Building Controller Version Control System
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Solution Overview
Problem
Managing building controller configurations across multiple technicians and locations is challenging due to overwriting of changes, lack of versioning information, and difficulties in backing up and restoring previous configurations, which hinders troubleshooting and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
Integration of a version control system (VCS or DVCS) into the configuration toolset and building controllers, allowing multiple technicians to update configurations while maintaining accurate change history, enabling the recovery of previous versions and avoiding overwrites, with repositories hosted on laptops or servers for synchronization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If multiple technicians make changes to building controller configurations from multiple laptop computers, then configuration updates can be made efficiently, but changes may be overwritten and versioning information is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The configuration file is divided into multiple baseline versions (e.g., baseline A, baseline B), where each technician works on a separate baseline. This segmentation prevents overwriting because each technician's changes are applied to their own baseline copy, and the system tracks which baseline each configuration derives from.
Solution Approach 2:
Baseline versions are created and stored in advance before technicians make their changes. This preliminary action establishes a known good state that can be referenced later, allowing the system to determine whether to apply changes from one technician or another based on the baseline comparison.
2Ease of operation
If configuration changes are made in the field during maintenance visits, then on-site adjustments can be made quickly, but changes may be overwritten by unrelated changes made back in the office
Solution Approach 1:
A baseline version is created and stored in advance before field technicians make their changes. This preliminary action establishes a known good state that can be referenced later, allowing the system to determine whether to apply field changes or office changes based on the baseline comparison.
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback by comparing configuration versions and identifying conflicts between field changes and office changes. This feedback mechanism allows technicians to review what changes would be applied and make informed decisions about configuration management.
3Ease of repair
If configuration backup and restore functionality is implemented, then previous configurations can be recovered, but the process becomes complex and difficult to manage
Solution Approach 1:
The backup process is segmented into discrete baseline versions rather than requiring full system snapshots. Each baseline represents a recoverable state, simplifying the restore process to merely selecting and applying the desired baseline version without complex restore procedures.
4Reliability
If version control integration is added to the configuration toolset and building controller, then accurate change history and revert capability are provided, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Version control is implemented by segmenting configurations into discrete baseline versions stored in the repository, rather than implementing a full version control system. This approach provides versioning and revert capabilities through simple baseline comparison and selection, avoiding the complexity of integrated VCS while maintaining reliability.
Data Source
AI summary
A system and approach for managing configuration versions for controllers. The system and approach may incorporate a building controller, a version control system, and a computer connected to the controller and version control system. The version control system may have the controller configured to a latest version of changes as incorporated by a current configuration without losing one or more previous configurations. The one or more previous configurations may be recoverable by the version control system. The one or more previous configurations and the current configuration may be held by one or more repositories. The one or more repositories may be hosted in the computer, a remote computer, or a server.