PROCEDURE FOR THE DELTA V

DCS SOFTWARE BACKUP

NAZREEN MOHAMMED

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This procedure is for the software backup of the DeltaV DCS (Distributed Control System)
which is to be carried out using the revised checklist.
The backup requirements for the DeltaV System include:
1. Database Backup:
a. Total fhx backup
b. Partial Exports:
i. Library
ii. Setup
iii. Control Strategies
iv. Control Network
2. Graphics
3. Charts
4. Excel Reports
5. Historian Backup
6. Event Chronicle Backup
7. Power-up Directory
These files are to be saved and stored on an external/removable drive. The following steps
should be taken in performing the DCS Software Back-up-PM.
NOTE:
The backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation and the Application Workstation and
ensure that you log in as an administrator on these systems.

1.

Database Backup

The total database (fhx file) is to be backed-up as well as partial files (partial exports).

a.Total fhx Backup

The total backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation System.
STEP 1: Create a backup folder for saving the software files. In an external/removable drive:
i.

Right-click New Folder

ii.

Rename the folder appropriately. E.g. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014

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STEP 2: Open DeltaV Explorer by going to StartDeltaVEngineeringDeltaV Explorer.
This is illustrated in the following figure, Figure 1.

Figure 1: DeltaV Explorer

The DeltaV Explorer program is shown in Figure 2 below.

Figure 2: fhx files

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STEP 3: From the All Containers section located at the left of the window, ensure that the
DeltaV_System is selected, as seen in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Full backup

STEP 4: Click on the File tab from the menu bar and select Export Selected Object as
illustrated in Figure 4.

Figure 4: Backing up entire database

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An Export window will appear, as seen in Figure 5:

Figure 5: Export dialog box

STEP 5: In the Export window:

i.

In the Save-in directory, browse to the backup folder created (M4 DCS
backup_xx_xx_2014) using the dropdown arrow.

ii.

Ensure that the checkbox Include the data for a DeltaV software upgrade is unchecked.

iii.

Click Save to save the file in the backup folder.

b. Partial Exports
The partial backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation System.
STEP 1: Open the backup folder created (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014).
STEP 2: Create a sub-folder for the partial exports:
i.

Right-click New Folder

ii.

Rename the folder appropriately. E.g. partial exports

STEP 3: Ensure the DeltaV Explorer program (i.e. the Exploring DeltaV window) is open.
Four partial files should be backed-up. These partial exports are Library, Setup, Control
Strategies and Control Network.

i. Library Backup
STEP 4: From the All Containers section located at the left of the window, click and select
Library as illustrated below.

Figure 6: Library

STEP 5: Click on the File tab from the menu bar and select Export Selected Object. The
Export window will appear, shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7: Partial Export

STEP 6: In the Export window:

i.

In the Save-in directory, browse to the sub-folder created (i.e. partial exports) by using
the dropdown arrow.

ii.

Ensure the Save as type is Import/Export Files.

iii.

Click Save to save the file in the sub-folder. Then, click Close.

ii. Setup Backup

STEP 7: From the All Containers section located at the left of the window, click and select
Setup as illustrated below.

Figure 8: Setup

STEP 8: Click on the File tab from the menu bar and select Export Selected Object. The
Export window will appear.
STEP 9: In the Export window:
i.

In the Save-in directory, browse to the sub-folder created (i.e. partial exports) by using
the dropdown arrow.

ii.

Ensure the Save as type is Import/Export Files.

iii.

Click Save to save the file in the sub-folder. Then, click Close.

iii.

Control Strategies Backup

STEP 10: From the All Containers section located at the left of the window, click and select
Control Strategies as illustrated in the following figure, Figure 9. This is a sub-component of
System Configuration.

Figure 9: Control Strategies

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STEP 11: Click on the File tab from the menu bar and select Export Selected Object. The
Export window will appear.
STEP 12: In the Export window:
i.

In the Save-in directory, browse to the sub-folder created (i.e. partial exports) by using
the dropdown arrow.

ii.

Ensure the Save as type is Import/Export Files.

iii.

Click Save to save the file in the sub-folder. Then, click Close.

iv.

Control Network Backup

STEP 13: From the All Containers section located at the left of the window, click and select
Control Network as illustrated below. This is a sub-component of Physical Network (which is
a sub-component of System Configuration).

Figure 10: Control Network

STEP 14: Click on the File tab from the menu bar and select Export Selected Object. The
Export window will appear.
STEP 15: In the Export window:
i.

In the Save-in directory, browse to the sub-folder created (i.e. partial exports) by using
the dropdown arrow.

ii.

Ensure the Save as type is Import/Export Files.

iii.

Click Save to save the file in the sub-folder. Then, click Close.

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1 Graphics
The graphics backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation System.
STEP 1: Go to Start My Computer DVData (D :\) DeltaV DVData.
STEP 2: In the DVData folder, scroll and find the GraphicsIFix folder.
STEP 3: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the Graphics folder.
ii. Select Send to Compressed (zipped) folder.
iii. Select and right-click the compressed folder created Select Copy.
iv. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.

1.

Charts

The charts backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation System.

STEP 1: Go to Start My Computer DVData (D :\) DeltaV DVData.
STEP 2: In the DVData folder, scroll and find the Charts folder.
STEP 3: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the charts folder Select Copy.
ii. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.

2.

Excel Reports

The reports backup is to be done using the Application Workstation System or wherever the
reports are generated. Both the template files and generated reports are to be saved.
STEP 1: Go to Start My Computer DVData (D :\) DeltaV DVData.
STEP 2: In the DVData folder, scroll and find the Reports folder (where template files are).
STEP 3: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the excel reports folder Select Copy.
ii. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.
STEP 4: Find the folder where the generated reports are stored. E.g. For M4 DeltaV System, the
location is D:\ Reports.
STEP 5: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the excel reports folder Select Copy.

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ii. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.

3.

Historian Backup

The history backup is to be done using the Application Workstation System.

STEP 1: Open Continuous Historian Administration by going to Start DeltaV
Engineering Continuous Historian Administration. This is shown in Figure 11.

Figure 11: History backup

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The Continuous Historian Administration program, as seen in Figure 12 below, contains both
Primary (Type: Active, Current, Extended) and Automatic Exports (Type: Exported) to be saved.

Figure 12: Continuous Historian Administration

STEP 2: In the Continuous Historian Administration window:

i. Click on the Tools tab from the menu bar and select Create New Active Dataset.
ii. A dialog box appears, click Yes.
iii. When the new Active is finished being created, click Close.

Figure 13: New Active Data Set

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STEP 3: For the Primary backup, as illustrated in Figure 14:
i. Ensure Primary (D:\DeltaVHistory) is selected on the left of the window.
ii. Click and Select all of the files listed of Type: Current and Extended.
iii. Right-click and Select Export History Data Set(s).

Figure 14: Primary

STEP 4: An Export window will appear. Create and browse to a new sub-folder for saving these
files. Start exporting the files, as shown in the figure below.

Figure 15: Export History Data Set(s)

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STEP 5: When all of the files are finished being exported, click Close.

Figure 16: One current type dataset selected

Figure 16 above shows one file (1 data set) that was selected and exported. N.B. All Current and
Extended Data Sets should be selected and exported to desired folder.
STEP 6: For the Automatic Exports backup, as seen in Figure 17:
i. Find the folder where the files are located. This can be viewed in the brackets of
Automatic Exports, on the left of the window.
ii. E.g. For M4 DeltaV System, the location is DVData\HISTORIAN BACKUP.

Figure 17: Automatic Exports

STEP 7: Open this folder (the Historian Backup folder).

STEP 8: Locate the Continuous Historian Backup folder (contains Automatic Exports files).

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STEP 9: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i.

Select and right-click the Continuous Historian Backup folder Select Copy.

ii.

Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.

Figure 18: Continuous Historian Backup

The figure above shows the files stored in the Continuous Historian Backup folder.

4.

Event Chronicle Backup

This backup is done on the system where the Alarms and Events/Event Chronicle is setup.
STEP 1: Create another sub-folder, called for example, alarm and events backup.
STEP 2: Open Event Chronicle Administration by going to Start DeltaV Engineering
Event Chronicle Administration. Figure 19 illustrates this.

Figure 19: Event Chronicle Backup

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STEP 3: For the Primary backup, as shown below:
i.

Ensure Primary (D:\DeltaV\DVData\CHRONICLE) is selected, on the left of the

window.

ii.

Click on the Tools tab from the menu bar and select Back up Data Set(s).

Figure 20: Alarms and Events backup

The Back up Event Chronicle Data dialog box appears (Figure 21).

Figure 21: Back up Event Chronicle Data dialog box

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STEP 4: In the Back up Event Chronicle Data dialog box:
i

In the Backup Directory option, browse to the sub-folder created (i.e. the folder called, for
example, alarm and events backup).

ii Ensure the Back up option is Back up All Data Sets.

iii Click Back up to save files in sub-folder.
STEP 5: For the Automatic Exports backup, as seen in Figure 22:
i.

Find the folder where the files are located. This can be viewed in the brackets of
Automatic Exports, on the left of the window.

ii.

E.g. For M4 DeltaV System, the location is D:\DeltaV\DVData\Exported History

Event Chronicle.

Figure 22: Automatic Exports

STEP 6: Open this folder (the Exported History Event Chronicle folder).
This folder contains the Automatic Export files. These files are large in size and should be saved
as a compressed folder.

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STEP 7: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the Exported History Event Chronicle folder.
ii. Select Send to Compressed (zipped) folder.
iii. Select and right-click the compressed folder created Select Copy.
iv. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.

Figure 23: Exported History Event Chronicle

The figure above shows the files stored in the Exported History Event Chronicle folder.

5.

Power-up Directory

The power-up directory backup is to be done using the Engineering Workstation System.
STEP 1: Go to Start My Computer DVData (D :\) DeltaV DVData.
STEP 2: In the DVData folder, scroll and find the POWERUP folder.
STEP 3: Save in the backup folder (i.e. M4 DCS backup_xx_xx_2014):
i. Select and right-click the power-up folder Select Copy.
ii. Select and right-click the backup folder Select Paste.
The following figure, Figure 24, shows the Power-up Directory.

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Figure 24: Power-up Directory