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alarm_analysis:resilient_data_transfer

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Alarm Analysis: Capturing Alarms & Events from Militarized Network Domains

Overview

Intelligent Plant produces highly configurable tools for capturing and analyzing data.

We provide solutions that can be deployed in high-security/militarized network zones and reliably move data across networks, without compromising security.

This document describes best practice for a particular use-case:

How to collect Alarm & Event data from a Process Control Network and make available to Alarm Analysis on the Industrial App Store.

Terminology

Alarm Analysis Intelligent Plant application that processes Alarm & Event data to produce interactive EEMUA (Engineering Equipment and Materials Users Association) grade reports and analysis.
Data Core Node Intelligent Plant's data-routing and data-access software. Operates as a Windows service.
Industrial App Store Cloud portal for industrial apps (including online editions of Intelligent Plant applications).
App Store Connect An instance of Data Core Node pre-configured for secure connections with the Industrial App Store.
PCN Process Control Network.
PIN Process Information Network.
BN Business Network. Also referred to as the Enterprise Network.
TCP Transmission Control Protocol. A network communication protocol.

Network Topology

  1. Alarm & Event data enters the PIN via a serial printer-port cable connected to a Serial to Ethernet Converter.

  2. This physical architecture guarantees one-way data-flow.

  3. The Data Core node installation on the PIN includes:
    1. TCP Printer Port listener (listening for input from the Serial to Ethernet Converter)
    2. Alarm & Event Collector (collecting A&E data from the PCN)
    3. a TCP Out Channel for data transfer

  4. The Data Core TCP Out Channel (on the PIN) initiates an authenticated TCP connection with App Store Connect (on the BN). Data transmitted on the TCP channel is signed and encrypted.

    Alarm & Event data is sent to App Store Connect. App Store Connect responds with an acknowledgement. If the Alarm Analysis server fails to receive a positive acknowledgement, data is resubmitted.

  5. App Store Connect acts as local data processor and supports connections to the Industrial App Store.

    App Store Connect incudes:
    1. TCP Listener (listening for input from the Alarm Analysis server)
    2. Alarm & Event Collector (collecting A&E data from the Alarm Analysis server)
    3. Alarm Analysis Processing (converting A&E data to Alarm Analysis records)

      Alarm Analysis data remains on the Business Network.

  6. App Store Connect initiates a connection to the Industrial App Store using Microsoft's SignalR technology. This supports secure 2-way communication which allows App Store apps to connect and query data on the Business Network.

    Access to data via App Store Connect is only available if explicitly shared with another App Store User (see step 7).

    For more information, refer to the App Store Wiki: Connection Security.
  7. The Industrial App Store: a cloud portal of industrial applications that can connect to business data sources through App Store Connect.

  8. Users inside and outside the Business Network (e.g. office and home workers) access Alarm Analysis via the Internet. They log-in to the Industrial App Store and select the Alarm Analysis app.
    NB. App Store users must be granted access to the Alarm Analysis data source (configured on the Business Network App Store Connection).
    For instructions on sharing data, refer to the App Store Wiki: Share Data with other App Store Users.

Deployment and Configuration Guide

The network topology above assumes data crosses into the PIN via a serial printer feed.

In order to collect data on the printer stream and transfer to the BN we need to undertake the following:

  1. Install a Data Core node on the PCN
  2. Install App Store Connect on the PIN

The configuration of these Nodes is as follows:

1. PIN: Data Core Node

For detailed instructions on how to deploy a Data Core node, see: stand-alone_installation

For detailed instructions on how to create an Event Source to Sink subscription, see: Event Subscription

Configure the following Data Core components (assume default settings unless otherwise stated):

TCP Printer Stream
Type TCP Printer (Event Source)
Description Listen and parse data arriving on TCP channel
Disabled False
TCP Port 9000
Message Delimiter New Line {\n}
Maximum Characters per Scan 4000
Fast TCP Out
Type TCP Event Sink (Event Sink)
Description Immediate data transfer to the Business Network
Disabled False
TCP Server Host [ IP Address of server hosting “Fast TCP In” ]
TCP Server Port 11000
Username [Service account with access to server hosting “Fast TCP In” ]
Password [Service account password with access to server hosting “Fast TCP In” ]
Check Response No
Subscribes to: TCP Printer Stream
Big Data Sink
Type Big Data Event Sink (Event Sink)
Description Save data to the Big Data Store
Disabled False
Big Data URL http://localhost:9200
Subscribes to: TCP Printer Stream
Big Data Source
Type Big Data Event Source (Event Source)
Description Retrieve collected data from Big Data Store
Disabled False
Paused False
Big Data URL http://localhost:9200
Index Filter tcpprinterstream.evt_*
Sleep Period 30
Lag 60
TCP Out
Type TCP Event Sink (Event Sink)
Description Resilient data transfer to the Business Network
Disabled False
TCP Server Host [ IP Address of server hosting “TCP In” ]
TCP Server Port 11000
Username [Service account with access to server hosting “TCP In” ]
Password [Service account password with access to server hosting “TCP In” ]
Check Response Yes
Subscribes to: Big Data Source

2. BN: App Store Connect

For detailed instructions on how to deploy App Store Connect, see: how_to_connect_your_data_to_the_app_store

Configure the following Data Core components (assume default settings unless otherwise stated):

TCP In
Type TCP Event Source (Event Source)
Description Receive data from Process Information Network
Disabled False
TCP Server Port 11000
Big Data Sink
Type Big Data Event Sink (Event Sink)
Description Save data to the Big Data Store
Disabled False
Big Data URL http://localhost:9200
Big Data Refresh Interval 5s
Subscribes to: TCP In

3. Firewall Requirements

Intelligent Plant software is firewall friendly and designed to operate across firewall protected network zones.

Firewall Requirements
BN:Internet Network Firewall TCP Port 443 open to outbound traffic from computer hosting App Store Connect and user machines to:

https://appstore.intelligentplant.com
https://login.microsoftonline.com *

* Required for Azure Active Directory log-in.

For instructions on enabling log-in to the App Store with business accounts, refer to: App Store Registration for Organisations.
Computer hosting App Store Connect Windows Firewall TCP Port 443 open to outbound traffic
TCP Port 11000 open to inbound traffic
PIN:BN Network Firewall TCP Port 11000 open to outbound traffic
PCN:PIN Network Firewall No inbound access required.

4. Alarm Analysis Processing

So far, we've moved Alarm & Event data across a network. We are now ready to configure Alarm Analysis processing.

[Link to AA Import Guide here…]

alarm_analysis/resilient_data_transfer.1518514432.txt.gz · Last modified: 2018/02/13 09:33 by su