Siemens S7 Configuration
Pulse supports monitoring Siemens SIMATIC S7 PLCs using the S7 communication protocol. This includes both connectivity monitoring and individual tag value tracking.
Creating an S7 Endpoint Monitor
An endpoint monitor verifies that an S7 PLC is reachable on the network.
- Navigate to Monitors and click Create Monitor
- Select S7 Endpoint
- Configure the connection:
| Field | Description | Typical Value |
|---|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name | PLC Line 1 |
| IP Address | PLC network address | 192.168.1.50 |
| Rack | PLC rack number | 0 |
| Slot | PLC slot number | 1 |
| Escalation Policy | Which escalation policy to use | Default Policy |
| Message Template | Custom message for notifications | Supports Markdown |
| Tags | Categorize the monitor |
Rack and Slot Values
Common configurations for Siemens PLCs:
| PLC Type | Rack | Slot |
|---|---|---|
| S7-1200 | 0 | 1 |
| S7-1500 | 0 | 1 |
| S7-300 | 0 | 2 |
| S7-400 | 0 | 2 or 3 |
Creating an S7 Tag Monitor
A tag monitor tracks a specific data point in the PLC memory and alerts when thresholds are exceeded.
- Navigate to Monitors and click Create Monitor
- Select S7 Tag
- Configure the monitoring parameters:
| Field | Description |
|---|---|
| Name | A descriptive name |
| S7 Address | The tag address in S7 notation |
| Data Type | The data type to read: Bit, Byte, Word, DWord, Int, DInt, or Real |
| S7 Endpoint Monitor | Select an existing S7 endpoint |
| Escalation Policy | Which escalation policy to use |
| Aggregation | Min, Max, Sum, Average, or Count |
| Operation | Comparison: Equal (=), Not Equal (≠), >, ≥, <, ≤ |
| Threshold | The value to compare against |
| Check Frequency | How often to read the value (in seconds) |
| Evaluation Duration | Time window for aggregation (in seconds) |
| Message Template | Custom message for notifications (supports Markdown and variables) |
| Tags | Categorize the monitor |
S7 Address Format
S7 addresses follow the pattern DBx.DByz where:
DB-- Data Block prefixx-- Data Block numbery-- Data type:B(Byte),W(Word/2 bytes),D(DWord/4 bytes)z-- Byte offset within the data block
Examples:
| Address | Description |
|---|---|
DB1.DBW0 | Word at offset 0 in Data Block 1 |
DB2.DBD4 | Double word at offset 4 in Data Block 2 |
DB10.DBB0 | Byte at offset 0 in Data Block 10 |
Data Types
When creating an S7 Tag Monitor, you must select the data type to interpret the raw PLC memory correctly:
| Data Type | Description |
|---|---|
| Bit | Single boolean value (0/1) |
| Byte | Unsigned 8-bit integer |
| Word | Unsigned 16-bit integer |
| DWord | Unsigned 32-bit integer |
| Int | Signed 16-bit integer |
| DInt | Signed 32-bit integer |
| Real | 32-bit floating point number |
TIP
Refer to your PLC program documentation for the correct data block numbers, offsets, and data types for the values you want to monitor.
WARNING
The address and data type must be consistent. For example, a DBW (Word) address requires the Word data type. If they don't match, Pulse reports a validation error: "Address does not match the selected data type."
Pulse also validates the address format itself. If the address cannot be parsed (for example DB1.INVALID), you will see "S7 Address is not valid" — check the address format and try again.
TIP
When editing an existing S7 Tag Monitor, the data type dropdown is pre-filled with the previously configured value. If you change the address to one with a different word length (for example from a DBW to a DBD address), you also need to update the data type to a compatible one, or Pulse will report a validation error.