Handling identification and maintenance information of intelligent field devices using Web Based Enterprise Management

In modern automation systems, where a large amount of devices and a set of inter-operating heterogeneous field buses exist, the management of all the devices is still done device-by-device. Complex functions like "call device maintainer after reaching a device's service hour counter" for a group of devices within the network are still missing. Common management protocols like SNMP are not suitable for realizing such commands. With the introduction of Web Based Enterprise Management (WBEM) by the Distributed Management Task Force, an extensible system for the management of IT devices has been developed. This paper describes an approach how WBEM can be used for the management of PROFIBUS and PROFINET field bus systems using PROFIBUS International's "Identification & Maintenance" functions.