Issue
What are the locations where Controller configuration data is saved?
Environment
Continuum Cyberstation
Continuum Controllers
Cause
Unsure as to where controller configuration information is stored and how to clear/reset this information if required.
Resolution
There are a number of different locations that a controllers database (configuration information) is stored - there are four locations for a BACnet controllers database and three for an Infinity controller.
1. Continuum SQL Database - Infinet tree
In Continuum Explorer, this is where the controller is originally created as a Device object under a Network Folder and commissioned into the Database. This is the location where objects (inputs, outputs, programs, etc...) are created. When creating a new object, it is created in both the SQL Database and also sent out to the controllers database at the same time.
The controllers information stored in the SQL Database can be sent out to the controller at any time by performing a reload of that controller (right-click Device object, Send to controller).
This information can be removed from the database and the controller by deleting individual objects or by deleting the entire Device object. If the Workstation where this delete was performed is online to the field devices then the same object(s) will be removed from the live controller in the field as well as from the SQL Database. If the Workstation is offline to the field controllers (Workstations can be taken offline for offline editing) then this delete is only applied to the objects in the SQL Database – the objects will still be located in the controllers though, creating a mismatch between the two until the controller is reloaded.
2. Controller RAM
This is the active location of memory on the controller where the running database resides. On most controllers there is a backup battery that keeps this RAM alive with a trickle current when there is no power to the controller. When the controller is powered up it first tries to load its active database from RAM - this is the most current backup.
The database in controller RAM can be cleared by pressing the Reset button on the Runtime tab of the controllers Device object in Continuum Explorer.
3. Controller FLASH
This is the backup location of where the controllers configuration database resides. At any time the active RAM database can be saved to backup Flash by selecting "save to flash" from the controllers Device object in Continuum Explorer. This then makes an exact copy of the database in RAM (excluding point values) that can be restored at a later date either manually or automatically if the controller reboots and their is no valid database in RAM.
For Netcontrollers and bCX's, this database saved to Flash can be deleted from the controllers configuration page (configuration webpage) select Clear Database Backup and then commit changes to controller. If the controllers webpage cannot be accessed, pushing and holding down the controller's reset IP switch for 30 seconds clears any backup in flash in addition to resetting the IP address and ACC node id to default.
Another way to clear a controllers flash is to save a blank controller database to flash. Create a new controller Device object and then save that to flash.
4. Continuum SQL Database - BACnet tree
The information stored in the BACnet tree is the BACnet side of our configured Infinet objects. This is the BACnet objects as seen in the controller and as third-party BACnet Devices will see them.
When performing a "send to database" on the BACnet side, the Workstation goes out to the controller in the field, grabs all the BACnet objects and exposes them in the BACnet tree so that they can be used within Continuum.
These can be deleted from the BACnet tree without harming those objects configuration in the controller or the Infinet tree.
To recap:
To Create and save objects to the controller requires a two step process.
- Step 1: Create Database objects using Continuum Cyberstation. Objects are added to both the active RAM of the Controller and the SQL Database.
- Step 2: Save to Flash on the Controller. The objects in active RAM are backed up to the Flash RAM.
If unsure, the only way to know that the Database in the RAM and Flash is the same as that in the SQL Database is to perform a reload of the Controller and then backup to Flash.
- Step 3: Send to Controller to reload configuration information from SQL Database to Controller RAM. After reload, redo Step 2 to backup to Flash.
To completely wipe configuration information from a controller in the field you will need to clear its active RAM and its backed up Flash. If you want to clear all information of the controller from the field and the SQL Database then you will need to clear the RAM and Flash and delete the Device object from both the BACnet and Infinet sides of the tree.
If you want to remove specific configured points from the controller but retain it in the tree, you will need to first delete the BACnet side of the controller from the BACnet tree, then you can delete individual objects (or make changes) from the Infinet tree.
