Introduction to PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104

PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 transfers time-series and contextual data from IEC 60870-5-104-compliant data sources to the PI System.

The connector automatically models the data structure as PI elements in PI Asset Framework (PI AF) and creates PI points to store time-series data in Data Archive based on the input taken from IEC 60870-5-104 devices. The connector collects data from configured IEC 60870-5-104 slave devices using the TCP/IP communication protocol.

PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 architecture

Operational overview

After starting, PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 performs the following operations:

1. Connection

2. Interrogation

3. Asset creation

4. Data collection

Connection

PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 connects to all configured IEC 60870-5-104 subordinate, sometimes called slave, devices using the TCP/IP protocol.

Interrogation

PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 sends general interrogation and counter-interrogation commands to all configured subordinate devices and their Application Service Data Units (ASDUs).

PI points, elements, and attributes creation

The connector automatically creates elements, and attributes in PI AF, using the IEC device as a system of reference. The connector creates the corresponding PI points for each Information Object Address (IOA) associated with an ASDU and a Group. This connector uses the IEC device settings to name the PI AF elements, attributes, and PI points.

The connector automatically creates at least two PI points for each scanned IEC 60870-5-104 item, one for the value and one for the quality. The naming conventions are as follows:

• Connector ID.DataSourceName.ASDU#.IOA#[.DataType#].Value

• Connector ID.DataSourceName.ASDU#.IOA#[.DataType#].Quality

For example, the two PI points for a single-point data type from a data source named TriangleDeviceXY, from ASDU 1 with IOA 100 will have the following names:

• IEC60870-5-104.TriangleDeviceXY.1.100[.1].Value

• IEC60870-5-104.TriangleDeviceXY.1.100[.1].Quality

Quality points are optional. By default, they are always created. In order to disable quality points, you need to modify the %PIPC64%\Connectors\IEC104\Configuration\ConnectorGlobal.config.json file as follows:

[

{

"connectorglobal": {

"ConfigObject": {

"CreateQualityTags": false

}

}

}

]

Note: To activate the change, you need to restart the connector service. From the Windows menu, run services.msc to open the Services window. Locate and click the PI Connector for IEC 60870-5-104 service and click Restart.

Data collection

The connector collects data for all available data types discovered in the IEC 60870-5-104 subordinate device and the individual events are mostly received as unsolicited (cyclic or spontaneous) updates.