Metasys SCT Archive Hygiene and Recovery Workflow

SCT archives are your safety net for restores, upgrades, and forensic troubleshooting. The archive is only useful if it stays current, is backed up, and can be validated. This workflow shows how to keep SCT archives healthy and recover reliably.

Problem

When you need to restore or modify a Metasys site, the SCT archive is missing devices, outdated, or cannot properly upload or download—turning a routine change into an emergency.

Root Cause

• The archive is not maintained through a consistent workflow (uploads after changes, periodic validation).
• Devices and sites were not added using supported methods (site discovery and archive population workflows).

Solution

Step A: Establish source-of-truth rules

• Define who owns archive updates (project engineer, lead technician, etc.).
• Require an archive update after significant changes: new engines, major programming or graphics changes, mass point edits.

Step B: Populate archives correctly

When building or updating an archive, use SCT site discovery workflows:

1. Use Site Discovery to retrieve site information from a Site Director.
2. Insert devices using the Insert menu and site discovery workflow.
3. Confirm all engines and supervisory devices are represented correctly.

Step C: Maintain sites and supervisory devices

• Document the site hierarchy in a standard way.
• Verify IP addressing is captured correctly—IP changes can affect communication behavior and must be updated in the archive.
• Do not rely on tribal knowledge to reconstruct a site; the archive is the authoritative record.

Step D: Backup strategy

• Export and store archives in a controlled repository with date-stamped filenames.
• Keep at least one offline copy: site restore scenarios often coincide with network outages that prevent access to network shares.
• Confirm backup files can actually be opened before you need them in an emergency.

Step E: Validate the archive on a schedule

At a target cadence (monthly or quarterly):

• Open the archive and confirm devices exist and key objects are present.
• Spot-check connectivity paths, especially if IP addressing has changed since the last update.
• Confirm the archive version is compatible with the current SCT version in use.

Step F: Recovery playbook

If a site fails and you must restore:

1. Identify the most recent known-good archive backup.
2. Validate you can open it and that it includes the affected engines and devices.
3. Execute the restore and upload based on your site operational constraints.
4. Immediately re-establish the archive hygiene cycle after recovery so the next event is easier.

Field Notes / Gotchas

• An archive last updated before a major retrofit may be missing entire subsystems. Always verify coverage before assuming a backup is usable.
• If you are replacing an engine, upload to the archive before decommissioning the old hardware.
• Keeping an offline copy (USB drive or offline server) is critical because SCT restore events often happen alongside the same network failures that prevent access to network shares.