1. OSIsoft High Availability PI Replication
4/24/2017
OSIsoft High Availability PI Replication
Denis Vacher, PI Server Team
Harry Smith, PI SDK Team

2. Introduction HA High Availability (HA)
“Ability of a system to tolerate faults and continue to provide service according to its specifications” Dr. Kalinsky “Design Patterns for High Availability”
For mission-critical applications, this means:
1. Data availability
2. No unplanned downtime
3. Acceptable performance under load
The PI System has High Availability features today
Already a robust platform, but single points of failure exist
Can you really afford any downtime?

3. Agenda demo! demo! demo! The PI System Today PI Replication Overview
Setup & Administration
User Experience
Seamless Connection
Automatic Fail-over
PI Replication Future
Bigger Picture: High Availability PI System
Platform Release 1
demo!
demo!
demo!

4. Existing HA Features
Distributed Data Collection, Storage & Computation
PI to PI Interface + PI Auto Point Sync
Support for Online PI Server Backup
Support for Microsoft Cluster Technology
Integration with 3rd party Fault Tolerant/HA solutions
Distributed Data Collection, Storage & Computation Nodes with Buffering & Caching
Existing redundancy and recovery mechanisms
Support for true Online Backup
Microsoft VSS technology in PI
Support for Microsoft Cluster Technology
Integration with 3rd party Fault Tolerant/HA solutions
Stratus Technologies, Marathon Technologies, HP, EMC, ...
PI-to-PI Interface
Performance greatly improved recently
More powerful when paired with Auto Point Sync (PI-APS)

5. PI Server Replication What you asked us to provide:
Ability for Clients (ProcessBook) to select among Replicated Servers
Changes to Configuration Data (points, modules) regularly synchronized between Replicated Servers
Near-Identical Time-series Data distributed from PI Interfaces (within compression specs)

6. PI Server Replication What you will get: automatically
Ability for Clients (ProcessBook) to select among Replicated Servers
Changes to Configuration Data (points, modules) regularly synchronized between Replicated Servers
Near-Identical Time-series Data distributed from PI Interfaces (within compression specs)
any PI SDK based
+ load balancing
or in real-time
(+ no changes to your displays!)

7. PI Replication Architecture
PI Server
Collection of identical PI Servers exposed as one (Collective)
One Primary Server accepts configuration changes (e.g. points, modules) and produces a change log
Secondary Servers automatically synchronize with the Primary change log
Interface Nodes
Identical time-series data distributed to all PI Servers by new buffering services
Client Access Layer
Transparent PI-SDK connection management
Existing and new Clients benefit from High Availability

8. PI Replication Architecture
System Management Tools
Thin Clients: RtPortal, RtWebParts,
Rich Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink, Custom Application…
PI-SDK
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
PI Server
Secondary
PI Server(s)
Configuration
Changes
PI Server Collective
Identical Time-Series
Data Buffering Services
PI Interfaces

9. PI Replication Benefits
Seamless connection and failover to replicated servers from any PI-SDK client
No change to your displays, spreadsheets, and portal pages
System scalability, load balancing
Support for systems of all sizes
No specialized hardware requirement
Geographic availability, e.g. disaster recovery
Administration comparable to a single PI Server

10. Platform Release Timeline
4/24/2017
Platform Release Timeline
PI Server Replication & High Availability
New timeline

11. Setting up PI Replication
Install new buffering service on interface computers
Create server collective
Upgrade and configure PI on the Primary Server
Install PI Server on secondary computers
Create a backup of the Primary Server
Restore backup on secondary computers
Start secondary PI Servers
Deploy new PI-SDK on client computers

12. Demo – Setting up PI Replication
System Management Tools
Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink
PI-SDK
- New SDK installed
- PI Server running
- Backup taken
New
PI Server
Primary
PI Server
- PI Server installed
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update
Demo:
Transfer & Restore Backup
Start Secondary
Collective Established
Data Buffering Services
PI Interface
- Random Interface running
- Buffering installed

13. Demo – Setting up PI Replication
Switch to Demo Screen
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update

14. User Experience End Users Administrators
PI Client connects to the appropriate PI Server
PI Client automatically switches connection on disconnection
No change to existing displays (PB, DataLink, WebParts)
Administrators
Configuration changes to primary server, replicated to secondary servers
SMT used to manage collective and individual PI Servers

15. Scenario 1: Unexpected Failure
Availability across Uncontrollable Faults
Network outage, hardware failure, software defect
Sequence of Events
Failure of one PI Server
Timely failover of connected clients to another PI Server
Data is buffered on Interface nodes
Problem resolved, PI Server back online
Buffered data is automatically recovered

16. Demo 1 – Unexpected Failure
System Management Tools
Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink
PI-SDK
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
PI Server
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update
Demo:
Network Failure on Primary Server
Automatic Client Failover
Data Buffering Services
PI Interface

17. Demo 1 – Unexpected Failure
Switch to Demo Screen
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update

18. Scenario 2: Planned Maintenance
No Downtime for Routine Maintenance
OS/Security Patch, PI Software Update, Hardware Upgrade
Sequence of Events
Shut down one PI Server
Immediate fail over of connected clients to another PI Server
Data is buffered on Interface nodes
When maintenance is complete, restart PI Server
Buffered data is automatically recovered

19. Demo 2 – Planned Maintenance
System Management Tools
Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink
PI-SDK
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
PI Server
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update
Demo:
Secondary Server Maintenance
Immediate Client Failover
Data Buffering Services
PI Interface

20. Demo 2 – Planned Maintenance
Switch to Demo Screen
Already Configured
Interface:
BufServ configured, running, sending data to S1, buffering for S2
Interface configured, running S1
Running
Collective table configured with S2 as secondary (Non-Initialized status)
Backup taken (BKF) S2
installed
Client
New PI-SDK
PB 3.x, SMT, DataLink
VPC Image with API and PB 2.35
Actions
1. On S1: Move backup to S2
2. On S2: Restore backup
3. On S2: Start PI
4. On Client: Show PI-SDK connection dialog in SMT
5. On Client/VPC: Show PB.2x display w/ 2 tags (data flowing from S2)
- pause -
6. On Client: SMT point builder, change descriptor
7. On Client/VPC: Show descriptor update

21. PI Replication Summary
Features
Synchronization of PI Server configuration
Transparent PI-SDK failover, simple load balancing
Identical real-time data distribution
Value
High Availability to your PI System
Peace of mind for Administrators
Direct support for existing PI Clients
Simple, scalable and flexible architecture

22. PI Replication Future … Data Mining, Business Intelligence Services
Aggregated, Federated PI Server
Enterprise Data Center
PI Server
Node …
Data Mining, Business Intelligence Services
PI Clients
Client Access Layer
PI Caching Server
Regional Center 2
Regional Center 1
Aggregated
PI Server
PI Interfaces
Site A
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
PI Interfaces
Site B
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
Archive
Mirroring
Primary
PI Server

23. Concurrent HA Developments
System Management Tools
Thin Clients: RtPortal, RtWebParts,
Rich Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink, Custom Application…
PI SDK
PI SDK
Foundation
PIANO
Secondary
PI Server
PIANO
Primary
PI Server
PIANO
Secondary
PI Server(s)
Configuration
Changes
PI Interface Startup without
PI Server Connection
Data Buffering Services
PI Interfaces
Failover Mechanisms
Data Buffering Services
PI Interfaces

24. High Availability Platform Release 1
Q3 2006
PI Server release
PI SDK release
Standard PI Interface Fail-Over
Standard PI Interface Disconnected Startup
Enhanced Interface Buffering Services
New System Management Tools
PI Clients leveraging HA Services
PI Server
Replication specific features:
Configuration change logging & replication services
Monitoring services & troubleshooting tools
Performance, reliability features
SDK
Automatic failover mechanisms for existing SDK clients
Advanced HA services for upcoming OSI clients (or yours)
New BufServ
Guarantees identical archive data between replicated servers
Increased buffering capacity, efficiency & throughput
SMT
HA monitoring & administration dashboard

25. One Last Thing… License Cost = $ 0
How much does it cost to upgrade from a single PI Server to a 2-node HA System*?
(*) assuming you are on the Software Reliance Program (SRP)
License Cost = $ 0

26. In Other Words… Buy One, Get One FREE! System Management Tools
Thin Clients: RtPortal, RtWebParts,
Rich Clients: ProcessBook, DataLink, Custom Application…
PI-SDK
Buy One,
Get One FREE!
Secondary
PI Server
Primary
PI Server
Configuration
Changes
PI Server Collective
Identical Time-Series
Data Buffering Services
PI Interfaces

27. Conclusion HA
Replication is a natural extension of the PI System, offering a cost-effective solution for High Availability
Simple, Enterprise, Available (SEA)
Simple setup, configuration and operation
Leverages existing infrastructure and grows with your Enterprise
System Availability on planned maintenance and unexpected failure

28. Thank You! Denis Vacher dvacher@osisoft.com
Harry Smith