The Canary Historian integration refers to the built-in historian, designed for collecting, storing, and analyzing time-series data from industrial operations. It addresses the need for reliable data historicization, providing a solution for capturing and preserving volumes of operational data. The historian facilitates real-time data acquisition through direct integration with over 70 protocol devices, allowing for data aggregation and historicization. Its functionality enables users to model data with asset tools, visualize trends, and develop custom applications through scripting, enhancing data usability and accessibility.
On this page:
Canary Historian Overview
Why use Canary Historian?
Canary Historian is a high-performance historian. It is designed for real-time data collection, storage, and management. Provides scalability for large databases and supports large volumes of writes and data. It facilitates data analysis and decision-making processes. The system maintains data integrity and prevents loss, making it suitable for applications that require reliable data historicization.
When to use Canary Historian?
Use Canary Historian in scenarios requiring scalable and efficient time series data management across site or enterprise applications. It is suitable for managing large data volumes that need real-time analysis and when relational databases' limitations challenge data aggregation and trend analysis. Canary Historian meets the needs for speed, accuracy, volume management, and data schema flexibility, catering to industries that need timely and reliable data historicization for informed decision-making.
How to configure Canary Historian?
To configure the Canary Historian, follow these steps:
Initial Configuration
Requirements
The software platform should be installed and, where necessary, licensed.
Licensing Canary Historian
- Go to Solution Manager and navigate to 'Your License / License Information / Canary Historian'.
- Request a license by clicking 'Request License'. Fill in the 'Name', 'Company', and 'Email' fields to generate the Serial Number, then click 'Request'.
- Open the Canary Admin Tool, proceed to 'Home / Licenses', and select 'Local / Add license through the internet'. Enter the required details ('Name', 'Company', 'Serial Number', 'Email', 'Quantity') and check the 'Canary Historian' option. Click 'GET LICENSE'.
- Upon receiving the License Key, confirm by clicking 'OK'. To verify the license, navigate to 'Solution Manager / Your License' and refresh the information by clicking the 'Refresh' button. The message should change to "Canary Historian is licensed."
Configuring EndPoints and Access
Set up the Sender's EndPoints and access the Receiver's EndPoints in the Canary Admin Tool.
Creating Solution and Enabling Canary Historian
- In Solution Manager, create a solution (file .dbsln) and open it in the Solution Designer.
- Access 'Solution / Settings / Target Platform and License', enable Canary Historian, and select the desired tag range (500, 1500, 5000, 15000, or Unlimited).
Done! The initial configuration is finished!
Configuration Options
The software platform enables two main options to use a Canary Historian to collect and store data: by using the External TagProviders, which allows external data sources in remote systems direct usage, without needing to define the tags internally in the solution. Or by using a Device where you need to define each ta internally and map them.
External TagProvider is strongly recommended for large, complex, and dynamic solutions — especially those in environments prone to frequent changes requiring continuous optimization.
Devices are excellent for solutions with well-defined requirements that are unlikely to change. It is ideal for developing prototypes, PoCs, simulations, and static or low-complexity environments, especially when detailed control is crucial.
Configuring by External TagProvider
- In Solution Designer, navigate to 'Unified Namespace / External TagProvider'.
- Use the '+' button on the Data Grid action bar to open the configuration window for a new External TagProvider.
Configuring by Devices
- Choose 'Devices / Channels' and select a protocol (Canary) to create a Channel.
- Under 'Devices / Nodes', create a Node linked to the Channel.
- Map the tags under 'Devices / Points'.
Final Historian Configuration
The final part defines which collected data will be stored in the historian.
Historizing collected data
- Go to the Historian and select "Tags Historian".
- Observe the SQLite database and Tag Providers. Default Historian, labeled as "Historian Canary", should be visible.
- Proceed to "Providers" and ensure the primary station configuration aligns with your computer specifications.
- Perform a "Test Connection". A success message indicates proper configuration.
- Add Tags to the Historian by typing the Tag name and selecting the appropriate Historian table.
- Opt for "Tag Provider Canary" and create a new table, for example, "valve table". Save changes.
- Ensure that the Tag (e.g., "valve one") utilizes the newly created table. Confirm inputs by pressing enter.
- Repeat the process for additional Tags as needed, ensuring all are directed to the Canary Historian.
- Utilize root level Tagging to efficiently historize grouped data (e.g., valve pressures and temperatures) without individual entries.
Additional Historian Configuration
There are some additional procedures such as create a new Historian Table or define a new Storage Location.
Historian Table
Storage Location
Configuration of the Canary Historian involves the selection of data sources, mapping tags, and specifying storage parameters, all within the software platform. In use, the historian supports the creation of dynamic, data-driven user interfaces, including HMI/SCADA dashboards and analytical displays, making it indispensable for monitoring, controlling, and optimizing industrial processes.
Optional Configuration
Canary on Linux
In this section:
Built-in Integrated Canary Historian
Includes embedded and integrated Canary Historian, available with version 9.2 and newer
- Includes free, 500 Canary Historian Tags with any license – Edge to Unlimited.
- Add Tags to the 500 points (from 1500 to Unlimited!)
- Unlimited Tag Option w/Framework Unlimited
- Native Integration to Canary Historian and the Canary System via Tag Provider
Find detailed docs at Tag Provider. |
Canary and our company share a common tag definition and asset modeling
In addition to the embedded Canary Historian, we also have a new built-in integration with the Canary System that is easy to use, high speed and extremely secure, as it leverages Canary’s .NET API to connect at the core level, allowing you to publish and consume data and use Canary’s tags and models as well.
There is no need for extra configuration or even to create tags within our framework platform — simply define the server and browse the assets you need!
The station parameters are:
- ServerName: The name or IP address of the machine running the CanaryLabs Historian. (If the service is not running in the default port, the syntax should be: ComputerName:PortNumber or IpAddress:PortNumber)
- ClientID: Indicates the client identification that is used to make calls in the Canary service
- ConnectionType: Specifies the ConnectionType with the service
The options are:
- Anonymous: Connection using no credentials
- UserName: Connection using a username/password that is defined in CanaryAdmin
- Windows: Connection using Windows credentials
- UserName: The user name used for verification (Valid for the Username and Windows connection types)
- Password: The password used for verification (Valid for the Username and Windows connection types)
- Views: A list of views found in the specified ServerName. If the view is virtual, the Node will be Read-Only
- Dataset: The name of the dataset you will connect to. (Not available when the selected view is Virtual)
| Always test your connection with a Test Button. |
To setup canary to operate in your FrameworX solution, activate the number of tags for Canary on Solution → Settings menu.
To configure the CanaryLabs protocol as a ExternalTag, navigate to Unified Namespaces > ExternalTags Sources and create a new connection for the CanaryLabs Communication Driver.
Configure the items under the PrimaryStation column the same way that was described in the Node Configuration. To see more details about setup a Canary ExternalTag please see the CanaryLabs TagProvider page.