EPLAN Platform Multi-User Application Recommendation

 

EPLAN Platform Platform Multi-User Application Recommendation 06 / 2012

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation Copyright © 2012 EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG assumes no liability for either technical or printing errors, or for deficiencies in this technical information and cannot be held liable for damages that may result directly or indirectly from the delivery, performance, and use of this material. This document contains information based on a proprietary system that is protected by copyright laws.  All rights are protected. This document may not be copied or otherwise other wise reproduced in full or part without the prior consent of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. The software described in this document is subject to a licensing agreement. Use and reproduction of this software are only permitted within the framework of this agreement. ®

RITTAL  is a registered trademark of Rittal GmbH & Co. KG. ®

®

®

®

®

EPLAN , EPLAN Electric P8 , EPLAN Fluid , EPLAN PPE , and EPLAN Cabinet  are registered trademarks of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. ®

®

®

®

®

®

Windows NT , Windows 2000 , Windows XP , Windows Vista , Microsoft Windows , Microsoft  Ex® ® ® ® cel , Microsoft  Access , and Notepad  are registered trademarks of the Microsoft Corporation. ®

®

®

PC WORX , CLIP PROJECT , and INTERBUS  are registered trademarks of Phoenix Contact GmbH & Co. ®

®

 AutoCAD  and AutoCAD Inventor   are registered trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. ®

®

®

STEP 7 , SIMATIC  and SIMATIC HW Konfig.  are registered trademarks of Siemens AG. ®

InstallShield  is a registered trademark of InstallShield, Inc. ®

®

®

®

 Adobe  Reader   and Adobe  Acrobat  are registered trademarks of Adobe Systems Inc. ®

TwinCAT  is a registered trademark of Beckhoff Automation GmbH. ®

Unity Pro  is a registered trademark of Schneider Electric. ®

®

RSLogix 5000  and RSLogix Architect  are registered trademarks of Rockwell Automation.  All other product names and trade names are trademarks tradem arks or registered trademarks of their respective owners. EPLAN uses the Open Source software 7-Zip (7za.dll), Copyright © by Igor Pavlov. Source code of 7Zip is subject to the GNU Lesser General Public License (LGPL). The source code of 7-Zip and details on this license can be found on the following Web site: http://www.7-zip.org EPLAN uses the open-source software Open CASCADE, Copyright © by Open CASCADE S.A.S. The source code of Open CASCADE is subject to the Open CASCADE Technology Public License. The source code of Open CASCADE and details on this license can be found on the following Web site: http://www.opencascade.org  http://www.opencascade.org 

2

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Table of Contents What does multi-user mean? ............................................................... 4  Organization of multi-user operation................................................... 5  Designing the workflow ........................................................................ 7  Navigators .......................................................................................... 7  Graphical Editor................................................................................. 7  Global actions .................................................................................... 8  Reports output for another project .................................................. 8  Optimizing data volumes ...................................................................... 9  Check runs ....................................................................................... 10  User-specific settings ..................................................................... 10  Translation ....................................................................................... 11  Message management .................................................................... 11  Number of users.................................................................................. 12  Workstation computer ........................................................................ 13  Network ................................................................................................ 14  Microsoft Windows Server .............................................................. 14  Terminal Server ............................................................................... 15  Security software / operating system settings for network operation .......................................................................................... 17  Defining subprojects .......................................................................... 18  Monitor for Multi-user Operation ....................................................... 19  Using the multi-user monitor .......................................................... 19 

 

3

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

What does multi-user mean? The focus of state-of-the-art machine and plant engineering is on shorter design times and faster time-to-market while complying with ever stricter quality standards. Parallel editing is an ideal, flexibly scalable engineering method for shortening the project cycle of automation projects and preventing delays in critical project phases. Of course, the engineering system also needs to support this working method and be flexible. EPLAN platform and its "Multi-User" function facilitates these goals and manages parallel access without affecting the user functions. The EPLAN platform's multi-user functionality allows many users in a company to work on control documentation at the same time. In project management, you can see which users are currently working on a pro ject (Popup (Popup menu > Show users). users). If userscan try make to simultaneously an users objectwill in the schematic, ly multiple the first user changes; theedit other receive a mes-onsage that the data is only available in the read-only mode. The coordination of parallel access requires a certain amount of system performance capacity. The response time in multi-user mode is therefore always slightly longer than in single user mode. Recommended working steps: Select Menu items Options > Settings, Settings, follow the folder branch User > Display in Display  in the tree view of the Settings Settings dialog,  dialog, click in the User code/ Address settings Address  settings area and fill in the Code Code through  through Email Email fields.  fields. In multi-user operation, each user can undo their own actions. If a user changes an object after it was changed by the first user, then the first user can no longer undo their actions. Multi-user operation can prevent or compensate for time bottlenecks and allow large projects to be processed more quickly – an unbeatable advantage in the ever more competitive engineering world.

4

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Organization of multi-user operation Designing in multi-user operation requires both multi-user capable software and a suitable work organization in order to prevent mutual interference in engineering and to be able to optimally use the software. The administrator specifies the project structure and assigns the project components to various users. This allows him to influence the performance during project creation. Recommended working steps: Take advantage of EPLAN consulting services! Personal consulting is a prerequisite for using the EPLAN platform in multi-user operation. Only then can one be sure that users take full advantage of the software's capabilities and that workflows are optimally coordinated. Designate a responsible person / an administrator for each multi-user project, who's job it will be to divide up the work areas, carry out preparations, post-processing and actions across individual projects, as well asperform coordinate the editing jobs. Conflicts between users, and limitations due to mutual interferences can be prevented if the processing areas are independent from each other. Each user should therefore be assigned an exclusive area with little or no contact to other areas, at least in the beginning.  Areas of contact are, for f or example, feeds that are distributed across several pages using interruption points, phase (line) connections and the use of project-wide potentials and signals. Such connections can cause conflicts when working in multi-user operation, or restrict performance, and should be created only at the end of the project, if possible. The following criteria for dividing up design areas have proven successful:   Machine design according to enclosures, plants or mounting locations   Design areas such as controlling, power, PLC or fluid power.

• •

Commissioning should also be taken into account. If a plant is commissioned in stages, then it makes sense to represent the various stages in independent projects from the very beginning. This will also make revisioning easier.  Assigning processing areas reduces the data that has to be displayed in navigators.

 

5

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

This improves the user's overview and speeds up the EPLAN system, because less data has to be processed. Recommended working steps: Select a project in the side navigator. Click on Popup menu > Properties and ties  and the Process areas tab. Check the Process area selection active option. Open the Define process areas dialog areas dialog via the menu items Utilities > Process areas > Define and Define and assign structure identifiers to the users for editing. Note: Sequentially numbered projects cannot be divided into defined process areas.

6

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Designing the workflow The workflow, i.e. how you work in multi-user operation, has a tremendous effect on the performance. For instance, some project data displays are continually updated online which causes a large amount of data transfers.

Navigators However, there are also navigators for the various design areas and engineering phases that offer a special optimized view of the data and do not require as many data transfers. Recommended working steps: When designing, use specialized navigators as much as possible, as they offer both a clearer structure and improve performance. In views that show all project data (e.g. in the device navigator), updates must be carried out much more often than in views of subareas, i.e. a graphic page or a specialized navigator such as the PLC navigator.

Graphical Editor Use the graphic editor to edit individual subprojects.

 

7

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Global actions Perform global actions (e.g. numbering of connections or offline numbering of items) on the entire project when project design has been completed. Recommended working steps: Options > Settings > Project > "Project name" > Device > Numbering (online).  (online).  In the dialog that opens, you determine the project-related settings for online numbering. Associated with this are the definitions as to how devices are to be numbered when copying and inserting them into the schematic. In the Numbering formats dialog (in the drop-down list, click the [] [] button  button Numbering format) format) you can uncheck the PLC adresses  adresses  e.g. in the Designations tab. The addresses are not automatically numbered when they are inserted.

Reports output for another project Schematics project data can be written into a report project. Open the schematic project in read-only mode and create the report in the report project. The schematic project is not locked for editing during that time; another user can continue to work on the schematic project. Recommended working steps: Utilities > Reports > Generate report project

8

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Optimizing data volumes There is no explicit "multi-user mode" in the EPLAN platform. In multiuser operation you can use all the functions available in single-user operation. However, in multi-user operation, some of the functions should only be used when needed in order to limit the volume of data transferred and improve the performance. Recommended working steps: •

•

•

•

 

  Install the programs on the workstation computer and only keep the projects on the network.   Close any unnecessary projects. The more proje projects cts you have open, the more data has to be kept online and updated.   Turn off the Graphical preview in multi-user mode since each selection change will cause data to be transferred.   Open a as s few navigators as possible in multi-user operation. Navigators are continually updated, thereby loading down the network.

9

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Check runs Wherever possible, perform check runs offline when in multi-user mode. Online check runs cause data to be transferred with each work step, the size of which may be significantly more extensive than the editing process itself. Recommended working steps: •

  Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Management > Message management Open the check run and set the check run type for all project related check runs to "No" or "Offline".

•

  Use the Offline translation after the project design is completed, because the online translation mode continually accesses data. Options > Settings > Projects > "Project name" > Translation > General > Group field Translation Deactivate the check box Translate on input. input.

User-specific settings Enable the following list of check boxes for general user-specific settings. This will reduce the volume of data that has to be transferred in favor of improving system response time: Recommended working steps: Options > Settings > User > Display > General Deselect the following check boxes: •

  Update reports when opening pages

•

  Update reports when printing and exporting

•

  Update connections when switching pages

•

  Update connections throughout the project (manually)

•

  Always update cross-references. cross-references.

10

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Translation Perform the following user-specific settings in the "Translation" section. This will also reduce the data volume transferred and thereby speed up the system. Recommended working steps: •

  Options > Settings >User > Translation > General Deactivate the check box Translate on input. input.  As long as this checkbox is not selected, the texts will not be translated as they are entered. You can follow up with a translation run to translate the text in its entirety.

•

  Options > Settings > User > Translation > Dictionary Deselect the checkbox AutoComplete AutoComplete and  and AutoCorrect  AutoCorrect.. Deactivating these two input fields during text entry prevents continuous access to the translation database data.

Message management In the message management system, prevent activating the filter function with each switch of selections. For instance when changing pages, when changing navigators, or when changing in the graphical editor. Recommended working steps: Project > Messages > Management Deactivate the checkbox Selection Selection.. Your selections in the message display affect and can slow down certain processes, e.g. a page change, especially if a large number of messages are running.

 

11

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Number of users In single-user operation, Windows makes sure that the data is always managed from the workstation computer and not from the server. As soon as there is a second user, Windows uses other methods for caching and updating files between the server and the workstations. However, these methods are more time-intensive.  A large number of users on one project pr oject requires a high volume of data transfer, since everyone is informed about changes when editing in multiuser operation. The number of users has a more significant influence on the performance than does the size of the project. Recommended working steps: Choose the number of simultaneous users relatively  relatively low, as this will make coordinating editing tasks easier for the project administrator.

12

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Workstation computer The recommended hardware requirements are listed in the performance description. Multi-user operation places higher requirements on the hardware than single-user operation since the data is exchanged directly over the network and is updated much more often. The computing power of the workstation computer is more important in multi-user operation than in single-user operation. Some editing steps require much of the data to be locked during processing and this data is only unlocked after processing has finished. During this time, other users cannot access the locked data. Fast workstation computers minimize the waiting time caused by data locking – for all users and not only for this workstation user. Recommended hardware requirements: •

 

  Multicore-CPU, not more than 3 years old, with a clock rate of at least 3 GHz.

•

  At least 4 GB RAM.

•

  64 Bit operating system starting w with ith Windows 7.

13

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Network Recommended working steps: •

•

•

•

  We recom recommend mend u using sing a Microsoft Windows-Server for projects of up to 2000 schematics pages.   For proje projects cts up to 5000 schematics pages we recommend Terminal Server.   Use a Terminal server solution to simu simultaneously ltaneously access a project from locations that are far apart from each other (WAN).   Define subprojects, if the project scope exceeds 5000 schematics pages.

Microsoft Windows Server The network speed has a noticeable affect in multi-user operation. Changing from a 100 Mbit network to a 1 Gbit network results in improved multi-user mode performance.  A heavy network or server load can perceptibly worsen the performance of EPLAN in multi-user operation. The EPLAN platform benefits primarily from the lower latency of the networks used, because many small packages are often exchanged via the network in multi-user operation. If you connect clients with a 1are GBsufficient. network, make sure that the backbone and multiple the server connection Recommended working steps: •

  Use a server dedicated exclusively to EPLAN.

•

  Use 1 Gbit networks if possible.

•

  Only use storage locations w with ith a latency of less than 1 ms.

14

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

The supported server operating systems are listed under the system requirements of the performance description. Unix-based NAS (Network  Attached Storage) servers have h ave repeatedly turned out to be tthe he cause of performance and stability problems, especially with CIFS (Common Internet File System) implementations. For these and other reasons, such systems are not approved. Recommended working steps:  As stated in the software requirements require ments and performance description, only run the server with a Microsoft Windows operating system.

Terminal Server Terminal Server is the working method recommended by EPLAN for multi-user operation between different company locations. Because of the complexity of the subject EPLAN is not able to release or approve any specific hardware or network topology for Terminal Server. The information provided here serves to assist an IT department or an external consultant or service partner only. Licensing Operating on a Terminal Server is only possible with an EPLAN Network license. The EPLAN license server can be installed on any server or workstation in the same domain as the terminal server. The clients are able to receive the EPLAN license from the license server located in any domain. Server CPU  As a rule, project planning in the graphical editor does not require high CPU performance. EPLAN may put temporary high volume stress on the CPU with certain actions, like when generating reports or updating connections information. Ideally, there is one CPU core per client assigned on the server. Server main memory The EPLAN program itself requires approximately 150 MB main memory space. An additional 0.2 to 2 MB of memory per project page are added, depending on the project type. Demand is strongly contingent on the use of graphics, bitmaps and 3D files (Pro Panel).

 

15

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

On the average one can estimate 1 GB of main memory per user for pro jects with low graphic content up to 4000 pages, including reports. EPLAN recommends to include options for expansions. Server hard disks EPLAN creates many small data packages in multi-user operation. Access time is therefore more significant for the storage medium than the maximum sustained transfer rate. We recommend you store the project data locally on the terminal server to achieve your best performance. If project data is to be stored on external storage media, use only storage media with Windows operating systems. NAS or NetApp have frequently proven problematic, as a result of EPLAN's use of record locking. Topology We are unable to make any recommendations for multi-user operation in a terminal server farm environment. Multi-user operation is designed to be used with individual terminal servers. The best performance is attained when data and programs are located on the same server. Failover protection / server availability can be increased substantially e.g. in an Hyper-V environment. User interface The user will notice a slight delay of the cursor, especially in graphics, when operating via a terminal server. Unfortunately there is no technical solution to avoid this yet. It does not affect productivity. EPLAN provides an option for minimizing cursor trailing in its station settings by reducing the graphic size. Options > Settings > Station > Display > General Operating on two monitors (dual-head or dual-screen) is possible at the client.

16

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Security software / operating system settings for network operation We recommend the following settings for optimum performance, meaning a more efficient use of your computing capacity and faster data processing, during project design with EPLAN on a network. Recommended working steps: Configure you virus software to not scan EPLAN files within the network.

 

17

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Defining subprojects Projects that are very large and have many simultaneous users affect the project in other ways, unrelated to the software. When dividing a project into work packages, the following should be taken into account:   Users work with very long total lists of pages, plants, site, devices,

•

and parts and need more time to find desired information.   Commissioning usually takes place in stages, therefore revisions of

•

subprojects are completed during editing.   Data backup of the entire project is more extensive and takes more

•

time; the amount of data makes it more difficult to exchange the pro ject via email. EPLAN recommends reorganizing large systems into subprojects for pro ject design. This approach has a number of advantages for project design compared to one single large project:   Better manageable data volume in the dialogs

•

  Step-by-step revision levels for commissioning

•

  Increased flexibility during project and data handling

•

  Coordinating subprojects with expert knowledge and special subject

•

area users   Simplifying project exchange with suppliers.

•

Recommended working steps: Divide large projects into smaller, self-contained subprojects. Where necessary, copy the pages of the subprojects into an overall project.

18

 

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

Monitor for Multi-user Operation Note: The add-on module "EPLAN Multiuser Monitor" is an available option for all modules of the EPLAN Electric P8, EPLAN EPLAN View PPE, proEPLAN Education for Classrooms, EPLAN TrialFluid, and EPLAN gram variants. The EPLAN Platform provides a monitor for multi-user operation. This add-on will help you see which other users are active and on which pro ject. You will be able see the actions of other ot her users in the project at a glance, thus allowing you to efficiently coordinate the project work load. Benefit: 

Who has already made a start on which project? Are there comprehensive reports or checks already running in the current curr ent project? It is im portant to have a quick and simple overview of the actions of individual individual  people, particularly when working on projects with with multiple users. Structured and efficient configuration shortens project implementation times, and this is perfectly supported by the multi-user monitor. The new multiuser monitor, when combined with well thought-through and organized configuration, can be the central source of transparent information for your current projects.

Using the multi-user monitor Select the Project > Multi-user monitor menu items to open the multiuser monitor. The Multi-user monitor  dialog  dialog is in table format, similar to other familiar dialogs such as message management. As in that dialog, the multi-user monitor can be docked and undocked at EPLAN's main window and saved with the workspace.

This dialog has two tables listing the projects that are relevant for multiuser operation.  

19

 

Multi-User Application Recommendation

 Your own open projects in multi-user multi-user mode: The table on the left provides left provides detailed information about the multi-user operation. It shows the projects that you and other users have open at the same time. The following data is listed for these projects:   Project

•

•

  Users   Product version

•

  Project action

•

  Progress.

•

If a user has started an action with a corresponding run-time for a project that you also have open (checks, reports, etc), this will be indicated by a progress bar in the Progress Progress column.  column. If you click the User code set up as a hyperlink in the User  column,  column, the email application on your computer opens and you can mail this user. If you click the icon in toboth the left of a(name, projectphone, name, computer). additional information about a user appears tables For this to happen, the users working in multi-user mode must have saved their user data in the settings (Options (Options > Settings > User > Display > User code / address). address). Note: Projects that only you have open do not appear in the multi-user monitor.

20