Computing, Analysing, and Administering Aspen InfoPlus. 21

This course is designed for Plant Engineers and System Administrators who need to make decisions based on the process data stored in Aspen InfoPlus.21. The course covers the tools that are essential to build and execute calculations on the data, analyze historical data, configure Key Performance Indicators (KPI's) to monitor unit performance and retrieve plant data into Microsoft Excel using the Aspen Process Data add-in for Excel.

The course also covers the best practices for performing an Aspen InfoPlus.21 system upgrade efficiently, how to optimize your network and firewall configuration for performance, security and reliability. How to automatically synchronize your Aspen InfoPlus.21 database and DCS systems, how to safely and easily add additional fields to Aspen InfoPlus.21 record structures. Learn how to implement Aspen InfoPlus.21 in a cluster to ensure users have continuous access to critical plant data without any visibility or additional configuration from the client side.

Audience:

  • Plant Engineers who need to make decisions based on process data stored in Aspen InfoPlus.21
  • End users who need to quickly build small applications involving calculations within Aspen InfoPlus.21 database
  • Advanced users who need to integrate complex calculations external to Aspen InfoPlus.21 into the InfoPlus.21 environment
  • Aspen InfoPlus.21 technical users of Aspen InfoPlus.21 administration or application development experience
  • Experienced Aspen InfoPlus.21 database administrators and technology support staff

Training Details

  • Course Id:

    MES202

  • Duration:

    5 day(s)

  • CEUs Awarded:

    3.5

  • Level:

    Intermediate

Benefits

  • Build simple and complex calculations, integrated with Aspen InfoPlus.21, without the need for programming languages
  • Support operational excellence initiatives through use of Aspen Calc; included with Aspen InfoPlus.21, which is a wizard-driven, scalable calculation engine that aids users in advanced Analysis and Intelligent Decision Support
  • Reduce downtime and improve continuity by learning the best practices for performing an Aspen InfoPlus.21 upgrade
  • Improve the performance of an Aspen InfoPlus.21 system by learning how to configure your firewall for optimal Aspen InfoPlus.21 performance
  • Easily Manage IP.21 database records from Microsoft Excel using Aspen IP.21 Configuration Excel add-in
  • Extend the value obtained from Aspen InfoPlus.21 by safely and easily adding new fields to existing Aspen InfoPlus.21 tag structures
  • Reduce the risk of losing plant critical data by implementing Aspen Cim-IO redundancy, Aspen InfoPlus.21 Replication and Aspen InfoPlus.21 Redundancy

Approach

This course utilizes the primary tools for calculations and data analysis needed by process engineers to analyze plant data.
Although the course does not assume any prior experience with Aspen InfoPlus.21, those attendees that already have a working familiarity with the product will benefit by discovering how calculations are integrated into InfoPlus.21 database processing.
  • Short lecture sessions focused on concepts and terminology
  • Structured hands-on lab exercises that promote lasting learning experiences
  • Numerous workflow procedures are provided for you to take away and deploy
  • Best practices for activities such as Upgrading the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database and how to effectively configure the application to communicate across firewalls are discussed
  • Implementation of advanced features like Aspen Cim-IO Redundancy and Aspen InfoPlus.21 Replication to minimize loss of data

Pre-requisites

  • Some understanding of InfoPlus.21 database structure
  • Some experience in configuring / administrating an Aspen InfoPlus.21 system

Subsequent Courses

  • MES231 Aspen Real-Time SPC: Using and Configuring (recommended for users interested in statistical data monitoring)
  • MES311 Aspen InfoPlus.21: Applications Development (recommended for users who will create custom database records)

Agenda

Attention: This course is developed by assembling the topics we offer in other Aspen InfoPlus.21 courses (MES1200 and MES205) and reorganized as Computing, Analysing, and Administering Aspen InfoPlus. 21 course. Hence some topics in this course overlap with the ones covered in other Aspen InfoPlus.21 courses (MES1200 and MES205).

Creating a New Calculation 
  • Identify and explain Aspen Calc capabilities and show the access and navigation within the graphical user interface
  • Review the data entry requirements for creating a calculation and discuss the different calculation methods available
  • Workshop: Use CalcScript to calculate the average value of raw material tanks in a simulation.
Activation Methods
  • Describe how to execute a calculation on a scheduled basis
  • Show how to use the interval and periodic schedule groups
  • Show how to use an event driven execution
  • Workshop: Execute a calculation on a scheduled basis. Create a new schedule group. Execute a calculation on a trigger basis
Formulas
  • Identify and explain the role of Formulas and how the work
  • Show how to create and store formulas
  • Use a new formula in a calculation
  • Use a pre-defined function within a calculation
  • Create a new Function and use it in a calculation
  • Workshop: Create a new calculation that uses a formula to calculate the minimum value of a tag over a specific time range
Calculation Types
  • Review how to create calculations using Excel
  • Review how to create calculations using VBScript
  • Workshop: Create a new calculation using an Excel spreadsheet as the calculation type
On Demand Calculations
  • Review different types of On Demand calculations; Ad Hoc, Stored and Shared
  • Review how to create an ADSA Data Source to be used with Stored calculations
  • Show examples of how to use On Demand calculations in client applications such as Aspen Process Explorer and Aspen Web.21
  • Workshop: Create an Ad Hoc calculation in Aspen Process Explorer
  • Workshop: Create an Ad Hoc calculation that uses in IF statement
Other Features
  • Review how to view reports.
  • Review Engineering Units and Types
  • Review Engineering Units conversion
  • Workshop: Complete the lab exercise to:
    • ​View AspenCalc reports
    • View a calculation as an XML file
    • Create a new Engineering Unit Type and Engineering Unit
Creating Multiple Calculations
  • Review how to create multiple calculations at the same time
  • Workshop: Create calculation using the Excel spreadsheet provided
Introduction to Aspen KPI Builder
  • Identify and explain the business case for using Aspen KPI Builder
  • Introduce the concepts associated with Aspen KPI Builder
  • Discuss how Aspen KPI Builder can be integrated with other Aspen Plant Operations applications
  • Show how to view and use KPIs within Aspen Process Explorer
KPI Wizard
  • Identify and explain the KPI Wizard to build KPIs
  • Workshop: Create several KPI tags using the KPI Wizard
KPI Properties
  • Explain how to view and modify KPI properties
  • Workshop: Reconfigure the KPI tags using the KPI Properties dialog
KPIDef Record
  • Provide an overview of the KPI Records using the Aspen InfoPlus.21 Administrator
  • Workshop: Become familiar with the structure of KPIDef records using the Aspen InfoPlus.21 Administrator. Use an Aspen Calc calculation and an Aspen SQLplus Stored Procedure as alternate sources for the KPI and Target Values
Aspen Process Explorer Excel Add-Ins
  • Identify and explain the advantages of using Excel add-in features
  • Show how to setup the initial configuration to link Excel to the Aspen add-in
  • Demonstrate the ability of the add-in to retrieve attributes and current values from the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database
  • Demonstrate how to use cell references within Excel
  • Workshop: Retrieve attributes and current values from the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database
  • Demonstrate how to retrieve historical data, Filtering the data and using the Timeline to cause the sheet to refresh
  • Workshop: retrieve historical data, filter data and use the Timeline to refresh the sheet
What is Aspen SQLplus
  • Identify various features of Aspen SQLplus and the potential benefits of these features
  • Interpret the Aspen Process Information database as a relational database so that SQL can be applied to it
Select Statements
  • Use the Aspen SQLplus Query Writer to create and execute queries
  • Apply the syntax of a SELECT statement to query the Aspen database
  • Sort data from a query using the ORDER BY
  • Workshop: Use the Aspen SQLplus editor to construct simple queries with the SELECT statement and become familiar with the Query Editor
The WHERE Clause
  • Learn how to filter data using the WHERE clause with examples of the following:
    • logical and comparison operators
    • character and timestamp constants
  • Know which criteria to use to restrict results
  • Learn the order of precedence when using Logical Operators
  • Introduce Wildcards and show how they can be used in queries
  • Workshop: Use a WHERE clause to restrict output from the database using various techniques
SELECT Revisited
  • Create queries that use arithmetic functions, expressions, and apply the rules that govern their use
  • Perform data conversion as performed by Aspen InfoPlus.21
  • Use Pseudo Columns and Pseudo Tables to access system-type data from the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database
  • Workshop: Use arithmetic functions, expressions, and Pseudo columns to enhance the SELECT statement
SET (Group) Functions
  • Create queries that use SET (Group) Functions effectively
  • Create subsets using the GROUP BY clause
  • Restrict the output with a HAVING clause and comparing with use of WHERE
  • Create cross-tabulated lists
  • Workshop: Use the SET functions to calculate values for groups of data
Record Based Queries
  • Save queries as files and as records in the InfoPlus.21 Database
  • View the structure of a Query Record and see how the query is stored
  • Execute query records using different methods of activation
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the purpose of Compressed queries
  • Create queries that use the system functions ACTIVATION_RECORD and ACTIVATION_FIELD within a Generic Query
  • Outline the principles behind Ghost Select Queries
  • Workshop: Create a query that is saved as a record. Activate the query using various methods. Set up a compressed query
  • Workshop: Create and populate a data record from a prepared custom definition record that allows a link to a query. Write a query to process this record
Writing Simple Programs
  • Understand basic procedural statements
  • Use simple programming techniques
  • Workshop: Use the Aspen SQLplus programming extensions to write some short program routines
  • Workshop: Modify the IQ task so that it can run in multi-threaded mode
Extending SELECT and Temporary Tables
  • Review Pseudo Columns and Pseudo Tables
  • Review Aggregates and Evenly Spaced History
  • Workshop: Use Pseudo Columns. Use Pseudo Tables ALL_RECORDS, AGGREGATES, and HISTORY. Access history selectively by occurrence number, and by explicit occurrence number
Upgrading the Aspen InfoPlus.21 Database
  • Upgrade the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database from an earlier version on the same server
  • Discuss and review the four stages of the upgrade procedure: preparation stage, upgrade software, restore critical files and upgrade snapshot
  • Identify the steps to move Aspen InfoPlus.21 database from one server to another
  • Describe the steps required to use Data Settings and Transfer Wizard to automatically transfer the history files
Historian
  • Explain how the Historian works
  • Discuss and review the different History Utilities available
  • Restore and recover data
  • Describe how to split a Repository
  • Workshop: Enable Verbose logging to view the contents of the config.dat file. Recognize different ways to examine the locations of the history files where the data is stored
Aspen IP.21 Configuration Excel Add-in
  • Recognize the capabilities of Aspen IP.21 Configuration excel add-in
  • Create and populate the Aspen Cim-IO transfer records
  • Perform addition and deletion of Aspen InfoPlus.21 database tags through Excel
  • Demonstrate how to save and apply a template
  • Workshop: Create and populate the get records with the device specific tags on a Cim-IO Device using Configuration Wizard. Also, create the Aspen InfoPlus.21 tags at the same time when populating the get records with the device tag names
  • Workshop: Use Manage Records available in the IP.21 Configuration Add-in to manage different definition records in the Aspen InfoPlus.21 database
CIM-IO Redundancy
  • Discuss the benefits of Aspen Cim-IO Redundancy and explain how to configure it using the I/O Wizard from Aspen InfoPlus.21 Administrator
  • Describe how an offline Utility can help recover the contents of the store file to Aspen InfoPlus.21
InfoPlus.21 Replication
  • Explain what replication is in respect to Aspen InfoPlus.21
  • List the reasons why replication is useful and when it might be used
  • Describe the terms and process involved to set up replication
Replace Definition Wizard
  • Discuss the capabilities of the Replace Definition Wizard
  • Demonstrate how to use the Replace Definition Wizard
  • Workshop: Use the Definition Editor to add new fields to the Fixed and Repeat areas of a record. Use the Replace Definition Wizard to migrate existing data records to the new Definition record created
Aspen InfoPlus.21 RPC Servers and Firewall Considerations
  • Explain what are the Aspen InfoPlus.21 RPC Servers
  • Discuss and review Firewall considerations in the context of the MES solution
  • Comprehend the purpose of different Aspen InfoPlus.21 Services and Tasks needed for successful start-up of Aspen InfoPlus.21
Aspen InfoPlus.21 Clustering
  • Provide an overview of Clustering and associated Architecture
  • Identify the AspenTech products that can take advantage of clustering and how they do so
  • List the steps involved to implement AspenTech products in a cluster
  • Describe some general usage and maintenance actions involving clustered AspenTech products
Aspen AFW and Aspen InfoPlus.21 Security Topics
  • Implement and configure role based security for Aspen InfoPlus.21 and different client applications
  • Explain the purpose of different Aspen InfoPlus.21 Services and Tasks needed for successful start-up of Aspen InfoPlus.21
  • Workshop: Implement and Test Database Security
  • Workshop: Record and Field Security
Review Best Practice Solutions and Troubleshooting Tips
  • Identify Best Practice solutions that will make your Aspen InfoPlus.21 system run better

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Aspen Technology, Inc. awards Continuing Education Units (CEUs) for training classes conducted by our organization. One CEU is granted for every 10 hours of class participation.