Download Raima Embedded Database for LabVIEW - At the

R AIMA EMBEDDED D ATABASE FOR L ABVIEW - AT THE HEART OF NEW
SMART GRID TECHNOLOGY
LocalGrid Technologies has partnered with National Instruments to develop a smart
grid-ready platform that can be customized to meet the needs of different grid
applications. At the heart of the innovative platform is embedded database technology
from Raima.
As countries across the world look to secure their energy supplies and reduce reliance
on traditional fossil fuels, one of the challenges is to integrate alternative generation
resources - wind, solar, tidal, and others - onto the grid effectively. Operators face the
challenge of monitoring their performance in real time and optimizing the microgrid or
cell. Because disparate power generation sites tend to be located at some distance
from the operations centre, all of this needs to be achievable remotely.
LocalGrid Technologies is addressing this requirement by creating a complete
microgrid control solution based on NI CompactRIO hardware. The LocalGrid software
runs on distributed embedded controllers deployed in the field, pushing intelligence
and decentralized decision making out to the remote devices and distributed energy
resources.
LocalGrid's solution is a platform for securely managing power flow, peak load,
distributed generation, and other energy assets using real-time data collection,
analytics, and control on a distributed intelligence network, pushing the decision
making out into the network, increasing the system fault-tolerance, and developing
scalable architectures that will grow with the needs of the operator.
Key features of each device deployed to the network include high-speed data capture,
high-speed logging, event detection, protocol translation (including Modbus, DNP3,
IEC61850, and other custom protocols), custom control processing, custom control
algorithm deployment processing, built-in security, and remote device management. In
addition, an open architecture was considered essential for extending the capabilities
of the system and ensuring interoperability.
Key to the design is embedded database technology, as Graham Beauregard of
LocalGrid Technologies explains, "The core of our product is a secure distributed data
management system, where each remote device stores its own local data in an
internal encrypted database. The data from each device can be configured to flow up
to a higher storage capacity device installed in a substation or operations centre for
example."
In looking for an appropriate database solution, LocalGrid had some demanding
requirements. Beauregard comments, "Since we are using National Instruments
CompactRIO embedded controllers, we are also using LabVIEW for most of our
embedded development to be deployed on VxWorks and Linux®-based operating
RaimaDMA003 (en-GB)
First released on 13/08/2013
Page 1 of 4
systems. Further, many of our client side applications run in Windows developed using
C#, so we needed a cross-platform, highly flexible database solution that supports
encryption."
That solution seemed elusive until National Instruments informed LocalGrid that an
embedded database with a native LabVIEW API was now available – Raima Database
API for LabVIEW, implemented with RDM Embedded 11. This provides a database
management solution specifically designed for applications deployed on CompactRIO
and NI Single-Board RIO devices. Standalone operation is possible because the
database resides in the LabVIEW data directory. It offers extended functionality to
share data between multiple targets – whether sharing information between
CompactRIO devices or outside computers.
The Raima Database API for LabVIEW provides programmers with a way to quickly
and easily design data management functionality into their software applications using
an intuitive and easy-to-use programming interface that is familiar to them.
Rugged and reliable, with fast, deterministic performance, Raima Database API for
LabVIEW is available on the LabVIEW Tools Network and is the first database to
deliver relational data management locally on real-time CompactRIO devices. One or
more CompactRIO or NI Single-Board RIO devices may store and share data without
requiring connectivity to external database servers. Events may be logged and
queried, streams may be captured and configurations may be shared through Raima
functions.
The database technology supports VxWorks and support for the NI Linux real-time
targeted platforms is under development, which was important for LocalGrid.
Furthermore, its small footprint means it can run on a variety of embedded systems in
field devices that may have very limited resources.
"RDM Embedded is fast, flexible, and designed for embedded targets allowing us to
base our entire system around a single database product with native support for
LabVIEW," comments Beauregard. "This will simplify our design and reduce errors or
unknowns during development."
Development of LocalGrid's innovative platform is moving forward quickly, and the
company is currently working with an industry-leading distribution utility that is
pioneering new technology for the power industry. In addition, LocalGrid has already
deployed multiple units in the field and is working to deploy many more over the next
year. "The Raima embedded database has been one of the keys to our technology,
and we have worked very closely with Raima throughout the development of our
solution," says Beauregard.
"We have found Raima to be a highly responsive and knowledgeable partner," he
continues. "We have been working with them for most of the development of their
RaimaDMA003 (en-GB)
First released on 13/08/2013
Page 2 of 4
LabVIEW API, and wherever there was a problem Raima has always responded
quickly and turned around a solution within days."
Picture 1: LocalGrid's innovative data management platform will be installed at
Exhibition Place, Toronto, Canada.
About the LabVIEW Tools Network
NI Alliance Partners accelerate developer productivity by creating LabVIEW software
add-ons and applications that receive a Compatible with LabVIEW certification and are
distributed through the LabVIEW Tools Network.
About Raima
Raima delivers high-performance, always on database technology for both in-memory
database usage and persistent storage devices. Raima’s core focus is to develop
database management solutions for everything from small embedded devices up to
enterprise level hardware systems.
The Raima Database Manager (RDM) products are cross-platform, small footprint, fast
and reliable database solutions which are made to Collect, Store, Manage and Move
data. They are used worldwide in a wide range of data management solutions in
industries such as industrial automation systems, military flight control systems,
telecom routers & switches, financial trading systems, medical equipment, data
backup solutions, consumer electronic devices and more.
All products feature solid and reliable ACID compliant database technology and
employ a number of advanced solutions to meet today’s complex data management
challenges. Examples are moving data from small low-powered embedded devices up
into larger enterprise systems, building highly-available database systems, database
partitioning support to facilitate data distribution and scalability, and interfaces allowing
access to the data from a range of external sources.
Raima Database Manager (RDM) products include options to meet a variety of data
management architectural designs by providing a choice of data models and access
methods to solve the most stringent performance requirements.
Editor Contact
DMA Europa Ltd : Nicola Bigmore
Tel: +44 (0)1562 751436
Fax: +44 (0)1562 748315
Web: www.dmaeuropa.com
Email: [email protected]
Reader Contact
Raima Inc. : Nigel Rozier, EMEA Sales Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 1628 826 800
RaimaDMA003 (en-GB)
First released on 13/08/2013
Page 3 of 4
Fax: +44 (0) 1628 825 343
Web: http://www.raima.com/
Email: [email protected]
RaimaDMA003 (en-GB)
First released on 13/08/2013
Page 4 of 4