Configuring WinCC FileServer for Off-Site Archive Viewing

Overview

Standard Siemens WinCC Runtime archives (Alarm Logging and Tag Logging) accumulate in MS SQL Server databases that grow until a configured segment size or time limit triggers a backup. By default, the segment that rolls over is moved into a backup folder on the WinCC server. Operators normally view historical data through the WinCC Runtime database on the same server or a client with WinCC installed. When the customer wants a separate, dedicated read-only archive host without a full WinCC installation, the correct tool is the WinCC FileServer component shipped on the WinCC installation media.

WinCC FileServer is a license-free engine that hosts the WinCC archive database tier on its own machine. It receives the backed-up segments from the WinCC server (manually copied, scheduled copy, or written via the standard WinCC backup path) and serves them to remote viewers using the standard WinCC OLE DB data provider. Because FileServer is mutually exclusive with WinCC Runtime on the same machine, it is the official, supported way to expose long-term archives without a full SCADA install.

Topology and Data Flow

Prerequisites

• WinCC Server (V6, V6 SP3, V6.2, V7.0, V7.2, V7.3, V7.4, or V7.5 depending on release) with active Alarm Logging and Tag Logging archives.
• Microsoft SQL Server matching the WinCC release (SQL Server 2000 for V6, 2005 for V6.2, 2008/2008 R2 for V7.0–V7.2, 2012 for V7.3, 2014 for V7.4, 2016/2019 for V7.5). SQL Server Express is supported for small archives.
• A second Windows host dedicated to FileServer (physical or VM) running the same OS edition compatible with the WinCC release. It cannot run WinCC Runtime.
• WinCC installation media containing the WinCC FileServer setup option (present on the standard DVD/ISO).
• Network connectivity: TCP 1433 between WinCC server and FileServer for SQL replication of catalog metadata, plus a shared folder path for the moved archive segments.
• For client viewing: either WinCC DataMonitor (preferred for web/Excel clients) or WinCC Connectivity Pack (preferred for OLE DB, ODBC, OPC UA Historical Access).

Step-by-Step: Preparing the WinCC Server Backup Path

Before FileServer is brought online, configure the source archives so closed segments are copied to a stable path. Open the WinCC Explorer on the server.

1. Right-click Tag Logging → Archive Configuration.
2. For each archive (process value archive), open the Properties dialog.
3. Switch to the Backup tab.
4. Enable Backup path and either type the UNC path or click the browse button to point to a shared folder (e.g. \\FILESVR\WinCCArchive\TagLogging).
5. Repeat the same procedure under Alarm Logging → Archive Configuration for every message archive. Use a separate sub-folder per archive type to keep segment names unique.
6. Confirm the change and restart the WinCC Runtime archive services (WinCC ArchiveManager, WinCC AlarmManager) so the new path is registered.

Step-by-Step: Installing WinCC FileServer

1. Insert the WinCC installation medium or mount the ISO on the dedicated FileServer host.
2. Launch Setup.exe from the root of the media.
3. Accept the license agreement and choose Install.
4. When prompted for the installation type, select WinCC FileServer. Do not select WinCC Server, WinCC Client, or WinCC Runtime — they will fail on the same image with the prerequisite error ! Condition: WinCC V6 installed (or the corresponding V7.x message).
5. Provide the SQL Server instance on the FileServer host (local default instance is acceptable).
6. Complete the installation and reboot if prompted.
7. Verify in Control Panel → Programs and Features that WinCC FileServer is listed; WinCC must not be present.

The setup creates the configuration database CC_External on the SQL instance and registers the FileServer service. The default file location for the archive catalog is \WinCC\FileServer\<project>.

Step-by-Step: Configuring FileServer to Receive Archives

1. On the FileServer host, open WinCC Explorer (FileServer mode). The Explorer shell is the same as WinCC but exposes only the FileServer tree.
2. Right-click FileServer → Archive Configuration and add the shared backup paths from Step 1 as Source directories.
3. For each WinCC project, create a matching project entry under FileServer. The project name on FileServer must match the source WinCC project name exactly; otherwise the segment catalog will not align with incoming files.
4. Activate the FileServer. The service polls the configured UNC paths and registers any new .mdf / .ldf (V6/V6.2) or .bak / .db (V7+) segment into the long-term catalog.
5. Use the FileServer Status dialog to confirm segment visibility. A green check next to a timestamp indicates the segment has been ingested and is available to remote viewers.

Step-by-Step: Client-Side Viewing Options

The two supported paths from the FileServer to a viewer are DataMonitor and Connectivity Pack. Choose based on the use case.

DataMonitor path: install DataMonitor on the FileServer, publish the project, then point users at http://<fileserver>/DataMonitor. The portal exposes trends, tables, alarm lists, and the Excel add-in. Because the portal runs on FileServer, the viewer machine needs only a browser.

Connectivity Pack path: install the Connectivity Pack on the FileServer, then use the standard connection string from any third-party client:

For alarm archives the table name is ALView; for tag archives it is the configured tag archive name. Use parameterized queries with TIMESTAMPGreaterEqual / TIMESTAMPLessEqual to scope results.

Manual Archive Transfer (No Network Share)

If the FileServer host is on a different network segment without a permanent UNC path, the segment files can be transferred by a scheduled task:

1. On the WinCC server, run robocopy "C:\WinCC\ArchiveManager\<project>\AlarmLogging" "\\FILESVR\Ingest\AlarmLogging" *.mdf *.ldf /MAXAGE:1 /R:3 /W:10 (adjust extension to *.bak on V7+).
2. On the FileServer, point the FileServer Source directory at C:\Ingest\AlarmLogging instead of a UNC path.
3. After successful ingest, FileServer moves the file into its long-term store. Optionally, write a second robocopy to delete ingested files (/MOV) on a delay to prevent accidental re-ingest.

Verification

1. On the FileServer host, open WinCC Explorer → FileServer → Archive Configuration. Confirm every expected archive shows segments with green status indicators.
2. Connect DataMonitor to FileServer and pull a trend from a tag archive. Validate that historical values match the WinCC server within the configured segment timestamp range.
3. Open Connectivity Pack SQL console and run: SELECT * FROM OPENQUERY(WinCCOLEDB, 'SELECT * FROM TLGR_TagArchive_R WHERE Timestamp BETWEEN \'2025-01-01 00:00:00\' AND \'2025-01-02 00:00:00\'') Expected: a non-empty result set with Timestamp, Variable, Value, Quality.
4. Confirm firewall rules: TCP 1433 open between WinCC server and FileServer; HTTP 80/443 (DataMonitor) or OPC UA port 4840 (Connectivity Pack OPC HDA) open between FileServer and viewer.
5. Validate storage sizing: sum of all .bak/.mdf segments must remain below 80% of the FileServer SQL volume to avoid auto-growth stalls.

Troubleshooting Matrix

Migration Note: From FileServer to Information Server

For modern WinCC (V7.4 SP1 onward and TIA WinCC Professional), the strategic replacement for FileServer is SIMATIC Information Server. It reads WinCC archive segments directly via OLE DB and exposes them through a web portal without requiring the WinCC Explorer shell. If the customer plans a long-term archive expansion, evaluate Information Server first; keep the FileServer path for legacy V6.x systems that still need a license-free long-term tier.