You will make a number of changes to your automation system over time, for example, add new devices, replace existing devices or adapt the user program. If these changes were to result in undesirable behavior, you can restore the automation plant to an earlier version. To continue working without interruptions after replacing individual devices, you can accept existing programs and values. The CPUs offer different options for backup and restoration of the hardware configuration and software.
Backup options
The table below provides an overview of the backup and restoration options of S7 CPUs:
|
Snapshot of the monitored values |
Upload from device (software) |
Upload device as new station (hardware and software) |
Download backup from online device |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Use case |
Restoring a specific status of a data block. The actual values of data blocks including time stamp are accepted in the project. |
Upload blocks on a CPU to the project. |
Upload of hardware configuration and software from a device to the project. |
Create a complete backup of a CPU as restore point. The backup copy is consistent and cannot be changed or opened. |
|
Requirement |
The CPU has already been created in a project. The data blocks must be identical online and offline. |
The CPU is created in the project. |
The device is available in the hardware catalog of TIA Portal. Any necessary HSPs or GSD files are installed. |
- |
|
Possible in mode |
RUN, STOP |
RUN, STOP |
RUN, STOP |
STOP |
|
Possible for F-CPUs |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Backup can be edited |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
Backup contents
The table below shows which data you can upload and back up with which options:
|
Snapshot of the monitored values |
Upload from device (software) |
Upload device as new station (hardware and software)1 |
Backup from online device2 |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Data block Actual value copied to snapshot 3 |
Yes |
No |
Yes |
No |
|
Retentive data Data block and bit memory |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Software blocks |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
PLC tags (tag and constant names) |
No |
Yes (for S7-1200 and S7-1500 CPUs) |
Yes (for S7-1200 and S7-1500 CPUs) |
Yes |
|
Technology objects |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Trace configuration |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Hardware configuration |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Monitoring tables (web server) |
No |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Local data, bit memories, timers, counters and process image |
Yes |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Archives and recipes (PLC) |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
General data on the SIMATIC Memory Card, for example, help for program blocks or GSD files |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
Special considerations during backup of actual values
The "Backup from online device" type of backup backs up the actual values of the tags that are set as retentive. To ensure consistency of the retentive data, disable all write access to retentive data during the backup.