

• OPC Classic & UA

• Project Files

• Project Reporting

• RecipeWorX

• ReportWorX64 Express

• ScriptWorX64

• Security

• TrendWorX64 Viewer

• Triggers

• Unified Data Manager

• WebHMI

• Workbench

The following features can be included as optional add-ons to the GENESIS64 Basic SCADA License (listed alphabetically:

• AlarmWorX64 Multimedia

• AlertWorX

• AssetWorX (advanced features)

• AssetWorX Navigator

• BACnet

• BridgeWorX64

• Camera Control

• Cloud Connector (with MQTT, AMQP, JSON)

• Ethernet/IP

• FDDWorX, Facility AnalytiX fault rule library

• FDDWorX, faults

• GridWorX Viewer and Table controls

• Hyper Historian Express, Logger Extension Option

• Hyper Historian Standard/Enterprise

• Hyper Historian, MergeWorX

• MobileHMI

• Modbus

• Quality AnalytiX (SPC tags)

• ReportWorX64

• ScheduleWorX64

• SNMP

• Web Services

• WebAPI

• Workflows

NOTE: The Unified Data Manager will not require a license, but will also not be installed by default.

Connectivity

Basic SCADA will work with the following communications protocols/connectivity solutions by default:

• Mitsubishi Factory Automation (FA) Point Manager

• OPC Classic

• OPC UA

• Databases (GridWorX Server)

Basic SCADA allows for an optional add-on “Connectivity Pack” that includes integration with the following:

• SNMP

• BACnet

• Web Services

• Modbus

• Ethernet/IP

Connectivity Pack features are also available individually.

AssetWorX Core and Advanced Features

GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server comes with all AssetWorX features, but GENESIS64 Basic SCADA only comes with AssetWorX core features.

The features of AssetWorX that come with GENESIS64 Advanced but not Basic SCADA are:

• Equipment Classes

• Bulk Asset Configurator

• Distributed asset tree (asset links)

• Polled dynamic tags and polling groups

• Time zones

• Commanding (see below)

• Tree Views (see below)

The Asset Navigator is available as an add-on for Basic SCADA. If this add-on is present, Commanding and Tree Views will be enabled for use with the Asset Navigator.

Using Tags with AssetWorX Tag Counting

In GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server, which uses on-demand tag counting, users can place any real-time tag anywhere that accepts real-time tags (such as in a GraphWorX64 process point).

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA works differently. It uses AssetWorX tag counting, where most real-time tags must be configured as AssetWorX equipment properties, and those properties are the tags that must be used in the rest of GENESIS64.

The following sections describe how to create and use these equipment properties and what sorts of tags do not need to go through AssetWorX in this fashion.

Changing Tag Counting Mode

The tag counting mode used by GENESIS64 is determined by a configuration setting. Users with a GENESIS64 Advanced license may choose either tag counting mode (Advanced or AssetWorX tags), whereas users with a Basic SCADA license are limited to AssetWorX tag counting mode. A Basic SCADA user whose GENESIS64 is configured to run in Advanced tag counting mode will receive license errors.

Users who chose GENESIS64 Basic SCADA during the installation should already be in AssetWorX tag counting mode and require no additional configuration changes. Users who installed GENESIS64 Advanced will be in Advanced tag counting mode by default.

Users may wish to change their tag counting mode if they change their installed license or if they want to simulate having a different license. For example, a systems integrator may wish to put their system into AssetWorX tag counting mode if they are configuring a system for an end user who will be using a Basic SCADA license.

To Change the Configured Tag Counting Mode, Follow These Steps:

1. Open Platform Services Configuration from the start menu or from Workbench under Tools > Platform Services Configuration.

2. Go to the License tab.

3. Change the Tag Counting Mode.

   1. Advanced is what most ICONICS licenses use, including GENESIS64 Advanced Application Server.

   2. AssetWorX Tags is what a GENESIS64 Basic SCADA license requires but can also be used with other licenses.

4. Select OK or Apply.

5. You will be advised that your server requires a restart. This is to ensure that all applicable processes and services are using the new setting. You can choose to postpone the restart, but your system may perform unexpectedly until restarted.

Creating and Using an AssetWorX Equipment Property

In AssetWorX tag counting mode, tags must be configured as AssetWorX equipment properties before they can be used in GraphWorX64 displays, KPIWorX dashboards, or other Workbench providers like AlarmWorX64 Server.

The steps below guide you through configuring an example equipment property and adding it as a process point in GraphWorX64.

1. Open Workbench.

2. Expand Assets.

3. Under Equipment, add a new Equipment Property.

4. Name the equipment property MyProperty.

5. Go to the Real-time Data tab.

6. Change the Source type to Dynamic Tag.

7. Select the tag button next to Real-time data tag.

8. Browse to a data source. For example, My Computer > Data Connectivity > OPC Data Access > Simulations > Double > Random > FastL000.

9. Select the data source and then select OK in the data browser.

10. Apply the changes. You have now created an AssetWorX equipment property usable in other areas of GENESIS64 Basic SCADA.

11. Open GraphWorX64.

12. Add a process point to your display.

13. Open the data browser from the DataSource field.

14. In the data browser, select My Computer > Assets > MyProperty.

15. Select OK.

16. The DataSource should now show the tag name of ac:MyProperty.

17. Go into runtime. Observe that your process point is showing good quality data.

Counting AssetWorX Tags

AssetWorX equipment properties are only counted as tags for the purposes of licensing if their Real-time Data tab is configured with a Source type of Dynamic Tag or Expression and the Enabled box is selected on the General tab.

If the number of counted equipment properties exceeds the allowed GENESIS64 tags in the license, a warning message will appear in Workbench. All AssetWorX equipment property tags will show bad quality until the issue is resolved. Equipment properties can be disabled or deleted to bring the number of counted equipment properties under the limit. AssetWorX will resume functioning in real time once the license is no longer exceeded. A restart of the point manager is not required.

Warning Message when Equipment Properties Exceed License

To see how many equipment properties will count towards the license:

1. Open Workbench.

2. Expand Assets > Product Configuration.

3. Open Other Settings.

4. Find Counted Equipment Properties and select its refresh button.

5. Counted Equipment Properties will refresh with the updated number of properties that would count towards the license on a system using AssetWorX tag counting.

This method works for all AssetWorX configurations, regardless of whether they are the active configuration, and also works regardless of the configured tag counting mode on the system.

Note: A system running in Advanced tag counting mode will not consider this count in runtime, but the user may want to see the count if they plan to deploy this configuration to a GENESIS64 Basic SCADA node in the future.

Tags That Don't Need to Go Through AssetWorX

Certain providers are allowed to provide data to all client applications (such as GraphWorX64 or ReportWorX64). Tags from these providers are referred to as "special exception tags" and can be used directly without configuring an AssetWorX equipment property.

Tags from these sources are special exception tags:

• Localsim (local variables for GraphWorX64 displays)

• AlarmWorX64 Server

• AlarmWorX64 Logger

• BridgeWorX64

• Diagnostics (such as licensing and health monitoring)

• Recipes

• ReportWorX64

• ScheduleWorX64

• Triggers

• Workflow

Browsing for Tags

When running in AssetWorX tag counting mode, the tag browser in GraphWorX64 will only show AssetWorX and the special exception tags described in the previous section.

Workbench has two tag browsers. The lateral tag browser is available in a panel usually docked to the right side of Workbench. This tag browser will show the same tags as GraphWorX64.

The other browser in Workbench is the one that appears when selecting the tag button in various forms. This is referred to as the pop-up tag browser. When launched from a form that is not part of AssetWorX only the tags that are available to GraphWorX64 and the lateral tag browser will be shown.

When launched from inside an AssetWorX form, the pop-up tag browser will usually show the entire address space, allowing the user to map any tag to an equipment property. The pop-up tag browser, launched from an AssetWorX form, is the only way to browse the entire address space in AssetWorX tag counting mode.

Expressions in AssetWorX equipment property expressions can only use other equipment properties or the special exception tags, so the pop-up tag browser will only show those tags when launched from the expression editor. This is the only place inside AssetWorX where the pop-up tag browser will not show the entire address space.

Using Data Manipulators with Basic SCADA

Because all tags must go through AssetWorX properties, GridWorX data manipulators (configured under Databases) and Web Services web manipulators have to be executed in a particular way in GENESIS64 Basic SCADA. See the application note entitled GridWorX Server - Using Data Manipulators via Call Method for more information.

Configuration of Multiple Assets

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA does not include Equipment Classes or the Bulk Asset Configurator, but users can create multiple similar assets and equipment properties at one time by utilizing the import/export functionality with these general steps:

1. In Workbench, create your first equipment or equipment property that you would like to use as a model for further assets or properties.

2. Export the Equipment tree to Excel format.

3. Open the resulting export file in Excel.

4. Go to the Equipment sheet.

5. Find the row for the equipment you would like to duplicate. Duplicate the row and make the appropriate changes to make the new row into a unique equipment. For best results, clear the value in the Guid column for new equipment.

6. Go to the EquipmentProperty sheet.

7. Find the row for the equipment property you would like to duplicate. Duplicate the row and make the appropriate changes to make the new row into a unique equipment property. For best results, clear the value in the Guid column for new equipment property.

8. When you are done editing, save and close the file.

9. In Workbench, import the file back into the Equipment tree. To ensure you do not accidentally change existing items, choose an Import Mode of Only Create new items.

If desired, you can import or export at different levels of the tree below Equipment.

Changing Between Basic SCADA and Advanced

GENESIS64 Basic SCADA and GENESIS64 Advanced cannot coexist on the same system, as they are two different configurations of the same product. However, a system can be converted from one to the other.

Users have the option of installing GENESIS64 Advanced and then applying a GENESIS64 Basic SCADA license. Any Advanced functionality that is not available in Basic SCADA will be disabled. Note that in addition to applying a Basic SCADA license, users must also change the tag counting mode to fully convert a GENESIS64 Advanced system to a GENESIS64 Basic SCADA system. Follow these steps to change the tag counting mode:

1. Open Platform Services Configuration from either Start > ICONICS Tools > Platform Services Configuration or Workbench > Tools > Platform Services Configuration.

2. Go to the License tab.

3. Change Tag Counting Mode to AssetWorX Tags.

4. Apply the changes.

5. Reboot the system when prompted.

A system installed as GENESIS64 Basic SCADA can also be converted to a GENESIS64 Advanced system by applying the appropriate license, however any features that were not included in the original installation may not function until the installation is modified and those modules are installed. The tag counting mode must also be changed – follow the steps above but choose Advanced for Tag Counting Mode.

Simulating a Basic SCADA License

Users with a demo or SIP license can simulate a Basic SCADA license to ensure they are only using features compatible with Basic SCADA. See the new License Simulation feature.

GenDemo with GENESIS64 Basic SCADA

At this time, GenDemo has not been updated to work with GENESIS64 Basic SCADA. Many of the GenDemo examples will not work with a Basic SCADA installation. GENESIS64 Basic SCADA Users who wish to use GenDemo can do so using the http://gendemo.iconics.com/ example site. (Note, Internet Explorer is required.)

Dark Mode

Basic SCADA will default to Dark Mode, where all displays and configuration items will immediately be presented in dark coloring with contrasting tools and additional elements. This is in contrast to the default of GENESIS64, which defaults to a Light Mode and the inverse coloring of Dark Mode.

In the Workbench, the theme can be chosen from Tools > Themes.

In GraphWorX64, the theme can be chosen from View > Application Theme.

The user can choose from light theme (same as the default theme in previous versions) and the new dark theme. This preference is stored per Windows user, so different developers can use their preferred style.

Note that the application theme is different from the global color themes. Global color themes (set in GraphWorX64 under Home > Theme) apply to the global color aliases used in a GraphWorX64 display. The application theme applies to the user interface of GraphWorX64 itself, including elements like the ribbon, explorer window, properties panel, and status bar. The application theme and global color themes are completely independent. Changing one will not affect the other.

Systems installed as a GENESIS64 Advanced system will default to light theme (same look as previous versions) and those installed as GENESIS64 Basic SCADA will default to dark mode. However, both systems can be changed to use either theme at any time.

Workbench in Dark Mode

Workbench in Light Mode

GraphWorX64 in Dark Mode

GraphWorX64 in Light Mode

See Also:

Welcome to ICONICS Automation Suite

Welcome to GENESIS64