IT Guide
IT Guide
IT Guide
Electrical equipment should be installed, operated, serviced and maintained only by qualified
personnel. No responsibility is assumed by Schneider Electric for any consequences arising out of
the use of this material.
As standards, specifications and designs change from time to time, please ask for confirmation of
the information given in this publication.
Contents
Safety Precautions 6
Introduction 7
Resources 8
Overview 11
System architecture 12
Client types 14
Engineering Client 14
Web Client 14
Licensing 16
License activation 16
License types 16
System backups 21
Cybersecurity 23
Cybersecurity awareness 23
Cybersecurity features 23
Recommended actions 24
Planning 27
Installing and Upgrading 29
Configuring 31
Administering 33
Decommissioning 36
IT Requirements 37
Computer Hardware 38
Choosing Computer Type, CPU, and RAM 38
Choosing Data Storage 40
Operating Environment 44
Windows Updates 45
Localization 45
Operating System considerations 46
SQL Server considerations 46
Network connectivity 48
Network communication 48
Network shares 48
Windows Domain compatibility 48
IPv6 compatibility 48
IP Port Requirements 48
Other IT considerations 49
PME Server name limitations 49
Display resolution 49
Device Networks 50
Device networks overview 51
Network types 52
Ethernet (TCP) networks 52
Serial device networks 52
Network performance 53
Time synchronization 54
Tools 55
Reference 56
Cybersecurity Reference 57
Data encryption 57
PME accounts 57
PME Services 58
Network shares 58
Session timeout 58
System integration security 59
Verifying file integrity and authenticity 59
Accounts and services 60
Windows accounts 60
SQL Server accounts 62
PME Windows services 64
IIS Application Pools 69
Databases 70
PME Databases 70
Configure database connection encryption 71
Database growth calculations 72
Factory default measurement logging 72
Custom measurement logging 72
Power quality event logging 72
Adding idle detection to custom Web Application links 74
Diagnostics and Usage Services 76
Decommissioning Reference 77
Destroy 77
Overwrite 78
IP Ports 80
DANGER
DANGER indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, will result in death or serious
injury.
WARNING
WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or
serious injury.
CAUTION
CAUTION indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or
moderate injury.
NOTICE
NOTICE is used to address practices not related to physical injury.
Please Note
Electrical equipment should be installed, operated, serviced and maintained only by qualified
personnel. No responsibility is assumed by Schneider Electric for any consequences arising out of
the use of this material.
A qualified person is one who has skills and knowledge related to the construction, installation, and
operation of electrical equipment and has received safety training to recognize and avoid the
hazards involved.
Safety Precautions PME 2020 IT Guide
Safety Precautions
During installation or use of this software, pay attention to all safety messages that occur in the
software and that are included in the documentation. The following safety messages apply to this
software in its entirety.
WARNING
UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION
• Do not use the software or devices for critical control or protection applications where human
or equipment safety relies on the operation of the control action.
• Do not use the software to control time-critical functions.
• Do not use the software to control remote equipment without proper access control and status
feedback.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, or equipment
damage.
WARNING
INACCURATE DATA RESULTS
• Do not incorrectly configure the software or the devices.
• Do not base your maintenance or service actions solely on messages and information
displayed by the software.
• Do not rely solely on software messages and reports to determine if the system is functioning
correctly or meeting all applicable standards and requirements.
• Consider the implications of unanticipated transmission delays or failures of communications
links.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
WARNING
POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
Use cybersecurity best practices to help prevent unauthorized access to the software.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Work with facility IT System Administrators to ensure that the system adheres to the site-specific
cybersecurity policies.
Introduction
Power Monitoring Expert (PME) is a client-server, on-premise software application that collects
power monitoring data through a network of connected devices. The power monitoring data is
processed and stored using Microsoft SQL Server and can be accessed by users in a variety of
formats through different user interfaces.
This document is intended for IT professionals who support the PME system installation. It provides
information on possible deployment architectures, supported operating environments, required
access permissions, IT and device network considerations, cybersecurity, the PME installer, as
well as general dependencies and prerequisites.
Resources
Download Center
NOTE: The EcoStruxure™ Power Monitoring Expert System Guide includes the content of the
following guides: What's New Guide, IT Guide, Web Applications Guide, and the Insulation
Monitoring User Guide.
The following EcoStruxure™ Power Monitoring Expert 2020 documents are available on the
Schneider Electric Download Center:
NOTE: On the Exchange you can find discussion forums, key content, service providers, and
knowledge base articles. You can also sign-up to become a service provider. To gain access to
the Exchange and its content, register at https://exchange.se.com/.
EWS Specification
Application Notes
Drivers
Help Files
Upgrade Map
Docs (PME System Guide, Energy Expert Solution Guide, Insulation Monitoring User
Guide)
PME Scripts
EcoStruxure Power Digital Applications for Large Buildings & Critical Facilities - Design
Guide for North America
• Device Drivers
PME Device Driver Summary Spreadsheet (shows native and downloadable drivers;
includes links to downloadable drivers)
PME Device Driver downloads (SE, LE- Enter the device name in the search box to find the
driver)
Other
Technical Support
• mySchneider app
24/7 support. Mobile catalog. Access to expert help.
External Resources
• How to choose antivirus software to run on computers that are running SQL Server
• How to determine which versions and service pack levels of the Microsoft .NET Framework are
installed
Overview
This section provides an overview of the PME system.
Use the links below to find the content you are looking for:
System architecture
Client types
Licensing
System backups
System architecture
PME is a client-server, on-premise software application that collects power monitoring data through
a network of connected devices. The power monitoring data is processed and stored using
Microsoft SQL Server and can be accessed by users in a variety of formats through different user
interfaces.
Standalone architecture
In a Standalone architecture, all PME system files, the SQL Server database, and any other tools or
utilities are installed on the same computer. You access the power monitoring data through clients.
The following example diagram shows both architectures in the context of the overall system,
including the monitoring devices:
However, in some cases it might be necessary to use the Distributed Database architecture, such
as:
• Your customer IT requirements do not allow a Microsoft SQL Server to be installed with another
application on the same server.
• The application requires Microsoft SQL Server redundancy with SQL Clustering or other third-
party tools.
• The application requires specific rules for database management, for example SQL jobs, back-
ups, data security, and so on.
Client types
In PME you use clients to access the configuration tools and the applications for viewing data.
There are two different types of clients:
Engineering Client
An Engineering Client is an administrative interface in PME that is used to configure and administer
the system. Engineering clients include tools such as the Management Console, Vista, and
Designer.
One Engineering Client is installed, by default, on the PME server. Additional Engineering Clients
can be installed on other computers, for example on a portable notebook computer, that are more
accessible than the server. Engineering Clients require a Client Access license.
Web Client
A Web Client is used to view power monitoring information such as real-time data, historical
information, and alarms which are used in day-to-day power management tasks.
Web Clients access the data on the server through a Web browser. No installation is required. Web
Clients can run on any computer on the network. Web Clients require a Client Access license.
Web Clients can access the Web Applications (Dashboards, Diagrams, Trends, Alarms, and
Reports) in PME.
To set up a Web Client, enter the fully qualified domain name of the PME server or its IP address,
followed by /Web into your browser.
Examples:
• http://10.160.42.1/Web
• http://PMEServer.MyCompany.com/Web
NOTE: Web is the default root directory. The root directory is configurable and can be changed
during installation.
By default, the first application on the navigation bar in Web Applications opens in the browser. To
specify which application should open first, add one of the following application parameters to the
Web address: (Note that the parameters are case-sensitive.)
#Dashboards, #Diagrams, #Trends, #Alarms, #Reports
NOTE: For cybersecurity and performance reasons, we recommend that you do not use a Web
Client on the PME server computer.
Licensing
PME is a proprietary software that uses licensing to control its use and distribution. The licensing is
enforced through mechanisms that disable certain software functions if no valid license has been
activated.
To use PME, you must purchase software licenses and activate them in the system. The licenses
give you the right to use the software according to the terms and conditions described in the
software End User License Agreement (EULA). The licenses generally do not expire, unless stated
otherwise in the software EULA. PME licenses are per system. If you have multiple systems, you
must purchase separate licenses for each. Multi-system, or enterprise licenses are not available.
PME uses a modular licensing structure where different licenses enable different functions in the
software. Some of these functions are optional, others are required. The licenses are cumulative,
meaning that you can add additional licenses to a system, to enable additional functionality.
See Resources for information on where to find a copy of the PME EULA.
License activation
Purchased licenses must be activated either through online or offline methods. An Internet
connection for the PME server is required for online activation. Offline activation must be done from
an alternate Internet-connected computer or smart-phone with web access.
Licenses are tied to the host computer (physical or virtual). If PME needs to be moved to a new
computer, the licenses must first be returned and then reactivated on the new computer. Licenses
can only be returned and reactivated twice per calendar year.
License types
PME licenses bundle together one or more PME features. For example, a Client Access license
includes an engineering tool feature and a web applications feature.
The following table shows the different licenses that are available for PME:
Type Description
New system installations include a time limited Trial license.
• cannot be reinstalled
• remains active until its expiry even if other licenses have been
activated
The Base license also includes one engineering tools feature and
two web application features.
Type Description
The Express Base license is similar to the Base license but with
reduces functionality. It is intended for small starter or entry-level
systems. The following shows the differences between Base and
Express Base licenses:
Express
Feature Base
Base
Included device
10 None
licenses
PQ Reports No Yes
Device Licenses Max of 10
Yes
(DL) additional
Client Licenses Max of 2
Yes
Expansion (CL) additional
(optional): Unlimited DL No Yes
Unlimited CL No Yes
Data Exchange
No Yes
Module
Express Base license
Energy Billing No Yes
Energy Analysis
Yes Yes
Reports
Energy Analysis
Yes Yes
Dashboards
Capacity
No Yes
SW Modules Management
(optional) Insulation
No Yes
Monitoring
PQ Performance No Yes
Breaker
No Yes
Performance
Backup Power No Yes
Event Notification No Yes
To
Edition Upgrade Standard n/a
Edition
Type Description
This is a required license. It enables the use of monitoring devices
in PME.
Depending on the locale, device licenses are sold as:
• Bundles of 5, 25, 50, 100, 200, unlimited - for the US, Canada,
and India.
Type Description
This is an optional license. It enables the use of a Software Module.
Each Software Module requires its own, specific license. The
following Software Modules exist in PME:
• OPC DA Server
Developer/Demo license This is a special license. Contact Schneider Electric for details.
System backups
Database Backups
Backup the PME databases to be able to recover the live databases if they become unusable.
A backup is a copy of a live database, for example ION_Data in PME. By default, PME
automatically backs up its databases on a daily (ION_Network) or weekly (ION_Data and
ApplicationModules) basis, and keeps two backups of each database in the main installation
folder:
...\Schneider Electric\Power Monitoring Expert\Database\Backup
NOTE: Change the folder location if the default location has insufficient free disk space.
You can perform additional, manual backups using standard SQL Server backup procedures.
Database Archives
Archive data from the live ION_Data database to reduce the database size.
An archive is a copy of a subset of data from the live ION_Data database based on a date range and
the type of data (Data Records, Waveforms and Events). When an ION_Data archive is created it
remains attached to the SQL Server database engine so that its data is still accessible to Vista and
Diagrams. However, the data is not available to other applications in the Web Applications
component.
After you have archived the data, you must trim this same data from the ION_Data database to get
the size reduction.
NOTE: When you trim data from an SQL database, the database file size remains unchanged.
However, the database will first fill the new free space before growing the database file size again.
If you want to reduce the database file size, you must shrink the database after trim, using
standard SQL Server tools.
• SQL Server Express is used as the database engine, which has a database size limit of 10 GB.
• SQL Server (Standard or Enterprise edition) is used as the database engine and the ION_Data
database has become so large that query performance is poor.
• There is not enough free hard drive disk space left and a larger disk cannot be installed.
Cybersecurity
This section includes information on how to help secure your system.
WARNING
POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
Use cybersecurity best practices to help prevent unauthorized access to the software.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Work with facility IT System Administrators to ensure that the system adheres to the site-specific
cybersecurity policies.
Cybersecurity awareness
Knowledge is first step to prevent cyber intrusions. Review the following resources to increase your
cybersecurity awareness:
• Securing Power Monitoring and Control Systems (Schneider Electric White Paper)
The Schneider Electric Cybersecurity Portal contains cybersecurity news, security notifications,
and additional resources.
Cybersecurity features
PME includes features that help to secure your system, including:
• Data encryption using SHA-512 and AES-256 cryptography (At Rest) and TLS 1.2 / HTTPS (In
Transit)
For more information on these and other features, see Recommended actions.
Recommended actions
PME is designed for a defense in depth security strategy, in compliance with IEC62443, the global
standard for industrial automation control system security. A defense in depth strategy is a multi-
layered approach to cybersecurity with intentional redundancies to increase the security of a
system as a whole.
The different defense in depth layers can be described as:
• Policies
To help secure your system, you must take specific actions for the different layers and at every
stage of the project life-cycle. The following shows the actions we recommend to help secure your
system, organized by life-cycle stage:
NOTE: The list of recommended actions below is not a complete list of possible cybersecurity
measures. It is meant to be a starting point to improve the security of your system. Consult with
cybersecurity experts to plan, install, configure, administer, and decommission your system
based on your needs.
For more information on cybersecurity related PME features, functions and configurations, see the
Power Monitoring Expert System Guide.
Planning
This section provides information to help you plan your system security.
You also need a certificate for the database server computer to use an encrypted connection
between PME and the SQL database server in a Distributed Database architecture installation. See
Set up encrypted database communication for Distributed Database architectures for more
information on this topic and for links to Microsoft articles with certificate requirements for SQL
server computers.
See Data encryption for information on data encryption, at rest and in transit, in PME.
PME can be used with application whitelisting software products such as McAfee Application
Control software. See Configure application whitelisting software for more information.
NOTE: AV software can have a significant impact on system performance if not set up correctly.
In particular, SQL Server performance can be affected if data and log files are not excluded from
on-access scans. See Configure antivirus software on your SQL Server for more information.
• device security
• and so on
Determine what level of expertise will be required to deploy and maintain the network architectures
and security measures. Plan to have this expertise available for the system deployment and
maintenance.
• and so on
Define workarounds and alternatives for cybersecurity imposed-restrictions, for example, for USB
and CD-ROM drive access.
• IEC62443, the global standard for industrial automation control system security.
NOTE: Application whitelisting software can prevent a legitimate application from executing, if not
configured correctly. See Configure application whitelisting software for more information.
WARNING
POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
Use cybersecurity best practices to help prevent unauthorized access to the software.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Work with facility IT System Administrators to ensure that the system adheres to the site-specific
cybersecurity policies.
Verify the file integrity and authenticity for software updates and other components before installing
them in the system. Do not install files for which the integrity and authenticity cannot be confirmed.
For details on how to verify file integrity and authenticity, see Verifying file integrity and authenticity.
As long as the PME server has the original key stored in the registry it is possible to use the installer
to export a copy at any time. However, if the original key is deleted from the server, it cannot be
recreated or exported. In that case you can use the exported copy to restore the system key in the
registry. Without the system key PME user accounts can no longer be accessed.
NOTE: Protect the exported system key in a location accessible only to authorized users. An
unauthorized user might be able to use the system key to gain access to your power monitoring
software and devices.
For example,
• and so on
Configuring
This section provides information on how to help secure your system during the Configuring phase.
See Data encryption for information on data encryption, at rest and in transit, in PME.
NOTE: Only the communication between the PME application server and the database server will
be encrypted, not the data in the database.
NOTE: The use of self-signed certificates is supported but we recommend that you use a
certificate from a certification authority.
1. Install a Server Authentication certificate from a public certification authority on the SQL
Server computer.
2. Take PME out of service by informing system users of the outage and disabling any auto-
mated system control or third-party interactions.
5. Configure PME to use encryption on database connections. See Configure database con-
nection encryption for more information.
6. Confirm that the PME application server computer can verify the ownership of the certificate
used by the SQL Server computer.
7. Restart PME, verify the correct operation of the system, and put the system back into service.
• See Enable Encrypted Connections to the Database Engine, a Microsoft document, for inform-
ation on certificate requirements, as well as detailed installation and configuration instructions.
• See TLS 1.2 support for Microsoft SQL Server, a Microsoft document, for information on TLS
1.2 support in different versions of SQL Server.
When you deploy whitelisting software to help protect a system, it scans the system and creates a
whitelist of all executable binaries and scripts present on the system. The whitelist also includes
hidden files and folders.
The whitelist includes all authorized files and determines trusted or known files. In Enabled mode,
only files that are present in the whitelist can execute. All files in the whitelist are protected and
cannot be changed or deleted. An executable binary or script that is not in the whitelist is said to be
unauthorized and is prevented from running.
Consider the following when using whitelisting software with PME:
• Complete the system configuration before setting up and enabling the whitelisting software.
• Any program or script that should be able to update the system will need to be configured as an
updater.
• After solidification, no updates or extensions, such as add-on device drivers, may be installed.
• Disable the whitelisting software when making changes to the PME system. Enable it again
after the change.
NOTE: Verify the correct operation of your PME system after you enable the whitelisting software.
NOTE: Antivirus software can have a significant impact on system performance if not set up
correctly. In particular, SQL Server performance can be affected if data and log files are not
excluded from on-access scans.
NOTE: Special configuration of the antivirus and whitelisting software might be required. Follow
the instructions of the software vendor for installing, configuring, and operating the antivirus and
whitelisting software.
RECOMMENDATION: Use Windows users instead of standard users in your PME system to
improve cybersecurity. Windows offers advanced user management functions, such as enforcing
password strength and limiting the number of invalid login attempts. These functions are required
for IEC 62443 compliance, the global standard for industrial automation control system security.
For information on creating users and user groups, and on setting user access levels, see User
Manager help.
RECOMMENDATION: Remove the PME Web Applications shortcuts from the server.
Administering
This section provides information on how to help secure your system during the Administering
phase.
WARNING
POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
Apply the latest updates and hotfixes to your Operating System and software.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Critical and routine Windows and SQL Server updates can be applied to the operating systems
hosting the PME server and clients without prior approval by Schneider Electric.
Consider implementing best practices, such as:
• Establish a reliable process for finding and applying the latest security updates.
• Use automated scanners for detecting missing patches, misconfigurations, use of default
accounts, and so on.
WARNING
UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION
• Before installing the update, verify that the system is not performing critical control actions
that may affect human or equipment safety.
• Verify correct system operation after the update.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious injury.
WARNING
INACCURATE DATA RESULTS
• Before installing the update, verify that the system data results are not used for critical
decision making that may affect human or equipment safety.
• Verify correct system data results after the update.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
RECOMMENDATION: Use Windows users instead of standard users in your PME system to
improve cybersecurity. Windows offers advanced user management functions, such as enforcing
password strength and limiting the number of invalid login attempts. These functions are required
for IEC 62443 compliance, the global standard for industrial automation control system security.
NOTE: To only use Windows users, replace any existing standard users in the system with
Windows users. Disallow logins for standard users in Web Applications, this disables the
supervisor user.
NOTE: Network security equipment, such as firewalls, are complex devices and must be
maintained by trained individuals.
Decommissioning
Decommissioning removes PME files to prevent potential disclosure of sensitive, confidential and
proprietary data and software from your system. You risk disclosing your power system data,
system configuration, user information, and other sensitive information if you don’t decommission.
We strongly recommend you decommission your system at the end of its life.
WARNING
UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION
Before decommissioning, verify that the system is not performing critical control actions that
may affect human or equipment safety.
WARNING
INACCURATE DATA RESULTS
Before decommissioning, verify that the system data results are not used for critical decision
making that may affect human or equipment safety.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Overwrite: Choose this if you still need to use your hard drives for other software. This method
uses a commercial tool to put random data in place of PME files on your hard drives.
IT Requirements
This section provides information on specifications and requirements related to information
technology (IT) components, such as computer hardware, operating environment, and networking.
Use the links in the following table to find the content you are looking for:
Topic Content
Computer Hardware Computer types, CPU, RAM, and HDDs.
Operating Environment OS, DB server, Web browser, and other compatible software.
Required network shares, Windows domain compatibility, IPv6
Network connectivity
compatibility, and IP port requirements.
Other IT considerations Computer name limitations, display resolution.
Computer Hardware
The performance of a computer is determined by the following factors:
When choosing the computer hardware for your PME system, you need to consider the following:
NOTE: Undersized computer hardware is a common source of performance issues with PME
systems.
As a starting point for the selection of these components, we are defining two different system
categories, Basic Systems and Advanced Systems. Decide which category best describes your
system needs and then use the information provided in the tables below to define your computer
hardware specifications.
Basic Systems
A basic system is defined by the following characteristics:
• No custom applications
Advanced Systems
An advanced system is defined by the following characteristics:
• Large scale data exchange with third party systems (for example through OPC or EWS)
Client Computers
Since all the data processing is done on the server, the client computer hardware recommendations
are the same for Basic Systems and Advanced Systems.
• Engineering Client
Intel Core i3 (2 core or better)
4 GB of RAM
• Web Client
2 GHz, Dual Core processor
4 GB of RAM
Storage Size
The data storage must have enough space for the different programs and applications that are
running on the computer. This includes space for the historical data that is recorded by the system
and some free space as a buffer.
The following table shows the estimated storage space that is required, without the historical data
logs. The estimates are rounded up and allow for updates and system maintenance.
Component Storage Space
Windows Operating System software 100 GB
Microsoft SQL Server software 2 GB
PME software 5 GB
PME system databases 5 GB
PME historical database (see below)
Free space 30% of the storage size
Component Storage Space
Main database file (.mdf) (1x) ION_data.mdf size
Transaction log file (.ldf) (1x) ION_data.mdf size
Backups (2x) ION_data.mdf size
Free Space for Backups or tempDB (1x) ION_data.mdf size
Total (5x) ION_data.mdf size
• The .ldf file is typically just 10% of the .mdf size, but occasionally expands to 100% during nor-
mal operation.
• 100% of the .mdf size is required for free space. The tempDB will occasionally expand to 100%
of the total .mdf size, but not at the same time as a backup. If the backups and tempDB are on
different hard drive groups, they each require x1 .mdf in hard drive space.
Unlike the system software, the historical database size is continuously growing. Its size and
growth can be estimated based on the amount of:
Also, the database occasionally grows by 10% to create room for additional measurements. This
growth operation can occur at any time and you need to consider it in the database size
calculations.
NOTE: Use the Database Growth Calculator tool to estimate the database growth for your
system. The tool is available through the Exchange Community. See Resources for link
information.
Storage Configuration
Storage drives can be configured as single drives or a number of separate drives. For a small Basic
Systems, a single drive is sufficient. For all other systems, we recommend that you divide the data
storage into different drives.
RAID Systems
In addition to separating the software components into different drive groups, redundant arrays
(RAID) can be used to improve performance and add simple redundancy. In a RAID 1 configuration,
one drive is a complete copy of a second drive. If either of the two drives stops operating, the other
takes over without any data loss. The faulty drive can then be replaced to restore the RAID
configuration.
Group 0
Component
Drive1 + Drive2
OS ü
tempDB ü
MDF ü
LDF ü
Backups ü
4x Drive
Group 0 Group 1
Component Drive1 + Drive3 +
Drive2 Drive4
OS ü
tempDB ü
Group 0 Group 1
Component Drive1 + Drive3 +
Drive2 Drive4
MDF ü
LDF ü
Backups ü
6x Drive
8x Drive
NOTE: Plan for system growth by having a computer with space for additional drives. This makes
it easy to add additional storage as the system grows.
NOTE: It is possible to use other RAID configurations, such as RAID 0 or RAID 5. These
configurations are not discussed in this document.
Operating Environment
PME supports the following environments and software:
NOTE: The operating system and SQL Server combination you choose must be supported by
Microsoft. This applies to edition, version, and 32-/64-bit.
** PME includes a free version of SQL Server Express. You have the option to install this Express
version during the installation of PME, if you don't want to use a different SQL Server.
*** You must configure virtual environments with a supported Windows operating system and SQL
Server edition. It is possible to mix virtual and non-virtual environments for PME server and clients.
Windows Updates
WARNING
POTENTIAL COMPROMISE OF SYSTEM AVAILABILITY, INTEGRITY, AND
CONFIDENTIALITY
Apply the latest updates and hotfixes to your Operating System and software.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Critical and routine Windows Updates can be applied to the operating systems hosting the PME
server and clients without prior approval by Schneider Electric.
WARNING
UNINTENDED EQUIPMENT OPERATION
• Before installing the update, verify that the system is not performing critical control actions
that may affect human or equipment safety.
• Verify correct system operation after the update.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious injury.
WARNING
INACCURATE DATA RESULTS
• Before installing the update, verify that the system data results are not used for critical
decision making that may affect human or equipment safety.
• Verify correct system data results after the update.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment
damage, or permanent loss of data.
Localization
PME supports the following languages:
English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Czech, French, German, Italian, Polish, Portuguese,
Russian, Spanish, and Swedish.
A non-English version of PME only supports an operating system and SQL Server of the same
locale. For example, a Spanish version of the product must be used with a Spanish version of SQL
Server and an operating system with a regional setting of Spanish.
The English version of PME can be used with a supported language, non-English operating system
and SQL Server as long as both have the same locale. For example, an English version of the
product can be used with a German version of SQL Server and an operating system with a regional
setting of German.
• Windows Server can use server-class computer hardware. It can access more CPUs and more
RAM than Windows. For example, Windows 10 is limited to two physical CPUs.
In addition, PME has the following limitations when used with SQL Server Express:
• Only supported for Standalone systems, not for Distributed Database systems.
NOTE: PME includes a free version of SQL Server Express. You have the option to install this
Express version during the installation of PME, if you do not want to use a different SQL Server.
Type Description
New SQL Server Standard PME requires a certain configuration of the SQL Server.
PME includes a free version of SQL Server Express. You have the
New SQL Server Express
option to install this Express version during the installation of PME.
Type Description
To use an existing instance of SQL Server Standard , the SQL
Existing SQL Server
Server setup wizard must be rerun to configure the software
Standard
correctly for use with PME.
Existing SQL Server The PME installer can add a new instance to an existing SQL
Express Server Express for use with PME.
NOTE: The operating system and SQL Server combination you choose must be supported by
Microsoft. This applies to edition, version, and 32-/64-bit.
PME can be used in a clustered environment when deployed in a Distributed Database architecture.
NOTE: SQL Server clustering is only supported for Distributed Database systems, not for
Standalone systems.
Network connectivity
Network communication
The PME server, database server, and clients must be able to communicate with each other over
the network using TCP/IP protocol. The licensing component of PME requires that PME clients and
server can resolve each other’s address by name (not just fully qualified domain name or IP
address). If a proxy server is used on the network, then a local address bypass must be configured
on the PME server.
Network shares
Engineering Clients require that the Power Monitoring Expert folder on the PME server is shared
with full read and write permissions. File and Printer Sharing must be enabled.
• For Distributed Database installations of PME, the Database Manager tool can only be used if
the database server and the PME application server are in the same domain. The Database
Manager cannot be used, in a distributed database installation, if the database server and the
PME application server are in workgroups.
• A domain account is required for Side-by-Side upgrades of distributed systems using the Con-
figuration Manager Tool. This domain account must be:
A member of the Administrators group on the PME server
Added as a Login in SQL Server with sysadmin role in the database instance.
• PME supports Windows Active Directory services for user account sharing.
IPv6 compatibility
PME supports IPv6 (and IPv4) for communications with metering devices. The software
components of PME require IPv4. That means PME can be used on computers with single stack
IPv4 or dual stack IPv4/IPv6 network adapters.
IP Port Requirements
PME uses certain ports for the communication between its components and the connected devices.
Which ports are required for a specific installation depends on the system configuration and the
monitoring devices used. See IP Ports for a list of relevant ports.
Other IT considerations
PME Server name limitations
The computer name for the PME server must have 15 characters or less, and use only letters,
numbers or hyphens.
NOTE: The computer name must not be changed after the PME software is installed. If the
computer name is changed after the install, the software ceases to function correctly. Should this
occur, contact Technical Support for assistance.
Display resolution
The minimum display resolution for PME user interfaces is 1280 x 960 pixels.
Device Networks
This section provides information on the communication links between the software and the
monitoring devices.
Use the links in the following table to find the content you are looking for:
Topic Content
Device network basics and the supported protocols and device
Device networks overview
types.
Network types Ethernet and serial communication networks.
Network performance Ways to improve the device communication performance.
Time synchronization Time synchronization on the monitoring device network.
Tools The Daisy Chain Calculator tool.
• Smart panels
• Modbus™ TCP
• Modbus™ RTU
• ION™
• OPC DA
For a device to be compatible with PME, it must support one of these communication protocols.
Network types
The two basic types of communication networks for PME are Ethernet and serial.
Devices are configured in PME by providing fixed IP addresses (IPv4 or IPv6) and ports, or based
on host names. Host names must be used for devices with dynamic address assignment, for
example using the DHCP protocol. When host names are used in PME, then a host name resolution
mechanism is required by the external IT network.
Device communications are based on encapsulated Modbus or ION protocol and are not encrypted.
Bandwidth requirements per device are typically low, but depend heavily on the amount and type of
data requested from the device by PME.
Ethernet (TCP) networks are in many ways superior to serial networks and we recommend that you
use Ethernet (TCP) networks whenever possible.
NOTE: If you use an ION meter as a gateway, with Ethergate protocol, you lose the ability to
multi-master the serial devices.
Serial device communications are based on Modbus RTU or ION protocol and are not encrypted.
See Tools for information on how to design a serial network.
• The existing Ethernet (TCP) networks do not allow the connection of monitoring devices.
Ethernet (TCP) networks are in many ways superior to serial networks and we recommend that you
use Ethernet (TCP) networks whenever possible.
Network performance
Communications between the software and the devices consist of:
• On demand, real-time data requests, for example for Diagrams or Dashboards displays.
• Periodic polling and uploading of data logs, events, and waveform records.
To optimize the on demand and background polling performance, consider the following when
designing the system and the communication network:
• Real-time data polling periods should be set to meet the user needs. Do not poll with high speed
when it is not needed. Real-time data clients include Vista, Diagrams, OPC, VIP, Trends, and
EWS.
• Disable devices that are not presently commissioned or functional. This includes devices that
are inoperable, or that have a communication error rate >5%.
• Connect high-end devices with power quality monitoring features, such as the ION9000, dir-
ectly through Ethernet, not serial. These devices can generate large amounts of logged data,
such as power quality data, which requires a high bandwidth connection to the monitoring soft-
ware. If a direct Ethernet connection is not possible, then connect the devices through small
serial loops, with one or two devices per loop.
NOTE: Test the data upload performance when using high-end devices on serial networks.
Depending on configuration and operating conditions, it is possible for devices to have a higher
data generation rate than can be uploaded over a serial network.
NOTE: The ION9000T, a high-end power monitoring device with high speed transient capture,
will not upload high speed transient waveform data to the software if it is connected through a
serial connection.
• Setup the devices to only log those measurements that are needed to meet the user needs.
• Schedule the log uploads to occur at times when the system usage is low, for example during
night time or off hours.
• Use the Daisy Chain Calculator tool to determine the maximum number of devices in a serial
loop for your system. See Tools for more information.
• In most applications, Ethernet networks will provide a better performance than serial networks.
Time synchronization
To maintain accurate time in the monitoring system, the devices must be time synchronized.
Depending on the synchronization mechanism, different levels of time accuracy can be achieved.
PME has the ability to synchronize devices to the PME server computer clock. This can be done
over serial networks and Ethernet networks.
The time synchronization to the computer clock using the regular communications protocols can
maintain a system time accuracy in the range of seconds. This is accurate enough for many
applications. However, for applications such as power event analysis or protection coordination
studies, that require high absolute and relative time accuracy, you need to use other time
synchronization methods for the devices, such as PTP or GPS time synchronization.
NOTE: Time synchronization might be disabled by default in certain monitoring devices. Configure
time synchronization for your devices and the software as part of the device or system
deployment. Choose a single time synchronization source per device.
Tools
Use the Daisy Chain Calculator tool to design your serial communication networks. This tool helps
you estimate the communication utilization for serial daisy chains. You can use it for new system
design and for optimizing existing systems.
NOTE: The Daisy Chain Calculator is available through the Exchange Community. See
Resources for link information.
Reference
Use the links below to find the content you are looking for:
Cybersecurity Reference
Accounts and services
Databases
Configure database connection encryption
Database growth calculations
Adding idle detection to custom Web Application links
Diagnostics and Usage Services
Decommissioning Reference
IP Ports
Cybersecurity Reference
This section contains reference information related to cybersecurity.
Data encryption
At Rest
PME encrypts the passwords of its user accounts, as well as the Windows and SQL Server
accounts using SHA-512 and AES-256 cryptography. PME uses a unique encryption key for each
installation. The key is generated during the installation of PME. The PME installer offers
functionality for exporting/importing encryption keys for the installation of PME clients or system
upgrades.
The power monitoring data that is collected by PME, and system configuration data are not
encrypted.
In Transit
PME uses Transport Layer Security (TLS) 1.2 for an encrypted, authenticated connection using
HTTPS between the server and the web clients. Both self-signed and authority issued certificates
are supported. PME is installed with a self-signed certificate and a self-signed certificate is
configured automatically. We recommend that you replace this with a security certificates from a
Certificate Authority (CA).
The communication between PME and connected monitoring devices is not encrypted.
PME accounts
The following types of accounts are required for a PME system:
PME Users
A user account in PME provides access to the system. There are 3 different types of users -
standard users, Windows users, and Windows groups. Each user has an access level, which
determines the actions the user is allowed to perform in PME. There are no pre-configured user
accounts or user groups in the system. One supervisor account is created with a user defined
password during the installation of the software. Additional user accounts and groups must be
created manually after installation. PME supports Windows Active Directory integration for
Windows users and groups.
TIP: Use Windows users and groups to take advantage of Windows account security features
such as maximum login attempts or minimum password requirements.
If SQL Server Express is installed with SQL Server Authentication, through the PME installer, a sa
account with a unique, default password is created automatically during install. The password can
be changed at any time through SQL Server Management Studio.
PME Services
PME uses a number of services to perform the background server tasks. The services use the
Local Service and NT AUTHORITY\System accounts, or the Windows account used for Windows
Integrated Authentication, if that is configured.
Network shares
PME Engineering Clients and Secondary servers require that the Power Monitoring Expert folder
on the PME server is shared with change and read permissions. This file share must be manually
set up before installing Engineering clients or Secondary servers.
Session timeout
PME automatically times out inactive client sessions. Web Applications clients are logged out and
Windows application clients (Vista, Designer, Management Console) are locked after a period of
inactivity. The timeout period is configurable, it is set to 20 minutes by default.
To restart or unlock the session you must enter the login credentials. A session is considered
inactive, if none of the following actions are detected:
• Mouse movement
• Mouse click
• Keyboard activity
NOTE: If custom content links are added to the Web Applications framework, then the custom
content must either implement the idle detection, or activity on that content is not registered and
the web client session can time out unexpectedly. See Adding idle detection to custom Web
Application links for details.
1. Right-click the file and select Properties. This opens the Properties dialog.
NOTE: There should only be one and this one should show Schneider Electric.
4. Verify that the digital signature is OK and that the signer name shows Schneider Electric.
Example:
* This account is only created on standalone servers where the SQL Server software and PME are
installed on the same computer.
NOTE: For information on which accounts are used to run the PME Windows services, see PME
Windows services and IIS Application Pools.
For installations using Windows Integrated Authentication, the following additional accounts and
permissions are required:
NOTE: When PME is installed with Windows Integrated Authentication, the Windows account
that is used to access the database is also used to run the PME services and the IIS Application
Pools.
Server
Login Authentication Database Membership
Role
AMUser SQL Public ApplicationModules AMApplicationRole
ApplicationModules db_owner
ION_Data db_owner
ION SQL Public
ION_Network db_owner
ION_SystemLog db_owner
ION_Data ION_DSD_Reader
ionedsd SQL Public
ION_Network NOM_DSD_Reader
db_backupoperator, db_
ApplicationModules
ddladmin, Maintenance
db_backupoperator, db_
ION_Data
ddladmin, Maintenance
IONMaintenance* Windows Public
db_backupoperator, db_
ION_Network
ddladmin, Maintenance
db_backupoperator, db_
ION_SystemLog
ddladmin, Maintenance
* This account is only created on standalone servers where the SQL Server software and PME are
installed on the same computer.
Server
Login Authentication Database Membership
Role
ApplicationModules db_owner
Account used for
ION_Data db_owner
Windows Integrated Windows Public
ION_Network db_owner
Authentication
ION_SystemLog db_owner
db_backupoperator,
ApplicationModules db_ddladmin,
Maintenance
db_backupoperator,
ION_Data db_ddladmin,
Maintenance
IONMaintenance * Windows Public
db_backupoperator,
ION_Networks db_ddladmin,
Maintenance
db_backupoperator,
ION_SystemLog db_ddladmin,
Maintenance
* This account is only created on standalone servers where the SQL Server software and PME are
installed on the same computer.
NOTE: When PME is installed with Windows Integrated Authentication, the Windows account
that is used to access the database is also used to run the PME services and the IIS Application
Pools.
Other
PME must have access to the master and tempdb System Databases.
The PME Database Manager tool requires that the Windows account that is used to run it has
sysadmin permissions on the PME SQL Server instance. The Database Manager is an optional
tool, used for managing the PME databases.
Startup
Service Name Log On Account Description
Type
Allows the Event Notification Module
(ENM) to read alarms directly from the
ION Application NT
ION_Data database.
Modules Alarm Manual AUTHORITY\System
Starts on demand from other services
Services Host *
(for example, from the Event
Notification Module).
ION Application NT
Hosts common web services used by
Modules Core Automatic AUTHORITY\System
the Web Applications component.
Services Host *
Hosts web services that provide low-
ION Application NT level access to system data (that is,
Modules Data Automatic AUTHORITY\System real-time, historical, alarming, and
Services Host * authentication) for the Web
Applications component.
ION Application NT Hosts web services that provide data
Modules Provider Automatic AUTHORITY\System processing for the Web Applications
Engine Host * component.
NT
ION Cloud Agent Manages interaction with cloud
Automatic AUTHORITY\System
Service services.
*
Locates local and remote product
components.
ION Component
Manual Local Service * Starts shortly after startup by request
Identifier Service
of ION Connection Management
Service.
Startup
Service Name Log On Account Description
Type
Determines the connection status of
sites and devices in the system, and
handles allocation of resources such
as modems. This service manages the
state of site and device connectivity for
ION Connection NT the system. In order to establish the
Management Manual AUTHORITY\System most appropriate state for the system,
Service * each connection and disconnection
request is evaluated against the overall
state of the system and availability of
communications channels.
Startup
Service Name Log On Account Description
Type
Routes all ION requests between the
software components, such as client
workstations, the Real Time Data
Service, Log Inserter, and the Query
NT
ION Network Router Server. The service dynamically
Automatic AUTHORITY\System
Service detects changes to the network
*
configuration, including the addition of
new servers. It can also recognize new
software nodes, such as Vista, that are
added to an existing server.
Serves real-time OPC data (OPC DA)
NT to OPC client applications.
ION OPC Data
Manual AUTHORITY\System Starts on an OPC client request for
Access Server
* data, if the Data Exchange Module
license has been activated.
Translates power quality data from the
ION PQDIF ION_Data database into PQDIF file
Manual Local Service *
Exporter Service format and manages scheduled PQDIF
exports.
Provides historical data retrieval from
NT
the ION_Data database for client
ION Query Service Automatic AUTHORITY\System
applications (for example, Vista and
*
Diagrams).
Manages and provides access to real-
ION Real Time Data
Automatic Local Service * time data for all client applications
Service
(Vista, Diagrams, Trends, and so on).
Runs Reports subscriptions according
Automatic to user-defined schedules.
ION Report
(Delayed Local Service *
Subscription Service Starts several minutes after the server
Start)
starts.
Manages communication links to and
from the product. ION Site Service is
responsible for handling packet
communications to system devices
NT and controlling direct device
ION Site Service Automatic AUTHORITY\System communications. The service reacts to
* changes in network configuration: for
example, changes to certain channels,
configuration parameters, ports, or
device parameters can often interrupt a
connection.
Startup
Service Name Log On Account Description
Type
Automatic Performs evaluations based on real
ION Software Data
(Delayed Local Service * time data from the power monitoring
Processing Service
Start) system.
Enables software data services via
ION Software ModbusTCP/IP, and is treated like a
Modbus Gateway Manual Local Service * device in the system. For example, the
Service Circuit Breaker Aging Service uses this
service.
ION Virtual Provides aggregation, control, and
Processor Service - Automatic Local Service * mathematical analysis of power
NVIP.DEFAULT monitoring system data.
Serves up data for the Power Quality
ION Virtual
Performance diagrams. Functions only
Processor Service – Automatic Local Service *
when the Power Quality Performance
NVIP.PQADVISOR
module is licensed and configured.
Serves up data for the Disturbance
ION Virtual Direction Indicators application.
Processor Service – Automatic Local Service * Functions only when the Disturbance
NVIP.DDD Direction Indicators application is
configured.
Manages subscriptions to XML data for
Vista user diagrams. This service is
used only by the Diagrams application.
ION XML When you open a Vista user diagram in
Automatic Local Service *
Subscription Service a web browser, the ION XML
Subscription Service creates a
subscription and delivers the real-time
data in XML format.
Stores XML data subscriptions for the
ION XML
power monitoring devices on the
Subscription Store Automatic Local Service *
network. This service is used only by
Service
the Diagrams application.
This service runs the FlexNet
ImadminSchneider Automatic Local Service
Publisher License Server Manager.
Provides storage, processing and
controlled access of data, and rapid
transaction processing for the ION_
SQL Server (ION) Automatic Local System
Data, ION_Network, ION_SystemLog,
and the ApplicationModules
databases.
* When PME is installed with Windows Integrated Authentication, the Windows account that is
used to access the database is also used to run the PME services.
** This service only exists on systems with SQL Server, not SQL Server Express.
Hierarchy Manager
Application Modules App Pool NetworkService *
Slideshow
Trends
Web
Software Alarms
ION
ION App Pool NetworkService *
ION Report Data Service
Web Services
Rate Editor
Web Reporter App Pool NetworkService *
Reporter
* When PME is installed with Windows Integrated Authentication, then the Windows account that is
used to access the database, is also used to run the IIS Application Pools, instead of the Local
System account.
Databases
PME Databases
Power Monitoring Expert (PME) uses four databases to store device communication parameters,
system configuration settings, and logged historical data.
ION_Network database
Sometimes called the NOM (Network Object Model), the ION_Network database stores device
information, such as, device name, device type and connection address (for example, IP address
and TCP/IP port or device/Modbus ID). It also contains information about the optional Application
Module settings, other ION Servers, Sites, Dial Out Modems, and Connection Schedules. There is
only one ION_Network per system.
ION_Data database
The ION_Data database contains the historical data, events and waveforms from devices
connected to the system. This includes: onboard logging configured on devices; and, PC-based
logging configured in the device translators and the Virtual Processors.
• Plus many other Warnings and Errors relating to PME system functions.
NOTE: Before editing the settings in the registry, confirm that your PME system has been taken
out of service and that all system services have been stopped.
To configure the software to trust or not trust self-signed certificates on the database server:
Example
NOTE: Use the Database Growth Calculator tool to estimate the database growth for your
system. The tool is available through the Exchange Community. See Resources for link
information.
The following shows the database growth estimate for logging of a single measurement every 15
minutes:
NOTE: Use the Database Growth Calculator tool to estimate the database growth for your
system. The tool is available through the Exchange Community. See Resources for link
information.
NOTE: Use the Database Growth Calculator tool to estimate the database growth for your
system. The tool is available through the Exchange Community. See Resources for link
information.
Prerequisite: The custom application must be in the same Application Pool as the regular PME
applications, and must use the same authentication configuration.
NOTE: If you want your application to take part in keeping PME non-idle, but you do not want
your application to log itself out after the idle period, you can add the following JSON as a
parameter to the idle() method: {enableLogoutRedirection: false;}
The diagnostics and usage service collects and sends data to Schneider Electric weekly on
Monday at 2:00 a.m. (server time), over HTTPS at port 443. Each time the service runs, it creates a
log file in the system\bin folder in the Power Monitoring Expert install location. All diagnostics and
usage data are sent to Schneider Electric anonymously. None of the collected information identifies
you or your company.
NOTE: All diagnostics and usage data are sent to Schneider Electric anonymously. None of the
collected information identifies you or your company. For more information on Schneider Electrics
Privacy Policy, see the Schneider Data Privacy and Cookie Policy.
• City or region
• Screen DPI
1. Open Web Applications and click Settings > Registration & Analytics > Diagnostics and
Services.
2. Select Disable in the dropdown list and click Save to apply the change.
Decommissioning Reference
This section contains detailed instructions for decommissioning your system. For an overview, see
Decommissioning.
You must decommission PME on all PME Servers, Database Servers, and PME Clients.
Decommissioning does not completely restore your computers to the state they were in before PME
was installed. Decommissioning does not remove third-party software used by PME (for instance,
the .NET framework), even if this software was installed using the PME installer.
NOTE: Decommissioning will not remove PME data that has been exported from PME or PME
information in third-party software. This includes, but is not limited to:
• Data exported to other systems using EcoStruxure™ Web Services (EWS), OPC DA server,
ETL, ODBC, PQDIF or VIP.
• Files or data copied, backed-up, exported, or otherwise saved to a file location other than the
PME folder.
NOTE: Decommissioning is permanent. You cannot recover, reinstall, or otherwise retrieve any
part of PME after Decommissioning.
Destroy
WARNING
HAZARD OF PHYSICAL INJURY
• Do not destroy hard drives without the proper safety training.
• Never burn a hard drive, put a hard drive in a microwave, or pour acid on a hard drive.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in death or serious injury.
NOTE: If you do not have the proper safety training, consult your IT department to select an asset
disposal company.
1. Identify all computers where PME is installed. In a Distributed Database architecture, this
includes all PME Servers, Database Servers, and PME Clients.
2. Remove all hard drives from the computers identified in the previous step.
Overwrite
NOTICE
UNINTENDED DATA LOSS OR LOSS OF SOFTWARE FUNCTION
• Only overwrite files and folders you are certain are from PME.
• Back-up important files from other software before overwriting PME.
Failure to follow these instructions can result in irreversible damage to software and
databases.
To overwrite PME:
1. Open the Windows Control Panel and select Programs and Features.
2. Uninstall PME.
3. Select and install a data destruction tool. There are many commercial and open-source data
destruction tools available. Consult your IT department if you are unsure about which tool to
choose.
b. In the Object Explorer pane on the left, expand Databases, right-click the database
archive you want to detach and click Tasks > Detach… to open the Detach Database dia-
log.
5. Locate your PME folder under Program Files. The PME folder contains the following sub-
folders:
\applications
\config
\Database
\License Manager
\Setup Logs
\system
\web
6. Follow instructions provided with your data destruction tool to overwrite the entire PME folder
located in the previous step.
7. Locate any custom PME files in folders outside of the PME folder. This may include, but is not
limited to, following file types:
Vista and Designer files: .cfg, .dgm, .wsn, .wsg
8. Follow instructions provided with your data destruction tool to overwrite the files located in the
previous step.
9. Repeat the steps above on all PME Servers, Database Servers, and PME Clients.
IP Ports
The following table lists the ports used by PME for the communication between its components and
the connected devices:
139/445 NetBIOS/SMB PME Server Engineering client (File and Printer Sharing) No
13667 TCP PME Server Diagnostics Viewer (Server access from client machine) No
13666
13670 TCP PME Server Services (Vista and Designer access from client machines) No
13671
Phone: +33 (0) 1 41 70 00
www.se.com
7EN42-0193-00 11/2019