Alarm Data Logging

VTScada automatically stores all transactions & events that occur in the system. Every alarm configuration event is logged as is every alarm occurrence and operator response.

Alarm Event Reference - Describes the possible event types.

VTScada applications start with two Alarm Database tags: the System Alarm DB and the System Event DB. Both store information using the System Alarm Historian tag. While rarely necessary, you may add more Alarm Databases and may create more Historians for use by those databases.

Do not use the same Historian to record both process values (tag I/O data) and alarm information.

The System Event DB will store all security-related events (operators signing in or out, managers changing permissions), all operational tasks that write to a device, a record of automatic report generation events, errors such as failed attempts to send email notifications, and more.

The System Alarm DB stores more than just a history of alarm activations and acknowledgments. All transactional information such as changes of alarm state and changes to alarm configuration are also recorded.

Logging of Operator Control Actions

Event-priority alarms are built into all VTScada actions that write values to equipment. The following actions are recorded in the History alarm list:

  • Changing the value of an output tag
  • Transmitting data via a Modem tag
  • Receiving data via a Modem tag
  • Creating, editing or deleting a page note. (Does not write to equipment, but is considered an operator action.)

For each operator control action-related event in the History list, the following information is logged:

  • The name of the PC on which the security event occurred (e.g. [WorkstationX])
  • The name of the tag that the operator used to perform the control action
  • The username of the user who was signed in when the control action occurred.
  • The area property of the tag.
  • A message field is used to add information about specific events.

 

The message format can controlled by property, OperatorLogTemplate as follows. Note that this is an older property and must be added. It is not present in newer VTScada applications.

OperatorLogTemplate = ^C ^F ^O ^I ^N

The following control codes are available:

^M [Deprecated] Machine name
^U [Deprecated] User name
^T Tag name
^D Quoted tag description
^d Unquoted tag description
^A Tag area
^O Old value
^N New value
^C ChangedLabel (Phrase identifier key) or OperatorLogChangedLabel (Property value)
^F FromLabel (Phrase identifier key) or OperatorLogFromLabel (Property value)
^I ToLabel (Phrase identifier key) or OperatorLogToLabel (Property value)

For example: 

[Workstation19] [JSmith] Changed DO_2 "Motor Power" from 0 to 1

Logging of Security Events

VTScada logs the following events related to security to the alarm history:

  • User logs on
  • User logs off
  • New account or role added
  • Account copied
  • Account modified
  • Account deleted
  • Administrative settings modified

For each security-related event in the History list, the following information is logged:

  • The name of the PC on which the security event occurred (e.g. [WorkstationX])
  • The name of the tag that the operator used to perform the security action
  • The username of the user who was signed in when the security action occurred.
  • The area field is "Security".
  • A message field is used to add information about specific events.

An example of a security-related event entry in the History list:

Event Priority Time Date Area Message
 Event Event 09:57:10 Nov 29 Security [WRKSTNX] JSmith has signed in

Logging of Alarm Notification System & Related Events

VTScada logs the following events related to the Alarm Notification System to the alarm history:

  • An operator is notified by voice, email, SMS text or pager of one or more alarms
  • An email has not reached its destination

The following events are also included in this section:

  • Email configuration error (server time-out, failed attempt...)
  • Scheduled report was created or not.
  • Modem error.

For alarm-notification events, the following information is logged:

  • The name of the operator contacted (taken from the Roster tag’s contact records)
  • The email address for the operator contacted
  • The pager terminal phone number and the pager’s phone number/PIN for the operator contacted
  • The phone number for the operator contacted
  • The number of alarms reported
  • The number of alarms not reported (for voice calls only)
  • Other messages describing the event.

Other events in this section will log the name of the logged-on user, the time of the alarm, priority and event, and a message describing the event.

  • The Area for Alarm Notification System - related events is always "Alarm Dialer"
  • Schedule reports will have the area, Report.
  • Modem events will have the area, Modem.
  • Email configuration errors will have the area, System.

Examples of Alarm Notification System-related event entries in the History list:

Event Priority Time Date Area Message
 Event Event 09:57:10 Nov 29 Alarm Notification Email sent to ryan@YourCompany.com with 2 alarms
 Event Event 09:56:06 Nov 29 Alarm notification Paged 453-6487/4585041 with 2 alarms
 Event Event 09:55:23 Nov 29 Alarm notification Called 835-1575 - 1 alarm reported, 1 not reported

For pager entries, the first number is the pager terminal phone number, and the second number is the pager’s phone number/PIN. Also, the event descriptions for voice calls are slightly different than pager or email calls because voice calls are interactive. The Alarm Notification System might report all the alarms, it might only report some of the alarms before the operator hangs up, or it might report zero alarms if the operator does not enter their PIN.