S7 Client to cloud for visualization

This example demonstrates how to read data from an S7 demo server that provides temperature, revolutions and active digital inputs of a motor connected to an S7 PLC. The data is then visualized with the Central Data Services in the Management System.

The instructions below cover the following steps:

Provisioning an S7 demo server as a Docker workload
Deploying the provisioned Docker workload to the target node
Configuring the Data Services Gateway
Central data visualization in the Management System

Provisioning and deploying an S7 demo server at the node

First, the S7 demo server must be deployed to the node as a Docker workload. Download the Data Services S7 demo server found under Example Applications from the Nerve Software Center. This is the Docker image that is required for provisioning the demo server as a Docker workload.

Log in to the Management System. Make sure that the user has the permissions to access the Data Services.

Provision a Docker workload by following Provisioning a Docker workload. This example uses s7-demo as the workload name. Use the following workload version settings:

Setting	Value
Name	Enter any name for the workload version.
Release name	Enter any release name.
DOCKER IMAGE	Select Upload to add the Docker image of the S7 demo sensor that has been downloaded from the Nerve Software Center.
DOCKER SPECIFIC INFO	Select New port and enter the following settings: Protocol: TCP Host Port: 102 Container Port: 102
Container name	`tttech-s7-server-demo`
Network name	`bridge`

Deploy the provisioned Docker workload by following Deploying a workload.

Note

Remember the node name and serial number of the target node. They are needed for the JSON configuration.

Configuring the Data Services Gateway

The configuration defines the S7 demo server that was deployed above as a data input and the NerveDB in the Management System as a data output. The S7 client will periodically read data from the S7 demo server and send it to the Management System. The temperature of the motor is stored in the datablock 0 with offset 0 and data type float. The number of revolutions of the motor is stored in the merker with offset 0 and data type uint32. Eight digital inputs from the demo server are also read as eight different boolean values.

Access the Local UI on the node. This is Nerve Device specific. Refer to the table below for device specific links to the Local UI. The initial login credentials to the Local UI can be found in the customer profile.

Nerve Device	Physical port	Local UI
MFN 100	P1	http://172.20.2.1:3333
Kontron KBox A-150-APL	LAN 1	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Kontron KBox A-150-APL chapter of the device guide.
Kontron KBox A-250	ETH 2	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Kontron KBox A-250 chapter of the device guide.
Maxtang AXWL10	LAN1	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Maxtang AXWL10 chapter of the device guide.
Siemens SIMATIC IPC127E	X1 P1	http://172.20.2.1:3333
Siemens SIMATIC IPC427E	X1 P1	http://172.20.2.1:3333
Supermicro SuperServer E100-9AP-IA	LAN1	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Supermicro SuperServer E100-9AP-IA chapter of the device guide.
Supermicro SuperServer 1019D-16C-FHN13TP	LAN3	http://172.20.2.1:3333
Supermicro SuperServer 5029C-T	LAN1	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Supermicro SuperServer 5029C-T chapter of the device guide.
Vecow SPC-5600-i5-8500	LAN 1	http://172.20.2.1:3333
Winmate EACIL20	LAN1	`<wanip>:3333` To figure out the IP address of the WAN interface, refer to Finding out the IP address of the device in the Winmate EACIL20 chapter of the device guide.

Select the arrow next to Data to expand the Data Services sub menus in the navigation on the left.
Select Gateway.
Select the Edit configuration icon on the right to enter editing mode.

Create a JSON file out of the following Gateway configuration:

{
    "inputs": [
        {
            "type": "S7_CLIENT",
            "name": "s7_client_on_node",
            "serverUrl": "127.0.0.1",
            "port": 102,
            "connectionType": "PG",
            "pollingInterval_ms": 1000,
            "connectors": [
                {
                    "name": "s7_demo_connector",
                    "datablocks": [
                        {
                            "name": "motor_temperature",
                            "datablock": 0,
                            "offset": 0,
                            "type": "float"
                        }
                    ],
                    "merkers": [
                        {
                            "name": "motor_revolutions",
                            "offset": 0,
                            "type": "uint32"
                        }
                    ],
                    "inputs": [
                        {
                            "name": "motor_input",
                            "offset": 0,
                            "quantity": 8,
                            "type": "bool"
                        }
                    ]
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "outputs": [
        {
            "type": "NERVE_DB",
            "location": "CENTRAL",
            "connectors": [
                {
                    "tableName": "s7_data"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "connections" : [
        {
            "name" : "s7_client_to_cloud",
            "input": { "index" : 0, "connector" : 0 },
            "output": { "index" : 0, "connector" : 0 }
        }
    ]
}

Select the Import button.
Add the JSON configuration file containing the code above from the file browser.
Select the Deploy button. A success message pops up in the upper-right corner.

The configuration is now deployed. The graphical configuration tool now reflects the contents of the JSON file. Exit editing mode by selecting the arrow on the left. Select the magnifying glass symbol next to the inputs and outputs to take a look at details.

Select the Logs tab to view the Gateway logs for more information.

Central data visualization in the Management System

To visualize the motor temperature data in the Management System, open the central visualization element through the Data Services UI in the Management System.

Select Data in the navigation on the left. The Grafana UI will open.

Note

Note that the navigation on the left collapses when Data is selected. Select the burger menu in the top-left to expand the navigation again.
Select + > Dashboard in the navigation on the left. A box will appear.
Select Add Query in the New Panel box.
Select the data source from the drop-down menu. The name of the data source is the name and serial number of the node, formatted as <nodename> (<serialnumber>).

Note

Note that multiple data sources can be selected in the Grafana instance in the Management System, depending on the number of nodes that are registered. Make sure to remember the serial number of the node that was used for workload deployment before.
Fill in the following query information:

Setting Value

FROM s7_data

Time column: "timestamp"

SELECT Column: motor_temperature

Format as Time series
Select the save icon in the upper-right corner to save the dashboard.

The dashboard can be accessed from the Grafana home menu.

Setting	Value
FROM	`s7_data` Time column: "timestamp"
SELECT	Column: motor_temperature
Format as	Time series