How to backup PLC 5/40.. both Normal and Automated

Dear Experts,
Please i would like to know how i can do backup of about 4 PLCs (AB PLC 5/40):

1. Normally
2. Automated \online back from a single pc
please i will like to hear your suggestions as soon as possible.

Hi ojoladapo

Are your PLCs networked?
Do you have RSLinx?
Do you have the offline code with comments?

Michael,
well, they not yet but i have a plan of doing that via DH+ net work and using OPC for any communication issues, i will do the networking using Belden 9463 cable , will have a central server with HMI/Scada to view all the 4 PLCs... but how to do the online back up is what am trying to figure out. i have not even tried connecting all the 4 PLCs but i believe it will work.
My main concern is how i will able to do the backup from the central Server (PC) without going to the PLC locations physically.
thanks

If you get all four on a DH+ network and have a central PC on that network also, then you can run RSLogix 5 on the central PC and perform uploads and save the files.

Automating this might require a little more effort. I believe the Professional version of RSLogix 5 provides for some automatic control of the software using VBA. I have no experience with this.

Rockwell will also sell you another package that will automatically perform backups. I believe it is their Factory Talk Asset Center software that includes this functionality.

Dear ALL,
what if i use Rockwell RSMACC, will that be ok,cos from the data sheet, it seems it will do the work after setting up the PLCs on a DH+ network

RSMACC will definately do the trick! I don't believe Rockwell supports that software anymore, but it definately works for the PLC5 series processors and provides automatic backups and change logs so you know when changes to your programs have been made.

Best of luck.

Lectrofly,
thanks for the info, moving forward, say i have set-up the PLCs in a network using DH+ network with a Beldon cable, PLC with local HMIs (RSview, Intouch, Panel View, OP Seimens),
1. do i need any other Hardware for RSMACC to work?
2. will my Architecture change
3.will i still be able to do control online without physical presence at the local locations of the PLCs? Remember i will have a central Scada server that will MIMIC all the HMI screens of the Local PLCs.... So with RSMACC, will i be able to do control, read, write, online? hope to hear from you soon...
warm regard!

I made a mistake on my initial reply to you. I confused RSMACC with RSGuardian. My apologies for that. We used RSGuarian in my plant for years and it worked without a problem.

Although RSMACC will do everything that you're expecting from it, I have heard that it is not very user friendly software. I personally have no experience with it other than a product demo from around 4 years ago. If you're of the "I.T." mentality, you might appreciate it.

On the other hand, RSGuardian installed on a PC will do all the automatic backup and change logging you're looking for, but you will need to install a copy of RSLogix5 on that same computer for programming capability. By doing this, the only other thing you need to do is link all the PLC5's on a DH+ network and to your programming/archiving P.C.

Go to the link below for info on RSGuardian.
www.software.rockwell.com/download/.../rsguardian/rsguardiantd.pdf -

Good luck.

This product is no longer sold. It's sucessor is factory talk asset center.

Ok Thanks all,
To setup all the PLCs on the DH+ Network, will i need a Gateway, in the CPU to be used, i will have a card (AB1784-PKTX).
my question is, will i need a Gateway or they will all be using the same communication line to talk to the Supervisory central PC Automatically?(Meaning Each will have an ID/Node address)...

Your comments are welcomed.
Regards.

You will not need Gateway to connect to the DH+ network. Gateway would be useful to allow other PCs on the same ethernet network to access the PC with the KT card and its DH+ network.

Paul