PI Interfaces
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PI Interfaces feedback page!
We created this forum to hear your ideas, feature suggestions and feedback on PI Interfaces. Please suggest your most important features and design change ideas on this site, and vote for your favorite ideas.
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Customize UniInt Failover Sync File Permissions
Prior to UniInt v4.6.0.60, UFO sync files created during interface startup would inherit file permissions from their parent folder (assuming child inheritance had been enabled on the folder).
With UniInt v4.6.0.60, this behavior changed and now sync files created by the interface do not respect inheritance. Instead, they are created with a standard ACL containing only the local "Administrators" and "Users" security groups.
For users with complex file permission schemas, this change introduces additional, unnecessary configuration efforts that scale as interface numbers grow beyond the site-level.
15 votes -
Add an option to receive real-time data in client during buffer recovery
Add an option to receive real-time data in the client during recovery of buffered data:
The default behaviour of our interfaces / buffering is that after a connection failure the buffer will be flushed and data will be sent in it’s original order (which is correct behaviour). During that time, there is no view on the realtime (snapshot) data for end users.
Customer is asking for an option to not have to wait for the ‘new’ snapshot data.
It is clear that this would produce many OOO events, which will influence PI Data Archive performance and most probably will influence…
15 votes -
PI OPCtoCSV tool to continue running and skip branches in error
The PI Interface for OPC DA is packaged with the PI OPCtoCSV tool which extracts all OPC Items. When the tool is run into error with certain branches, the tool will stop and disconnected from the OPC server/tunneller. For example: “GetItemProperties(“xxx”) error 0x800706be. The remote procedure call failed. pEnumleaves Next() returned 0x800706ba”
If we could specify an option for the tool to skip those branches in error and also attempt to reconnect to the OPC server/tunneller, for automation purpose for the tool to continue running instead of exiting.9 votes -
Separate commonly used PI Interfaces into read-only and write-only versions
Currently, it is recommended to use the read-only version of a PI Interface if only reading is required, and to have separate read and write instances of the read-write version of a PI Interface if writing is required. (Reference: page 15 of the PI Interface For OPC HDA user guide, and I assume that the recommendation applies to other PI Interfaces as well)
This approach is unnecessarily complicated and can still be made more secure. Instead of having read-only and read-write versions of a PI Interface, consider having read-only and write-only versions of a PI Interface. That way, the recommendation…
8 votes -
Uni-Int to write to scan-class health tags on startup
We've noticed this particularly with the RDBMS-PI interface when configured for failover: Health tags that are only written to when the interface becomes primary or has completed its first scan (eg Point Count, Scan Class I/O Rate etc.) say 'Intf Shut' when the instance is actually in 'Backup' mode. Even when changing to Primary status, many of these tags don't get a value till after the first scan, which could be quite a long wait.
I would like UnitInt interfaces, on startup, to post an 'Initialising' or 'Awaiting 1st Scan' or some such digital state to all health tags that…
7 votes -
Allow PItoPI APS connector to sync "Point Type" changes
Currently (as of PI to PI Interface AutoPointSync Connector Version 1.5.0.7), it's not possible to sync changes to "Point type". (See pg 5 of user manual).
Please make this possible in a future release.
6 votes -
DeltaV Smart Connector Enhancement
I think it would be a good idea to allow exception settings to be created. The DeltaV history collection settings only allow for compression. Since many/most users use 1/2 compression for their exception value then perhaps we could have a check box on install of the smart connector to turn a general exception rule on. The point of the smart connector is so that a user shouldn't have to modify tags after they are created from DeltaV.
The other enhancement that would be great is if we didn't have hard-coded security groups (DeltaV and Deltavadmin user) but could put in…
6 votes -
Avoid reloading tags after edits of non-key PI Point attributes
Currently, UniInt-based interfaces will reload a tag if edits are detected on any of the PI Point attributes. This is not ideal as edits to non-key attributes (such as EngUnits) will still cause a tag to be reloaded, potentially leading to data source issues if large numbers of edits are made.
Requesting to add the option to filter out edits to PI Point attributes that are not used by the interface to avoid unnecessary reloads.5 votes -
Upgrade the most commonly used PI Interfaces to use only the Microsoft Visual C++ 2015-2019 Redistributable
Please upgrade the most commonly used PI Interfaces so that the only Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable version that they require is the 2015-2019 version. This will reduce the size of the install kit, make it faster to download, make it faster to install, reduce the wear on the customer's disk, and reduce the clutter in the list of installed programs.
Here are the versions of the Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributables that some of the most commonly used PI Interfaces currently use:
OPC DA & OPC HDA: 2008, 2010, 2012, 2017
PI To PI: 2008, 2012, 2017
UFL: 2008, 2012, 2013,…5 votes -
Assure changes made to any configuration of an interface are audit trailed
We noticed that changes to the configuration of newer interfaces / connectors like
- PI EMDVBCS interface 4.0
- PI inbatch interface
- PI Connector Wonderware Historian
are no longer recorded in the PI Audit trail. (see also TechSupport Case # 937205)
This is a compliance issue for the regulated industries.5 votes -
5 votes
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SNMP Interface to support using multiple types of encryption such as DES, 3DES, and AES-128 bit, AES-192 bit, and AES-256 bit.
SNMP Interface should support using multiple types of encryption such as DES, 3DES, and AES-128 bit, AES-192 bit, and AES-256 bit.
5 votes -
Add a watchdog counter to API shared memory
Add a watchdog counter or something similar into the shared memory header. If the counter fails to update, initiate UFO.
If PIBufSS crashes, data loss can occur. implement something that allows UniInt to know that the Buffer Subsystem is not responding and initiate failover if available.
This was previously enhancement 119481.
5 votes -
Device Status UniInt health tag should update during runtime without needing a status update
Currently, the device status is updated on startup, on change, on shutdown, and on each performance summary interval.
However, for a device status tag created while the interface is running in a good state, the device status tag will remain at 'Pt Created' and not update until the interface status changes or the interface is restarted.
A newly created device status tag should display the current state of the interface without needing a status change. This is especially helpful in cases where the interface cannot be restarted for the tag to pick up a status update.
4 votes -
Support data collection across data diodes or similar technology
Regulatory and/or security requirement to separate data collection from data storage using a one-way data flow. Could apply to Interfaces or Connectors, for example PI Interface for Emerson Ovation.
PI Interface/Connector -> one-way data flow -> PI Server/EDS/OCS4 votes -
Retire 32-bit versions of PI Interfaces that have a 64-bit version
These days, 32-bit operating systems are used for 1 of 2 reasons:
• Somebody accidentally installed the 32-bit version instead of the 64-bit version, which is a mistake that OSIsoft has no obligation to accommodate.
• The computer is very old, in which case it is due for an upgrade. If companies want to keep their operating systems up to date, they will need to replace their computers because of the minimum hardware requirements of Windows 11 and because Windows 11 does not have a 32-bit version. The replacement computers will be able to run the 64-bit versions of PI…
3 votes -
Allowing output point with source tag to keep working even after switching to secondary server
When primary server is down, secondary server is accessed instead of primary server, which is good. However, in the case of output point with source tag, it stops working, then restarting the interface instance of interest is needed. Of course, if we set up UniInt Failover that backup instance keeps its session with secondary server, this issue can be prevented. But, it will be better if source tag is also switched to secondary server.
3 votes -
Monthly scans
Allow for monthly scan intervals for scan classes. i.e. "scan monthly on the first hour of the first day of every month".
3 votes -
Ability to wait successful connection to PI Data Archive and download PI point information during startup
(Posted on behalf of our customer)
It can reduce the chance of startup failure because of the connection to PI Data Archive time-out. It's also helpful if interface can reduce time to get PI point information from PI Data Archive.
3 votes -
PI Buffer subsystem - management tool + robustness improvement
- Having the capability of acknowledging the message in the PI Buffer GUI and removing the "red flag" when messages acknoledged.
- Having the Buffer updated automatically when a tag is renamed, without having to restart the buffer.
3 votes
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