The Database Sync tab allows you export and import locally stored application configurations, licenses, communication settings and files to a remote database. When something is exported to the remote database, it can either be exported as an entirely new database entry, or as a revision of an existing database entry in the remote database. Multiple database connections can be configured.
This is useful in the following ways:
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Local settings can be backed up to the remote database.
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Settings can be shared amongst multiple users via the external database.
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It's possible to revert a configuration to a previous revision, allowing for "undo" type functionality and rapid recovery from mistakes.
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Database connections for any user can be limited to just databases that hold information on only the sites that they need access to.
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The external database can be backed up, replicated, and so on, leading to high availability and less dependence on a single computer and the local database of application configurations.
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The remote database is a repository for application configurations. All configurations must be imported to the local database before they can be modified, uploaded to an RTU, and so on.
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Two types of remote databases are supported: A local, shared SQLite database, or an external Microsoft SQL Server Database. Each option is discussed in more detail below.
Shared SQLite Database
The PC Configuration program stores all data, including application configurations, communications settings, licenses, in a local SQLite database. This database is stored in the user's AppData folder, as described in the
Installation section, and is not accessible to other users on the same computer.
The Shared SQLite database is a new database and is stored in a location that is accessible to all users on the same computer. This location is normally "C:\ProgramData\ScadaSuite\", but it might vary depending on the specific configuration of your computer, the operating system, and other factors.
By creating a new SQLite database in a shared location, all of the users of a specific computer can have access to a common remote database. Applications must still be imported from this locally shared SQLite database to the user's own local database, before any work can be done, however.
Using a shared SQLite database is useful in the following ways:
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Users access a single Windows server via remote desktop. In this case, since all users are using the same underlying computer, they can all access the shared SQLite database.
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Even for a single user, creating a remote database allows for check-in and check-out functionality and for revision management. Even if no other user accesses the shared database, the shared database can be used as a backup of the main database, and can be used for "undo" functionality.
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The shared SQLite database requires no overhead, configuration, licensing or other management. The same cannot be said for MS SQL Server.
There is no access to this shared database from other computers, however, and as such, the shared SQLite database is not useful for the case where users on different computers want to access the same remote database. For this use case, use an external MS SQL Server database.
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Use MS SQL Server remote database where you want users on different computers to access the same remote database.
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External MS SQL Server Database
The PC Configuration Program can work with any MS SQL Server database, including Express variants. The database can be hosted on the same machine, on-premises, or in the cloud. An Azure hosted database, which is different than on-premises SQL Server databases, can also be used.
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The PC Configuration program will always use a TCP connection to a MS SQL database, including databases that are on the same computer. Make sure that TCP access to the database is configured. TCP access is not configured by default and must be enabled manually on a new database installation.
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Multiple database connections can be configured, however, the program can only connect to a single remote database at a time. Connection configuration options include whether to use database credentials (sa authentication), or domain authentication (trusted connection.)
When the PC Configuration Program connects to an external database, it checks if the required data tables exist, and if they don't exist, the program offers to create the data tables. Assuming that the user has sufficient privileges in the remote database, the program will create the tables. This only needs to be done once. On subsequent connections, the program will validate the schema, however.
Since the data tables are created by the program, in a minimal configuration, the end user only needs to set up a MS SQL Server and a database. Since multiple connections are supported, the end user can create multiple databases to partition their system. For example, an end user could create one database for users in one area, and another database for users in another area. Highly trusted users could have access to both databases. This can all be managed by the end user, leading to maximum flexibility and an approach that fits in with each end user's approach to security.
Database Sync Tab Overview
