SmartStruxure Lite

Architectural Guidelines
BACnet IP Network with MPM and SE8000
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INTRODUCTION
This document captures the Architectural Guidelines to be followed when planning a project with multiple MPMs acting
as aggregators between the BMS and SE7000/SE8000 units.

The Architectural Guidelines provide the recommended system design limits for common applications. These are the
configurations that have been tested and supported by Schneider Electric. In many cases, it is technically possible
to exceed these limits, or create architectures outside the guidance provided in this document. Any unauthorized
deviation from these guidelines will not be supported and could result in performance related issues or failures.

A SmartStruxure solution has few hard-coded limitations, however they should be designed according to the intended
application. Therefore, most of the recommendations are based on validated tests and application design.

ARCHITECTURAL SUMMARY
The strategy for the recommendations provided in the following tables allows the system to support any realistic
combination within the recommended limits without negative effect on the total performance or reliability.

SUPPORTED COMMUNICATION PROTOCOLS

The MPM-UN and Automation Server have connectivity to cover most Building Automation deployments.

MPM-UN Automation Server

Wireless Connectivity Server Client Server Client
ZigBee Y Y - -
EnOcean - Y - -

Wired Connectivity
Modbus N Y Y Y
Obix Y N N N
EWS Y N Y Y
BACnet IP Y N Y Y
BACnet MS-TP N N N Y
LonWorks N N Y Y

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MODBUS TABLE

Function Enterprise Server SmartStruxure Server Comment

Device
Maximum number of RTU slave 124 124 Maximum 62 devices per COM port x 2 ports = 124
devices
More than 31 devices per COM port requires a
repeater

Enterprise Server: Requires 2 serial ports to be

available
Maximum number of TCP 247 247 ---
server devices
Maximum number of TCP 32 8 ---
gateways
Maximum number of concurrent 2 2 ---
TCP client connections when
acting as TCP server
Maximum number of RTU 2 2 Maximum 1 RTU master per COM port x 2 ports
masters when acting as a serial =2
slave
Enterprise Server: Requires 2 serial ports to be
available
Maximum number of Modbus 10,000a 10,000a Total number of objects for TCP (including
objects per server gateways) and serial

a: Use Modbus groups as much as possible to maximize use of available bandwidth.

Function Enterprise Server SmartStruxure Server Comment

Device
Maximum number of BACnet 600 254abc Total number of hosted BACnet devices regardless
devices per server of transport IP, MS/TP, etc.d
Maximum number of BACnet 30,000 12,000 ---
objects per server
Maximum number of BBMD per Not restricted Not restricted ---
server
Maximum number of foreign 600e 254e ---
devices per server

a: SmartStruxure server device: Maximum 127 devices per COM port x 2 ports = 254
b: When using both LonWorks and BACnet MS/TP networks on the SmartStruxure server device, the network with more
than 10 devices connected is considered to be the main network. The other network then supports up to 10 devices.
The main network will support the number of devices specified in the table for the used protocol. For example, if the
SmartStruxure server device has 64 LonWorks devices connected to it, the BACnet MS/TP network can support 10
devices.
c: MS/TP field buses will perform better with an RS-485 repeater (such as the B-LINK). This may become necessary
with some devices and networks greater than 32 nodes.
d: This includes virtual BACnet Devices (i.e. A BACnet Gateway presenting 20 Zigbee Devices as BACnet Devices
counts as 21; one for the gateway and 20 for the Zigbee devices).
e: No hard-coded limit, so maximum is equal to the number of devices the SmartStruxure server device supports.

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ARCHITECTURES
Refer to SmartStruxure Architecture Guidelines available on Building Download center for detailed Architecture Guidelines for
SBO.

PERFORMANCE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR AUTOMATION SERVER

The below table shows some basic guidelines relevant for this specific architecture. These two properties are the key measure-
ment points when monitoring the load of the Automation Server. They need to be considered at all times, especially when getting
close to
(or exceeding) the defined limits. The properties can be trend logged or online plotted in a standard trend chart.

Maximum Memory Usage 80%

Maximum CPU Usage 60%

Memory
The Memory usage (%) property measures the current RAM memory usage. The memory usage should never exceed 80% and
no peaks should be seen above this limit.

CPU
The CPU usage (%) property measures the current CPU load in the Automation Server. The CPU usage should stay below 60%.
However, it is normal that CPU usage peaks at 100% on occasion when lower priority activities are performed. This peak does not
affect overall performance.

PERFORMANCE RECOMMENDATIONS FOR MPM

The below table shows the recommendations for MPM performance.

Minimum Free PG Memory 3MB

Minimum Database Free 8MB
Memory
Maximum CPU Usage 80%

LUA PG Memory
The memory usage should never exceed 90% as this represents the system available RAM. From the Information Menu, the PG
free memory should remain over 3MB.

Database Free Memory

From the Information Menu, the DB free memory should remain over 8MB.

CPU

The CPU usage (%) measures the current CPU load in the MPM. It is normal that the CPU peaks at 100% when performing tasks
through Building Expert, such as adding or removing Objects and Devices. During normal usage, it should stay below 80% when
viewing through Building Expert Information menu.

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DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS
This section discusses various Design considerations.

BACnet IP Communication
To improve bandwidth usage and response time, consider placing Control Objects and monitoring objects on the MPM. Control Ob-
jects such as LUA Programs and Schedules, as well as Monitoring Objects such as Trend Logs and Events.

Trend Logs
It is recommended Trend Logs are stored inside the MPM to minimize the amount of recurrent polling from the Automation
Server.

Events
Event Objects should be used sparingly on the MPM as a result of resource utilization.

Lua Scripts

The User provided scripts increase the CPU and memory usage of the system. The script period, number of global variables, and
pauses influences system tasks timing. This should be considered when using the MPM for time based control.

The variables should be defined as local variables whenever possible.

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Distributed Architecture 2
DESCRIPTION
This Architecture consists of using StruxureWare Building Operation Workstation to monitor 8 networks of 30 zones. Each
zone is connected to an Automation Server wirelessly through an MPM.

ZIGBEE ZONE MONITOR AUTOMATION SERVER

Function Wireless BACnet Router Function BACnet Front End

Part Numbers MPM-UN, MPM-GW, Part Number SXW AS-B
MPM-VA Maximum number of BACnet 254
Maximum Number of 30 Zones IP Devices per Server
Zones Maximum Number of BACnet 12,000
Maximum Number of 900 (total), up to 60 per Objects
BACnet Objects Zone Maximum Number of Trend 1,000
Maximum Number of 120 Logs
Trend Logs Maximum Number of User 5
Maximum Number of 10 Connections
Schedules Maximum Number of Alarms 1,000
Maximum Number of 5
Events
Maximum Number of 30
Dashboard Widgets

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The following Architecture has the following configuration:

• 1 Automation Server
• 8 MPM-GWs
• 30 ZigBee Pro Room Controllers per MPM (total 240 Room Controllers)
• 120 Trend Logs per MPM (total 960)
• Automation Server fetches data from 7200 Objects and 960 Trend Logs
• No control programs or building management system are running, but only data gets gathered in the Automation Server.

PERFORMANCE
Performance Measurements for Automation Server.
The Automation Server reads data from each MPM. It is capable of updating 100 Objects per second. The Building Manager
can select a zone and display latest information within 1 second. A well laid-out network should have similar performance and it
is not uncommon to obtain faster average refresh times. However, if slower refresh rate is experienced, monitor and analyze your
network traffic.

CPU Average Usage (%) Memory Average Updates per Second

(%)
less the 40% less the 40% 100

Performance Measurements for each MPM.

For each MPM, this Architecture keeps the average CPU load under 80% and average memory usage under 90%. The Automa-
tion Server retrieves all information from the MPMs.

CPU Average Usage (%) Memory Average Average Update

(%) time for all Zones
80 88 30 seconds

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ALTERNATIVE ARCHITECTURES
It is important to respect Architectural Guidelines from StruxureWare and SmartStruxure Lite to have adequate technical support
and system reliability. These are the recommended configurations, however they can be adapted to different deployments or
customer
requirements with great flexibility.

The following Architectures have not been validated but meet the Architectural Guidelines shown above. The number of zones
varies, however the total number of Network Devices on the Automation Server remains under 254.

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Enterprise Server Monitoring BACnet IP

Network
An Enterprise Server can significantly increase the number of zones discovered on the network.

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