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WIOC with Fieldlink and 1410 Gateway

I am pretty new to the DV world.  I have the following question.  Currently we have a redundant 1410 gateway configured to transmit OPC to PI.  We would like to use some of that same data for different calcs in DV without reading from PI due to network architecture (DCS vs Business).  Can we mount fieldlinks back to a WIOC within the same mesh network and pull data into DV?  Will this add to the Mesh or does this cause a conflict?

Thanx

dankubala

• 18 Dec 2017 3:07 PM
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4 Replies

• Anna Riebel

  

  • 18 Dec 2017 4:53 PM

  You can't have two Gateways connected to the same mesh network, so you would have to choose either the 1410 or the WIOC. The WIOC only speaks to DeltaV and you can't connect it to PI. If you have any further questions, please feel free to email me at anna.riebel@emerson.com or call me at 1-952-204-4017.

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• MPHymel

  

  • 18 Dec 2017 6:17 PM

  You can also us an OPC connection to DeltaV, since you are already reading that data via OPC to PI. I use the Cogent DataHub and map gateway data to DV parameters this way.

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• Craig Abbott

  

  • 18 Dec 2017 11:09 PM

  To answer your final question, no you can't connect a WIOC and a pair of 1410s to the same WirelessHART network. Each transmitter can belong to only one mesh network, and each mesh network is supported by either one independent network controller, or two network controllers that are operating as a redundant pair. the WIOC, the 1410's and 1420's are all network controllers that can operate in redundant mode. (So, technically yes, you can connect two gateways, but *only* if the two gateways are a redundant pair, and from a logical perspective, they are operating as a single gateway)
  
  The nub of your question, however, is interesting problem that you do not face alone. Some of my clients refer to this as the "Level 2 vs Level 4" issue. The names Level 2 and Level 4 come from appropriate locations to locate data sources according to the Purdue Model for process control architecture. Level 2 Data is for process only and feeds the DCS. Level 4 data for Business only data and feeds corporate users. Anything that ends up in the DCS is easy to transfer up to Corporate databases, but the issue, like you are facing, is about data coming from a business system down into a DCS.
  
  I see a number potential solutions for you. Your selection depends on your company's philosophy on where data should be stored and what is the easiest and most economical solution to achieve. As you are a DeltaV user, I would recommend Option 1, however, if that is not ideal for you, other options can be achieved. You should discuss all this with your local DeltaV support team as they will be able to assist in the implementation.
  
  Option 1 - All data goes through the DCS.
  If you connect the 1410 directly to DeltaV (or switch all the transmitters to the WIOC) then you can feed all of the data through DeltaV to Pi. This is handy as it keeps DeltaV as the single, central repository for all site data and the natural progression of data from the field, through the DCS and up into the corporate infrastructure. Note that 1410's do not support native DeltaV integration at this time, but can share data with DeltaV via Serial Modbus, Modbus TCP/IP or OPC.
  
  Option 2 - DCS side Pi
  You could run a second, small Pi database on the DeltaV network. Some DeltaV installations already do this, and use Pi as the process historian. In this installation, the 1410 would connect to the DCS side Pi and you can use a secure OSI Pi pipe to transfer the data from the DCS side Pi to the Business side Pi. DeltaV could also read point data from the DCS side Pi in parallel. This maintains your current 1410 to Pi connectivity, and allows for data sharing between DeltaV and Pi on the DCS side without having to provide a backwards pathway from the business side Pi to the DeltaV. It also maintains separation between DCS data and business only data, if that is your preference.
  
  3 - Separate DCS and Business gateways
  This solution is more for customers who prefer to keep clear and distinct separation of operations and non operations functionality. With separate gateways, business only data goes directly to a business side gateway and all other data, both process only data and data required for both process and business goes to the DCS gateway. In larger system where multiple gateways are required at each location anyway, to manage the sheer number of transmitters, this configuration can work well. In smaller systems, by separating transmitters and having smaller numbers of transmitters per network, you run the risk of impacting the WirelessHART mesh by having too few redundant pathways to build a resilient network.
  
  4 - Serial Modbus
  I have one customer (non DeltaV) that installed their first WirelessHART gateway completely isolated from every IP network. It was a trial and they wanted the absolute lowest risk solution with as many "air gaps" as possible. Data was shared with the DCS via Serial Modbus, which satisfied their strict cyber security requirements. They have since moved on and have connected newer gateways directly to the DCS network, collecting data via OPC and sharing up the chain from the DCS to their (non Pi) corporate database (as per Option 1). Whilst not ideal, if you only need to share a handful and simple variables, a serial Modbus link to DeltaV is a viable option, that is likely to satisfy IT requirements for network separation.

  Craig Abbott - Wireless Specialist (South Eastern Australia)

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• dankubala

  

  • 19 Dec 2017 1:10 PM

  THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR AWESOME FEEDBACK!! Now off to the VIM2 threads :)

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