Data backup in WinCC OA

In WinCC OA we distinguish between the following kinds of data that can be backed up:

  • Historic values: History DB
  • Historic alarms Database (RAIMA)
  • Current project status DB backup
    Note:

    To improve performance with historical alert queries (Alert Screen), you can limit the number of additional values (_add_value) of alerts that are queried. This does not affect or limit the number of additional values that are stored.

    To specify the maximum number of additional values to be queried, set the parameter "max_add_value" to a value from 1 to 32 in the ARC_CONFIG table. Values outside the range 1 to 32 are ignored. If the _add_values ​​are not queried, these views are not used. By default all 32 default values will be queried.

    Note:
    Regarding the behavior of alertSetWait for historical alerts in NGA/RDB projects consider the following:
    • There is no indication of whether the operation was done or if it was successfully done when alertSetWait finished executing. In case of an invalid alert time no error message is printed to the log file and the return value of alertSetWait does not indicate it either.
    • In case of a valid alert time it is still not guaranteed that the value is already persistent in the database when alertSetWait finishes executing.

Historic values

This backup stores completed archive records containing history data (e.g. all hourly values from 1.4 - 30.4). These archive records are deleted from the disk after a set period and can be restored from the backup if required.

History alarms (RAIMA database)

Here history alarms are swapped out.

Adjust the settings for your alarm database on the Archive control panel under System Management > Database > Alarms.

Current project status (= Online backup)

DB backup

This backup stores the current project data such as incomplete archive records, last values,

the configuration database and other database contents required to reload the system following a crash (e.g. due to hard disk failure).

Depending on the project configuration (redundant or not) and the importance of the current data, you should perform this backup on a weekly or daily basis. It is advisable to enable the "Backup all not archived HDB datasets" option on the Backup panel (see DB & Project Files Tabs). This also backs up records not swapped out!

Project backup

This backup stores the complete project, except for the database. This backup also stores ASCII manager files that allow you to "restore" the project, albeit without history data.

Note:
You can only start this backup manually. It is advisable to perform this backup after changing any parameters.

How to backup your data

  1. You can adjust the settings for your backups on the System Management > Database > Online Backup panel (see DB & Project Files Tabs).
  2. You can configure the time, medium, etc. for backups on the Configuration tab (see DB & Project Files Tabs).
  3. Start backup of your project configuration (see DB & Project Files Tabs) on the Configuration tab. The database is not backed up, but rather all file-bound data such as panels, scripts, etc.