Once that you launch OT-BASE Asset Discovery, you need to authenticate using a logon dialog. When you log on for the first time, use the default credentials that you have received by email.
After successful logon, you will see two vertical areas, the discovery table (left) and the details pane (right). In the lower part of the details pane there is room for help text.
The discovery table shows the results of your asset discovery. You can select any entry in the table by left-click in order to inspect it in more detail, and in some cases to edit details, in the details pane. Once that you click on an item either in the discovery table or in the details pane, you will see context sensitive help text in the lower right corner.
Basic structure of the discovery table
Entries in the discovery table are hierarchical and mimic popular engineering software such as RSLinx.
First layer: Discovery node
The first (root) entry in the tree structure represents your discovery node, for which you can change configuration settings in the details pane.
Second layer: Networks
The entries on the next (lower) layer represent network interfaces that you can use to discover assets. You can add additional networks that you can reach via routing. If you select any of the networks objects, you can configure settings for that network in the details pane.
Third layer: Devices
Entries on the third layer represent devices. You can change device settings by selecting one or more devices and then make the desired changes in the details pane. You will only see devices after running a probe.
Fourth layer: Modules
For automation systems, you may be able to drill further down in order to inspect the modules on the backplane. You will only see modules after running a probe that has discovered PLC racks or RTUs.
Fifth layer: Networks behind modules
If your controllers use modules that connect to other networks (usually fieldbuses such as SERCOS or Profibus, or Ethernet/IP), you may be able to see those networks in the discovery table.
Sixth layer: Remote devices
For some fieldbuses and remote Ethernet/IP networks, you may see the devices attached to those networks.
Additional options in the discovery table
Re-sort entries
You can re-sort the table by clicking on a column header. Clicking on the same column header again will reverse the sorting order.
Node layer context menu
For each layer you can pull up a context menu with right-click.
For the node layer, you can choose the following actions:
Probe and refresh exported networks
Each network that is set to "Export" will be probed. You can see probing progress in the discovery table.
Export to Asset Center
Probing results (as displayed in the discovery table) will be exported to Asset Center, if the communication path is set properly.
Export to File
Probing results (as displayed in the discovery table) will be exported to a file, even if a communication path to Asset Center is configured.
Add remote network
Allows you to add a remote network to the discovery table. You will be prompted to input the network's address and subnet mask in CIDR notation.
Hide sub networks
When de-selected, remote networks that have been discovered behind rack modules will be listed on the second layer (network layer) in the discovery table. While this will often result in a less structured view of discovered networks, it will immediately show those networks, particularly fieldbuses, that are otherwise hidden deep in the hierarchy.
Network layer context menu
Probe and refresh current network
The selected network will be probed with the configured protocols (right pane), and probing results will be shown in the discovery table.
Only probe current network for new devices
The selected network will only be probed for the existence of new devices. Devices already shown in the discovery table will not be probed.
Only refresh known devices in current network
Devices already discovered for the selected network will be re-probed.
Add new device
Pops up a dialog where you can input an IP address of a new device. This is used for the rare situation that you don't want Asset Discovery to discover IP addresses, but only discover the configuration of specific devices that you identify by IP address.
Device layer context menu
On the device layer, you can perform various actions on one or more device entries via the context menu. To select multiple devices, use Ctrl-left click and Shift-left click.
Refresh using detected protocols
The selected device(s) will be probed using only protocols that have succeeded in the past. For example, if a device had been probed with Ethernet/IP and Siemens S7, but only Ethernet/IP was successful, the probe will only use Ethernet/IP.
Probe using configured protocols
The selected device(s) will be probed using the discovery protocols that have been configured. Other devices in the network will not be probed.
Set Location ID, Type, Vendor, Model, Hardware product description, Credentials
Lets you change various parameters for the selected device(s).
Delete selected devices
Lets you delete entries from the discovery table. This is particularly useful for devices that have been removed from the network. Asset Discovery will not delete the respective entries automatically, at least not before the configurable timer has expired. If you delete the entry for a device that is still on that network, the entry will be restored automatically in the next probing run.
The details pane
The details pane shows configuration details for the object that you have selected in the discovery table. Depending on what that object is, you might see a drop-down menu that lets you navigate to additional configuration characteristics, such as software and connectivity.
You can also edit some details in order to add context, such as location of specific networks and devices, and in order to fine-tune the probing. The important thing to remember is that after you are finished with your editing, don't forget to save the changes by clicking the "Set" button at the bottom of the detail pane.
The main menu
The main menu at the top of the window allows you to manually start a probe, a data export to OT-BASE Asset Center, to save diagnostic data for inspection by Langner, and to display general information about your Asset Discovery software.
Note that the About box will also tell you about the number of discovered devices:
The status line
At the bottom of the window you will find a status line that displays various types of status information.
Number of networks
The number of networks informs you about the total number of networks that have been discovered or added manually (remote networks), and the number of networks presently being displayed. If the number of networks presently being displayed (first number) is lower than the total number of networks, this indicates that there are remote networks such as fieldbuses that have been discovered that are not shown at the network layer. You can change this by by de-selecting the option "Hide sub networks" in the context menu of the node layer (see above).
Netflow and SFlow indicators
OT-BASE Asset Discovery can act as a Netflow and SFlow collector. If it did receive either flow data, you will see these indicators flashing.
Running device tasks
During a discovery run this shows the number of concurrent tasks dedicated to device discovery. The total number can be limited in the interest of putting a cap on memory consumption.
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