Data Historian

What is a Data Historian?

A database is simply an organized collection of data. Paper files in a filing cabinet are a database. An expense ledger is a database. Maps in a map drawer are a database. Common electronic databases include Microsoft SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, IBM DB2, 4th Dimension, MySQL, MariaDB, and Microsoft Access.

A database management system (DBMS) is an interactive software application that collects and analyzes electronic data. Generally, it allows a database administrator (DBA) to create, define, and administer an electronic database, while allowing users to query and update that database.

A Data Historian is a special type of DBMS that logs time-based data into a database. Some historians use vendor-specific databases, while others use the common databases mentioned above.

The key advantages to using a Data Historian rather than a generic DBMS are:

• Real-time collection of data
• Time-series organization (time stamps)
• Speed of access (read/write) is more important than speed of analysis (queries)
• Special data-compression algorithms are used to reduce data duplication
• Large volumes of data can be collected and stored quickly

Experience

Our Systems Integrators have experience with the following Historians and databases:

• Inductive Automation - SQL Bridge module for Ignition (Historian)
• Canary Labs - Canary Enterprise Historian and TrendLink (Historian, Trending)
• Wonderware - InSQL Server, ActiveFactory (Historian and Trending)
• Rockwell Automation - FactoryTalk Historian (Historian)


• Microsoft SQL Server - database
• MySQL - database
• Microsoft Access - database
• MariaDB - database
• 4th Dimension - database