Configure buffering for analysis outputs to PI points

When you set up PI Buffer Subsystem (pibufss) between PI Analysis Service and Data Archive, analyses that are configured to write PI point outputs to Data Archive or Data Archive Collective will go through buffering. With this configuration, you can guard against possible data loss due to network or hardware failure, create data resilience, and depending on configuration, optimize throughput.

Beginning with PI Buffer Subsystem 4.3, it is possible to write to Data Archive Collective as well as an individual Data Archive. Buffering can be set up for each node of PI Analysis Service in Windows Service Failover Cluster configuration. For more information, see Install in a failover cluster.

1. Grant the necessary permissions for the PI Buffer Subsystem to write data.

   For more information, see the Buffering topic PI Data Archive permissions for buffering.

2. Configure the PI Buffer Subsystem (pibufss) with the Buffering Manager.

   1. In PI System Explorer, click Tools > Buffering Manager.

   2. At the prompt, click Yes to open the new installation wizard.

   3. Follow the prompts to configure Buffering Manager.

      You can use the default directory for the buffer location. Upon completion, the Verification page shows that PI Buffer Subsystem has successfully started and is operational. For more information, see the PI Server topic Configure n-way buffering for AF SDK clients. PI Analysis Service uses the AF SDK to write to output PI points.

3. Create a service dependency for PI Analysis Service on the PI Buffer Subsystem so no data gets lost during service start-up.

   1. Start the PI Buffer Subsystem Service (pibufss) first. Make sure that pibufss starts without error by checking the Buffering Manager.

   2. Open a command prompt and enter the following command:

      SC CONFIG PIAnalysisManager depend= pibufss

4. Restart PI Analysis Service to register the dependency change.

5. Confirm that events are queuing properly. Use the Buffering Manager or type the following in the command prompt:

   pibufss -cfg

   For more information, see the Knowledge Base article: KB00300 - How do I simulate a PI Server shutdown to test buffering.