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, directly 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 software. 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.