What Is a Supervisory / Automation Server?

The Founder's Explanation (Teach Exactly This Way)

"On a site, the workers do the job, but there must be a foreman. The foreman keeps the diary, coordinates everybody, remembers what happened yesterday, and reports to the office. Field controllers are the workers. The supervisory server is the foreman. Without a foreman, everybody works, but nobody coordinates and nobody remembers."

Teaching the Concept

The Site Foreman Workers on a site do the job, but a foreman keeps the diary, coordinates everyone, remembers yesterday and reports to the office. Field controllers are the workers; the supervisory server is the foreman above them. Without a supervisor, the controllers work but nobody coordinates or remembers. What the Server Does ``` TRENDS stores history for every point SCHEDULES building-wide time and calendar logic INTEGRATION ties multiple controllers / protocols FRONT-END serves the operator view sits ABOVE the field DDC controllers ``` Controller vs Supervisor ``` FIELD CONTROLLER runs one plant, local logic SUPERVISORY SERVER coordinates many, keeps history, runs cross-system logic, serves screens ``` Field controllers are the hands; the supervisory server is the head that remembers, schedules and coordinates them.

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Related Topics

• What is a BMS DDC controller? — the programmable brain that runs the logic
• What is BMS integration? — how a BMS connects VFDs, meters and other systems
• Browse all Controllers topics — more from this section of the EnSmart BMS Library