Configuration Setup, Startup, and Remote Batch Load

You first need to install Oracle Utilities Live Energy Connect (LEC) Configuration Manager and Server on each of the LEC machines, physical and virtual.

For more information, refer to LEC Platform Installation Guide. Prior to purchasing LEC, which provides both LEC Configuration Manager and LEC Server, review Provisioning a New System.

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Generating and Staging Batch and Command Files

Prior to activating LEC IFEs, the OEM must generate batch files using templates that Oracle Utilities and the OEM jointly develop. These batch files will define the data and control points designed to hold the Block 1, 2, 4, and 5 data that the IFE configuration can transfer between the OEM’s application and the remote ICCP systems, and in the opposite direction between the remote ICCP systems and the OEM’s application; for examples, see Header Batch File and VCC, VMD, Variables, and Node Batch File Definitions.

In addition, the OEM needs to generate command files to load the batch files. Oracle Utilities and the OEM also develop templates that the OEM can use to create these command files. After generating the batch files and creating the command files, the OEM must stage the batch files and command files on each LEC Server machine.

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Staging the IFE Configuration on a Development Machine

Staging LEC IFEs requires that the OEM perform the following steps:

  1. Use LEC Configuration Manager to import the LEC IFE configuration .db file.
  2. Load the header batch file into the IFE configuration.
  3. Save the LEC IFE configuration .db and give it a descriptive name.

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Deploying the IFE Configuration

  1. Rename the LEC IFE configuration.db to cfg.db, which is the default name of the configuration file used by LEC Server.
  2. Push or copy cfg.db to the C:\ProgramData\LiveEnergyConnect directory of each IFE machine.
  3. Remotely start LEC Server as a service on each of the IFE machines.
  4. Load the additional batch files onto the remote machines where you or another engineer completed the following:
    1. Installed LEC Configuration Manager.
    2. Made the LEC IFE configuration the default configuration database by naming it cfg.db.
    3. Started LEC Server as a service.

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Loading Batch Files

Loading batch files remotely from the OEM’s application depends on six management variables defined in the OPC UA server within the LEC IFE application. These variables are located within the System OPC UA namespace of the OPC UA server and in the LEC System branch.

  • DBLoadRequest: This input variable sets the path to a command file that will load batch files. Writing to this variable triggers the execution of the command file.
  • DBLoadState: This output variable indicates the state of the load. 0 is OK; 1 is failed, and -1 is busy.
  • DBLoadRequestedCommandFile: This output variable indicates the name of the command file to which DBLoadState refers.
  • DBLoadCurrentlyLoaded: This output variable provides the name of the last command file that was loaded; this variable is set just before DBLoadState changes to 0. If the load fails, DBLoadState is set to 1, indicating failure. In addition, DBLoadErrorString and DBLoadCommandLine are returned to provide more information about the failure.
  • DBLoadErrorString: This output variable returns a string with the load error message if there is one.
  • DBLoadCommandLine: This output variable returns the line on which the error occurred in the command file.

The OPC UA client within the OEM application sets the path of the command file that triggers the loading of one or more batch files in each LEC IFE configuration. This in turn will cause each LEC IFE to return the success or failure of the batch load in DBLoadState and DBLoadCurrentlyLoaded. If there is a failure, the OPC UA server will also return DBLoadRequestedCommandFile, DBLoadCurrentlyLoaded, and DBLoadErrorString.

For an example of a batch file that defines these output variables, see Header Batch File Definitions.

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Setting Security within a Batch File

Security for OPC UA is set within the batch file that defines the OPC UA client agent. In this file, you can turn on security by setting Security Options for the client. To turn on Security Options, set the Security Options parameter to BEST. To turn off Security Options, set this parameter to NONE. By default, OPC UA security is set.

Let your Oracle Utilities engineers know whether you intend to use OPC UA security so that they can prepare your batch files accordingly.

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