The architecture of the engineering system depends on how the SIMATIC PCS 7 project is processed:

• Locally, on a central engineering station
• In the engineering network (concurrent engineering)

Central engineering station

Hardware platform for the central engineering station is the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation in the single station version. This is based on a SIMATIC IPC of Rack PC design which is prepared for installation in 19" rack systems. It is available in two versions which have different communication links to the Industrial Ethernet plant bus:

• SIMATIC PCS 7 ES/OS IPC¹⁾ BCE
  Connection to plant bus with 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 network adapter and Basic Communication Ethernet (BCE) for communication with up to 8 automation systems (no redundancy stations)
• SIMATIC PCS 7 ES/OS IPC¹⁾ IE
  Connection to plant bus with CP 1613 A2/1623/1628 communication module for communication with up to 64 automation systems

Two onboard 10/100/1000 Mbps Ethernet RJ45 ports are available for connecting to the terminal bus.

The Windows 7 Ultimate 64-bit operating system and the SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering software for AS/OS are factory installed on the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation. The scope of performance of the pre-installed SIMATIC PCS 7 engineering software is defined by installation of the purchased software licenses.

Engineering network

With concurrent engineering in an engineering network, the project is localized on one of the participating Engineering Stations, the "Project server". The engineering stations working as "Project clients" can access the project server data via LAN/WAN. Every engineering station in the network (project server/client) is able to download configuration data to a SIMATIC PCS 7 subsystem provided it has the required communication connections.

With this architecture, it is appropriate to install the project server on a SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation, server version. The Windows Server 2008 R2 Standard 64-bit operating system and the SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Software server are factory installed on this (adaptation/expansion of SIMATIC PCS 7 installation required).

Like the single station version of the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation, the server version is also available in two versions which differ with regard to the plant bus communication:

• SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Server IPC¹⁾ BCE
  Connection to plant bus with 10/100/1000 Mbps RJ45 network adapter and Basic Communication Ethernet (BCE) for communication with up to 8 automation systems (no redundancy stations)
• SIMATIC PCS 7 OS Server IPC¹⁾ IE
  Connection to plant bus with CP 1613 A2/1623/1628 communication module for communication with up to 64 automation systems

With the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstation, single station version, you can use the same hardware platform for the project clients as for the central engineering station.

Configuration can be made easier by multi-monitor mode with up to 4 process monitors, both for a central engineering station and for individual stations in an engineering network.

See section "Industrial Workstation/IPC" for ordering data and detailed information on the product package and technology of the SIMATIC PCS 7 Industrial Workstations.

¹⁾ IPC stands for one of the SIMATIC IPC types from the product range in the section "Industrial Workstation/IPC, SIMATIC Rack PC" that are authorized for SIMATIC PCS 7 V8.2.