Restart a Networked System Online
- Last UpdatedSep 12, 2025
- 2 minute read
If you are using Plant SCADA on a network, and would like to restart Plant SCADA without undue impact on the control of the plant, use a structured restart procedure. You can use any Plant SCADA computer on the network to initiate the online restart.
To phase shutdowns:
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Set the citect.ini parameter [Shutdown]Phase on each client to either 1 or 2 to identify the phase of the client.
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Issue a Shutdown command from the server.
When the Shutdown() command is issued, clients with phase set to "1" are shutdown first. When the first phase 1 client has reconnected to the server, clients with phase set to "2" are shutdown.
Plant SCADA automatically manages the online restart in the following sequence:
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The Originator issues the Shutdown("Everybody") command.
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The Alarm Server that the originator is connected to shuts down its first phase clients.
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The Alarm Server that the originator is connected to advises the other Alarm Server then shuts itself down.
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The second Alarm Server shuts down its first phase clients and waits for the other Alarm Server to restart (running the new project).
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When the first Alarm Server is back on line, the second Alarm Server shuts down its second phase clients and then shuts itself down.
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The first Alarm Server restarts its first phase clients and shuts down and restarts its second phase clients.

Note: If you’ve configured Plant SCADA to use multiprocessor support, it is recommended that you use the Runtime Manager instead of the restart facility. The runtime manager allows you to restart different processes individually, whereas the restart facility will restart every Plant SCADA process on the machine.