Advantages and disadvantages of Method 2

The main advantage of Method 2 is that only one designated instance enumerates the tags in the data source to search for available points. In comparison, each PI APS instance in Method 1 enumerates the tags in the data source. However, this advantage may be partly or completely offset by the additional overhead associated with the list of hidden points, which is likely to be large in multiple interface situations.

The main disadvantage of Method 2 is the difficulty of managing the hidden points (and other APSPoints tables) for the instance that manages available points. Without a thorough understanding of PI APS operation, it is easy to overlook subtleties that can have adverse consequences. In general, Method 2 requires more routine monitoring and manual intervention by the administrator than Method 1.