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Getting Started with FactoryTalk® AssetCentre

Wayne Welk2/14/2020

Rockwell Automation offers an easy entry into automated disaster recovery of your ICS assets with FactoryTalk® AssetCentre. To make it even easier to get started in your facility, they offer a “system starter kit”.

Do you have a disaster recovery plan for your Industrial Control System (ICS) assets? Surprisingly, still today in the 21st Century, a lot of people do not. Or they do not have a formal disaster recovery plan or tool, but perhaps an informal solution like backups on a USB drive. 

The FactoryTalk AssetCentre System Starter kit, catalog number 9515-ASTSRVSTENE, is a great way to get introduced to the capabilities of AssetCentre. 

The system starter kit includes these components: 

  • 9515-ASTSRVRENM – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Server 
  • 9515-ASTCAP0100M – FactoryTalk AssetCentre 100 additional assets 
  • 9515-ASTDRROKENM – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Disaster Recovery for Rockwell Automation 
  • 9515–ASTDRINVENM – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Inventory Agent 


This gives you the ability to archive and recover up to 100 Rockwell Automation assets in your facility. These assets can include (Version 9.0): 

  • Controllers – ControlLogix®, CompactLogix™, SLC™-500, PLC-5 
  • Graphic Terminals – PanelView® Plus 6, PanelView Plus 7 
  • Drives – PowerFlex® 4/40/400, PowerFlex 70/7xx., PowerFlex 523/525 
  • HMI – FactoryTalk View SE 
  • Networking – Stratix® 5700, 5400, 5410, 8000/8300Support for new Assets coming in the Version 10 release include the Stratix 5800 switch, PowerFlex 755T drive, and the E300 Electronic Overload 


About FactoryTalk AssetCentre 

FactoryTalk AssetCentre provides you with a centralized tool for securing, managing, versioning, tracking and reporting automation related asset information across your entire facility. It can do this automatically, with limited additional management oversight or work from employees. FactoryTalk AssetCentre can help improve uptime, productivity, quality, employee safety or regulatory compliance. FactoryTalk AssetCentre provides you with a centralized tool for securing, managing, versioning, tracking and reporting automation related asset information across your entire facility. It can do this automatically, with limited additional management oversight or work from employees. FactoryTalk AssetCentre can help improve uptime, productivity, quality, employee safety or regulatory compliance. 


With FactoryTalk AssetCentre, you can: 

  • Secure access to the system 
  • Track detailed users’ actions 
  • Automatically track firmware versions 
  • Manage historical versioning of any electronic file 
  • Provide automatic backup and compare operations on supported devices 
  • Add backup and compare plug-ins for third-party vendor devices 
  • Configure process instrumentation 
  • Manage instrumentation calibration schedules and certificates 
  • Asset Inventory Agent can connect with the Product Compatibility and Download Center to show the latest life cycle status of your assets 
  • Adoption of Rockwell Automation system security strategy 
  • Extended support for Rockwell Automation assets 
  • Improved support for third-party assets 
  • Lifecycle status for I/O 
  • Disaster recovery for FactoryTalk View SE applications 


RESOURCES TO HELP YOU GET STARTED 

Documentation 


Rockwell Automation Knowledge Base links: 

A login is required to access these technical documents, which can be created for free. Most of these tech notes are open to everyone regardless of current TechConnect status. In some cases, a current TechConnect support agreement may be needed. 

  • 56049 (ID: QA53522) – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Tips and Best Practices 
  • 718699 (ID: QA29309) – FactoryTalk AssetCentre Disaster Recovery Device Support 
  • 57483 (ID: QA11498) – FactoryTalk AssetCentre System Design Considerations 


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