EPLAN Platform Multi-User Application Recommendation 06 / 2012 Multi-User Application Recommendation Copyright © 2012 EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG assumes no liability for either technical or printing errors, or for deficiencies in this technical information and cannot be held liable for damages that may result directly or indirectly from the delivery, performance, and use of this material. This document contains information based on a proprietary system that is protected by copyright laws. All rights are protected. This document may not be copied or otherwise reproduced in full or part with- out the prior consent of EPLAN Software & Service GmbH & Co. KG. The software described in this document is subject to a licensing agreement. Use and reproduction of this software are only permitted within the framework of this agreement. RITTAL ® is a registered trademark of Rittal GmbH & Co. KG. 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The source code of Open CASCADE and details on this license can be found on the following Web site: http://www.opencascade.org 2 Multi-User Application Recommendation Table of Contents What does multi-user mean? ............................................................... 4 Organization of multi-user operation ................................................... 5 Designing the workflow ........................................................................ 7 Navigators .......................................................................................... 7 Graphical Editor ................................................................................. 7 Global actions .................................................................................... 8 Reports output for another project .................................................. 8 Optimizing data volumes ...................................................................... 9 Check runs ....................................................................................... 10 User-specific settings ..................................................................... 10 Translation ....................................................................................... 11 Message management .................................................................... 11 Number of users .................................................................................. 12 Workstation computer ........................................................................ 13 Network ................................................................................................ 14 Microsoft Windows Server .............................................................. 14 Terminal Server ............................................................................... 15 Security software / operating system settings for network operation .......................................................................................... 17 Defining subprojects .......................................................................... 18 Monitor for Multi-user Operation ....................................................... 19 Using the multi-user monitor .......................................................... 19 3 Multi-User Application Recommendation What does multi-user mean? The focus of state-of-the-art machine and plant engineering is on shorter design times and faster time-to-market while complying with ever stricter quality standards. Parallel editing is an ideal, flexibly scalable engineer- ing method for shortening the project cycle of automation projects and preventing delays in critical project phases. Of course, the engineering system also needs to support this working method and be flexible. EPLAN platform and its "Multi-User" function fa- cilitates these goals and manages parallel access without affecting the user functions. The EPLAN platform's multi-user functionality allows many users in a company to work on control documentation at the same time. In project management, you can see which users are currently working on a pro- ject ( Popup menu > Show users ). If multiple users try to simultaneously edit an object in the schematic, on- ly the first user can make changes; the other users will receive a mes- sage that the data is only available in the read-only mode. The coordina- tion of parallel access requires a certain amount of system performance capacity. The response time in multi-user mode is therefore always slightly longer than in single user mode. Recommended working steps: Select Menu items Options > Settings , follow the folder branch User > Display in the tree view of the Settings dialog, click in the User code/ Address settings area and fill in the Code through Email fields. In multi-user operation, each user can undo their own actions. If a user changes an object after it was changed by the first user, then the first user can no longer undo their actions. Multi-user operation can prevent or compensate for time bottlenecks and allow large projects to be processed more quickly – an unbeatable ad- vantage in the ever more competitive engineering world. 4 Multi-User Application Recommendation Organization of multi-user operation Designing in multi-user operation requires both multi-user capable soft- ware and a suitable work organization in order to prevent mutual inter- ference in engineering and to be able to optimally use the software. The administrator specifies the project structure and assigns the project components to various users. This allows him to influence the perfor- mance during project creation. Recommended working steps: Take advantage of EPLAN consulting services! Personal consulting is a prerequisite for using the EPLAN platform in multi-user operation. Only then can one be sure that users take full advantage of the software's ca- pabilities and that workflows are optimally coordinated. Designate a responsible person / an administrator for each multi-user project, who's job it will be to divide up the work areas, carry out prepara- tions, perform post-processing and actions across individual projects, as well as coordinate the editing jobs. Conflicts between users, and limitations due to mutual interferences can be prevented if the processing areas are independent from each other. Each user should therefore be assigned an exclusive area with little or no contact to other areas, at least in the beginning. Areas of contact are, for example, feeds that are distributed across sev- eral pages using interruption points, phase (line) connections and the use of project-wide potentials and signals. Such connections can cause conflicts when working in multi-user operation, or restrict performance, and should be created only at the end of the project, if possible. The following criteria for dividing up design areas have proven success- ful: • Machine design according to enclosures, plants or mounting locations • Design areas such as controlling, power, PLC or fluid power. Commissioning should also be taken into account. If a plant is commis- sioned in stages, then it makes sense to represent the various stages in independent projects from the very beginning. This will also make revi- sioning easier. Assigning processing areas reduces the data that has to be displayed in navigators. 5 Multi-User Application Recommendation This improves the user's overview and speeds up the EPLAN system, because less data has to be processed. Recommended working steps: Select a project in the side navigator. Click on Popup menu > Proper- ties and the Process areas tab. Check the Process area selection active option. Open the Define process areas dialog via the menu items Utilities > Process areas > Define and assign structure identifiers to the users for editing. Note: Sequentially numbered projects cannot be divided into defined process areas. 6 Multi-User Application Recommendation Designing the workflow The workflow, i.e. how you work in multi-user operation, has a tremen- dous effect on the performance. For instance, some project