Over the years, the DeltaV system has evolved, and so has the platform used for collecting and storing real-time process data generated by DeltaV controllers, workstations, and non-DeltaV data sources.
The DeltaV system currently provides three historian options: the DeltaV Continuous Historian, the Advanced Continuous Historian, and the enterprise historian. Each historian represents different levels of functionality at different price points and offers users a choice of historians to match their needs. The DeltaV Continuous Historian remains the default historian for the DeltaV system, but the Advanced Continuous Historian and enterprise historian options provide OSIsoft historian technology with the DeltaV system for use either inside or outside the control network.
This freedom to choose the appropriate historian has its own history. In the early days, OSIsoft historian technology was embedded in the DeltaV system as the Continuous Historian. More recently known as the legacy historian, this historian was the DeltaV system historian from DeltaV v3.3 to v7.3.
In DeltaV v7.4, Emerson developed the DeltaV Continuous Historian to collect more of the rich data contained in intelligent PlantWeb field devices. From DeltaV v7.4 to v10.3, the DeltaV Continuous Historian was the only historian available for new systems. Customers upgrading from DeltaV v7.3 or earlier systems could optionally keep their existing legacy historian on the Application Station on DeltaV system upgrades up to and including DeltaV v11.3.1.
After the release of the DeltaV Continuous Historian, there was still customer demand to use OSIsoft historian technology in new DeltaV systems. To address this demand, Emerson and OSIsoft developed a solution released in DeltaV v10.3 that allowed a full-featured PI Server to be purchased from OSIsoft, installed on an Application Station, and configured for use as the DeltaV system historian. This option is known as the embedded enterprise historian and it is available with DeltaV v10.3 and later versions.
In DeltaV v12.3, the embedded enterprise historian option was expanded to allow the PI Server to reside on a non-DeltaV PC outside of the DeltaV control network. This historian option is known as the integrated enterprise historian and it is available with DeltaV v12.3 and later versions.
In DeltaV v12.3, the option to keep the legacy historian on a DeltaV system upgrade was removed, which forced legacy historian customers to select a new historian. The enterprise historian options have been well received, but for many legacy historian customers that wanted to continue the use OSIsoft historian technology, a full-featured PI server is overkill. These users preferred a truly embedded solution like the legacy historian that is optimized for use as the DeltaV system historian.
To address this need, Emerson and OSIsoft worked together to add a new historian option for DeltaV v12.3.1 that uses embedded OSIsoft historian technology. Known as the Advanced Continuous Historian, this new historian option uses the latest technology and is available on the Application Station for new DeltaV systems and for systems upgrades. The Advanced Continuous Historian presents an important additional value for users of the legacy historian--an upgrade path forward using embedded OSIsoft historian technology with the appropriate feature set and price point.
More details on the Advanced Continuous Historian will be available closer to the release of DeltaV v12.3.1; check the DeltaV system documentation web site for updates.