Integrated Webserver –
System diagnostics for PROFINET CPUs

All CPUs with integrated PROFINET interface offer web server functionality and permit diagnostics from any location via the Industrial Ethernet network. Any web clients, such as PCs, Multi Panels, or PDAs, can use a standard Internet browser and have read-access to the diagnostics data of a PN-CPU that functions as a server for the web pages. For this purpose, a web client must first be linked to a PN-CPU via Industrial Ethernet. Thus access to CPUs is not restricted to the standard method using STEP 7. Diagnostics can also be implemented via the Internet depending on the respective IT infrastructure of the company.


The following diagnostic information can be called up via the network:

• Module identification of CPU (e.g. station name, module name, order number, FW version)
• Operating status of the CPU (e.g. status of the mode selector switch)
• Diagnostics buffer of CPU with plain text entries
• Tag status and tag tables configured in STEP 7
• Configured plain text messages (signaling of system error)
• Ethernet parameters and statistics (IP address, MAC address, sent packages)
• Module status, topology advice

Benefits

The web server integrated in the CPU offers the following advantages:

• User-friendly access to diagnostics information of the CPU during start-up and operation from any location. This increases the plant availability and minimizes downtimes.
• No additional hardware or software is required:
  • The web pages are accessible via the integrated PROFINET interface of the CPU.
  • Each standard Internet browser, e.g. Internet Explorer, can display the web pages.
• Optimized display even for Multi Panels and Personal Digital Assistants (PDA) with lower resolution.

Fig.: Starting page of the integrated webserver

Security

There is a graded security concept for the web server:

• For security reasons, the CPU only has read-access to the web server, i.e. it is not possible to write data to the CPU using web mechanisms.
• lf read-access is to be authorized, the CPU can be protected against unauthorized access by using a SCALANCE S module.
• If the web server function of the CPU is not required, the integrated web server can also be switched off completely when configuring using the configuration software STEP 7.

Additional Information

Demo of the diagnostics information of a S7-400 CPU