Preparing the SPC Configuration File

Scenario: You want to integrate an SPC intrusion system, and the SPC field panels are already installed. For each SPC panel, you must prepare and export a .cfg configuration file that you will later import into Desigo CC . To prepare the .cfg files you can use the SPC Pro tool or the SPC configuration web interface.

Information

If you access the SPC web interface using Internet Explorer browser, you need a special setting to allow configuration file export. In the Tools > Internet Options > Advanced tab, in the option list, search for the Security options and enable Do not save encrypted pages to disk.

 

Reference: For background information, see the reference section.

 

Workflow diagram:

 

 

Prerequisites:

  • The SPC field panels are installed.

 

Steps:

1 – Connect to the SPC Panel

If you use the SPC Pro tool:

  1. From the Windows Start menu, start the SPC Pro tool and login.
  • The list of SPC Pro Installations (panels) displays.
  1. Select the SPC panel in the list and click Configure.
  • The SPC panel configuration window displays.
  1. Click Connect to panel and select the connection line.
  1. Once connected, click Full Engineer.

If you use the SPC web interface:

  1. From a web browser, access the web page of the SPC panel to configure.
  1. On the web page that displays, click Full Engineer.
NOTICE

When the SPC panel is set to Full Engineer mode, no alarm message is transmitted.

 

2 – Select the Communication Protocol
  1. In the Communications expander, select either of the protocols:
  • EDP
  • FlexC

NOTE: The FlexC protocol is recommended for higher security and forward compatibility.

 

3 – Configure Protocol Settings

If you chose EDP go to Configure EDP protocol settings.

If you chose FlexC go to Configure FlexC Protocol Settings.

 

Configure EDP protocol settings

Information

For backward compatibility, you must use the Enhanced Datagram Protocol (EDP) to communicate with the SPC panel. In EDP, Desigo CC acts as a receiver of the SPC messages. You need to configure the EDP communication parameters and select TCP as the transport layer protocol. This can be encrypted based on the selection you choose in the local SPC configuration.

  1. Select Communications > EDP Settings (or Communications > Reporting > EDP on the web tool)
  1. Add an EDP receiver. Configure the following parameters:
  • Receiver ID: make a note of this value for use when you configure the driver.
  • Receiver IP Address: must match the IP address of the station ( server, or FEP) where the SPC driver will run.
  • Protocol version: must be Version 2 (click the EDP receiver to edit this parameter).
  1. Select the EDP receiver and click Advanced, then configure the following parameters:
  • Commands Enable: must be selected.
  • Select the Network Enable check box and configure the Network Protocol: select TCP/IP.
    NOTE: To comply with IT security standards, the TCP/IP protocol is required.
  • Receiver Port : make a note of this value for use when you configure the driver.
  • Always Connected: must be selected.
  • Panel Master: must be selected for TCP/IP protocol and VDS profiles.
  • Polling Interval: keep the default value 10.
  • Polling Trigger: keep the default value 10.
  • Primary Receiver: must be selected.
  1. Click Filter. In the Event Filter list that displays, select all check boxes except Early/Late Setting and Zone States (to prevent slowing down the system).
  1. Click Save.
Information

The Receiver ID and Receiver Port values configured here must match those you later configure in the SPC driver. If you plan to use the same driver to monitor multiiple SPC panels, then they must all have the same Receiver ID and Receiver Port values.

 

Configure FlexC Protocol Settings

Information

The SPC Flexible Secure Communications Protocol (FlexC) enables encrypted communications for an IP-based single or multiple path Alarm Transmission System (ATS). An ATS is a reliable communication link between:
- A Supervised Premises Transceiver (SPT), that is the Ethernet integrated onto the SPC panel,
and
- A Receiving Center Transceiver (RCT), that is the management platform.
A FlexC ATS may support more than one Alarm Transmission Path (ATP), but in this application only one ATP is used in a so-called Single Path ATS.

  1. Select Communications > FlexC (Communications > FlexC on the web tool)
  1. In the FlexC ATS tab, click Add Single Path ATS. Configure the following parameters:
  • SPT Account Code: the SPC identifier, a number from 1 to 99999999.
    Do NOT use the value 0 (Auto).
  • RCT ID: the ID for the Receiver, a number from 1 to 99999999.
    NOTE: You may use the last number of the Receiver IP address as a unique RTC ID.
    You need to know this value to configure the driver.
  • URL or IP address: must match the management station's IP address.
  • RCT Port: By default = 52000. You need to set the same value in the driver.
  1. Click Save.
  1. In the Event Profiles tab, in Event Filter / System Monitoring, deselect the Report Event check box for Zone State Change.
  1. Click Save.
  1. Click Edit, then click Advanced ATP Settings.
  1. Set Encryption Key Mode to Fixed Encryption, and enter the encryption key (64 hex digits).
  1. In the ATP Profiles section:
  • Set Event Profile to Default Events
  • Set Command Profile to Default Commands
  1. Click Save.
Information

The RCT ID and RCT Port values configured here must match those you later set in the SPC driver. If you plan to use the same driver to monitor multiple SPC panels, then they must all have the same RCT ID and RCT Port values.

 

4 – Configure Timer Settings
  1. Select Panel Settings > System Settings > Timers (Configuration > System > System Timers on the web tool).
  1. Make sure to properly configure the following parameters:
  • Dialer delay: must be 0; otherwise a delay occurs before alarms are transmitted to the management station.
  • Time Sync Limit: suggested value is 120 seconds (max value is 300).The time synchronization command is only accepted by the panel if the new time and actual time of the control panel are outside of the defined time interval; otherwise the command will be ignored.
  1. Click Save.

 

5 – Save and Export the Panel Configuration
  1. Click Exit.
  • The list of SPC Pro Installations (panels) displays.
  1. Right-click the SPC panel in the list, and export the SPC configuration file.
  • SPC Pro exports a .cfg configuration file.
  • The web tool exports a [name_cfg] file. You need to manually rename the file [name].cfg. Note the .cfg extension.