Run the System as a Windows Service

Plant SCADA can be run as a Windows™ service, allowing for unattended operation of a system's servers.

This offers the following benefits:

• Automated server operation on hardware startup

• Continuous server operation across multiple user logins.

For example, you may want to operate Plant SCADA as a distributed system across a number of server computers that are locked in a secure room. Each server could be configured to automatically run as a service on startup, meaning access to the server room is not necessary for normal system operation. Each server will also be able run continuously without the need for a user to log in.

To run Plant SCADA as a service, you need to configure the service named "Plant SCADA Runtime Manager" in Microsoft Management Console on each server computer. For more information, see Configure a System to Run as a Windows Service.

When Plant SCADA is operating as a service, the Runtime Manager will operate in "service mode". For more information about service mode and its limitations, see Operate Runtime Manager in Service Mode.

You cannot debug Cicode for a process that is running as a Windows service.

Note: When you launch a display client on a computer that is running Plant SCADA as a Windows service, the client will request an additional control client license from the system. If this occurs on a machine with a valid license that has been obtained locally, you will be granted the additional license automatically.

By default, Plant SCADA operates under the "NT SERVICE\Citect Runtime Manager" virtual service account when running as a service. In some circumstances, this may not be suitable. For example:

• If Plant SCADA requires to access network locations in a domain-based environment, you may need to use a Managed Service Account to run the service instead of the virtual service account. See Running as a Service Using a Managed Service Account.

• If your system includes an OPC DA Server, you will need to specify a particular user account to run the service. See Run as a Service Under a Specific User Account.

  Note: If you have configured a Plant SCADA OPC DA server on a computer that is running Plant SCADA as a Windows service, you will need to make additional configuration changes. See Run an OPC DA Server as a Service.