A Crash Course on Cyber Resilience for Water Utilities |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Grab a coffee and a pad of paper. This is a crash course in the processes, systems, costs, and consequences of getting a utility aligned with baseline and advanced cyber resilience standards. |
Accessing History, Alarms and Real Time Data from Other Systems Including New SQL Views |
Intermediate |
Configures |
Though our Historian is native to VTScada, we make it easy to put your history to use across your organization. You will connect to a variety of systems using built-in utilities such as the REST interface, the single-table ODBC interface and the new SQL tables cpming soon in VTScada 12.1. |
Accessing VTScada Data from Excel |
Advanced |
Managers, Configures |
Microsoft Excel is a common and very powerful data analysis and presentation tool. There are some new enhancements since the last VTScadaFest. |
Advanced Application Troubleshooting Tools |
Advanced |
Configures |
Get introduced to the powerful set of debugging and diagnostic tools available in VTScada including details on using the Source Debugger and several other related tools included with VTScada. |
Advanced Driver Configuration |
Advanced |
Configurers |
If you have many PLCs or RTUs and you want to get the most out of them, you’ll want to sit in on this session. Learn how to organize your data within the PLC, maximize the update rates, control when devices get polled and how to handle redundant communication paths. |
Alarm Management Strategies |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Alarms are a critical feature of any SCADA system. In this entertaining repeat performance, Alan Hudson takes you on a quick tour through the history of alarm management solutions and introduces best practices that will reduce operator fatigue and optimize productivity. |
Alarm Notification Enhancements |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Discover the new set of enhancements to the alarm notification system (ANS) in 12.1. Get an overview of voice and email alarm notifications and all the options available. |
Alarm Voice Dialout Using VoIP – Look ma, no modem…or Internet! |
Everyone |
Managers, Configures |
While VTScada will support voice modems for as long as they exist, version 12.1 lets you move beyond this physical hardware and take advantage of the many benefits of Voice over IP (VoIP) without necessarily connecting to the internet. Learn to configure VTScada to annunciate voice alerts over VoIP using VoIP-to-analog-phone-line converters. |
Configuration Challenge (Escape Room) |
Advanced |
Configures |
You are trapped in a hazardous industrial site deep beneath the Rosen Hotel with nothing but a laptop and a scary ticking clock. Only your cool head and intimate knowledge of VTScada software will help you escape to the pool level. This twist on the classic escape room will help you look at VTScada’s standard features in a whole new way. The winner gets a trophy, a snazzy door prize, and a free ticket to VTScadaFest 2023 to defend their title! |
Function Library / Expression Editor |
Intermediate |
Configures |
VTScada includes over 700 prebuilt functions that developers can add to expressions to provide advanced functionality. While VTScada’s built-in Help files provide an extensive reference of these functions, Version 12.1 makes it a snap to find the function you need and put it to use. Learn to use the new Expression Editor which includes complex pre-built expressions and even allows you to create your own functions and add them to the library. |
Global Tag & Area Filters |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
This feature can be valuable in larger applications where operators need to focus on one area at a time, which may change from day to day. Operators who have been granted the Global Tag & Area Filtering privilege can use a tool in the title bar to restrict their view of tags and alarms to only those they need to see at that moment. |
HDV, Yeah You Know Me! – An Intro to The Historical Data Viewer |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators |
The Historical Data Viewer (HDV) is one of the most powerful ways for operators to interact with their priceless historical data. This fast-paced crash course covers how to easily create custom trend groups, customize plots, add encrypted notes, and export ranges of values. It also covers newer advanced features like Historical Data Editing. |
How System Integrators Are Winning with VTScada |
Everyone |
Managers, Configurers |
Learn how VTScada’s unique features, licensing, training, and support have helped integrators gain an advantage over their competition. See how SupportPlus renewals provide an all new revenue stream. |
Itanta Reporting and Analytics |
Intermediate |
Managers, Operators, Configurers |
The Itanta reporting software is a third-party tool with built-in connectivity to the VTScada historian. Come watch what this product can do without writing any code as presented by one of Itanta’s founders. |
I/O Performance Enhancements |
Everyone |
Managers, Configures |
Come learn about the new enhancements to drivers in 12.1 which improve the overall update rate dramatically while reducing the overall load on the system. Learn about some new settings available to make the most of this new capability. |
Importing Custom Map Tiles |
Intermediate |
Configures |
How could our Slippy Maps and Site Templates be even better? Learn how to have your own site images appear as you zoom in on a map by replacing the standard map with your own images. |
Mission Critical Mindset |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Mission critical thinking is not just for big systems. While SCADA software must constantly rise to the challenge of ever larger applications, smaller users now understand the true cost of failure in the form of spills, downtime, or lack of regulatory compliance. VTScada has the power and features to run the largest systems in the world while making those capabilities practical for even the smallest systems. |
New Batching & Recipe Management Tools |
Intermediate |
Managers, Configures |
Batching is an integral part of industrial processes where repeatability and traceability are key. VTScada has long supported custom batching solutions but now this functionality is a standard part of VTScada. Version 12.1 allows you to easily run batches based on any number of configured ingredients, recipes, and recipe books. Information on each batch is permanently recorded in the VTScada Historian and safely distributed across all servers. |
Notes from the Field: Cyber Resilience, Moving Target Defense, and a Return to Meaningful Operational Efficiency Gains |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Through over 20 publications in the last 25 months, the standards that define cyber resilience in the United States have been overhauled to formalize the use of the cybersecurity technologies commercialized over the past decade. The result for early movers has been a welcome return to faster connections, falling costs, tighter lines of communication, and simpler network architectures. This non-technical talk will cover what changed, and the operational impacts being observed in the field. |
Party Tricks with the New Embedded Browser |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
This multi-purposed Widget, coming soon in Version 12.1, allows you to drag-and-drop a frameless browser onto a VTScada page that displays a URL. This is a quick and easy way to embed helpful information like YouTube Help videos, PLC configuration web pages, web-based reports, or even thin clients from different VTScada applications. It can even exchange messages between VTScada Script Code and JavaScript running in the embedded browser. |
Philosophy Behind VTScada |
Advanced |
Managers, Configures |
Come learn about the underlying concepts driving VTScada and why they are different and so important to making systems fast, flexible and reliable. We’ll talk about the VTScada script language and what makes it unique and why that’s vitally important. |
Security Certificate Setup for Remote Access |
Advanced |
Configurers |
The internet is a dangerous place. Fortunately, there are tried and true approaches to securing connections. When accessing VTScada using remote thin clients, a TLS or VPN connection is essential. Learn what to do to apply for and install a “certificate” to encrypt the connect. Certificates are also used for using the VTScada Excel Add-In and for connecting to OPC-UA. |
Setting up Amazon Cloud for VTScada |
Advanced |
Managers, Configures |
Hosted solutions have become a trusted way to improve access and build system resiliency. Amazon Web Services is a platform from which you can host redundant servers. Come get your head in the cloud and learn how VTScada helps you easily develop and manage your web-based system. |
SNMP – Accessing Data from Network Devices |
Advanced |
Configures |
Modern SCADA application incorporate more hardware than just PLCs and RTUs. VTScada allows you to pull information from devices that use the Simple Network Management Protocol such as printers, uninterruptible power supplies, and network switches. The ability to monitor and alarm this infrastructure is an important part of increasing your system’s resiliency. |
Software Security Standard IEC-62443-4-1 |
Everyone |
Managers, Configurers |
Aside from best practices, there are recognized standards for software to harden SCADA systems against threats. The IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and ISA share a standard. Learn what it is and why it’s “another brick in the wall”. |
Sparkplug B |
Everyone |
Managers, Configures |
Sparkplug B is an open protocol built upon MQTT. Learn how Sparkplug B can be used to automatically discover IO and import them into VTScada. Discover it’s strengths and weaknesses and how to use it within VTScada. |
System Health Monitoring |
Intermediate |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Did you know VTScada has some advanced tools that permit the system to monitor its computing environment and provide alerts in advance of potential problems? Join us for a discussion and training on their benefits and configuration. |
System Integrator Tools – OEM Layers & ChangeSets |
Advanced |
Configurers |
The key to reusing work from one project in another in VTScada is understanding OEM layers and leveraging ChangeSets. Learn how to use these tools and when to use them and when to avoid them. |
The PLC Alarm Tag |
Advanced |
Configures |
This session covers best practices for configuring alarms when the PLC is the alarm master, not VTScada. If you prefer to configure your alarm logic in your PLCs, this tag makes it easy to read alarm status and configuration from these devices (if supported by the PLC’s protocol) for display in your VTScada application. |
Tips & Tricks |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
Since we use VTScada everyday, we know how to get the most out of it and we are happy to pass that wisdom on to you. This presentation will help operators, developers, and managers to work smarter and get more from their VTScada applications. |
What’s New in 12.1 |
Everyone |
Managers, Operators, Configures |
While we designed VTScada with the power and features to run the largest systems in the world, we make those capabilities practical for even the smallest systems. Come get a look at the new features in version 12.1 that continue to help operators, developers, and managers work faster, smarter, and safer on applications of any size. |
Wireshark Tutorial |
Advanced |
Configures |
Join Graham Bloice, Senior VTScada Developer and a Wireshark Foundation Core Developer, for an introduction to Wireshark, a powerful open-source packet analyzer used for things like network troubleshooting, debugging, security analysis, and communications protocol development. |