Differences Between PCS 7 AS-OS Engineering License Bundles and AS Engineering Licenses

A workstation equipped with the 'SIMATIC PCS 7 AS/OS Engineering' license bundle (e.g. 6ES7658-5AX28-0YB5) does not require an additional standalone 'AS Engineering' license (e.g. 6ES7658-1AX28-0YB5). The AS/OS Engineering bundle is a comprehensive engineering license that includes all entitlements of AS Engineering (CFC, SFC, SCL, HW Config, NetPro) as well as OS Engineering (WinCC Explorer, Graphic Designer, Tag Logging, Alarm Logging). The standalone AS Engineering license is a reduced-scope license intended strictly for stations that only program automation controllers and perform no operator station engineering.

Executive Summary

Designing and procuring the engineering infrastructure for SIMATIC PCS 7 (V8.0 through V9.1) requires a clear understanding of the hierarchical structure of engineering licenses. A recurring source of procurement confusion is whether an Engineering Station (ES) holding a 'PCS 7 AS/OS Engineering' bundle also requires a standalone 'PCS 7 AS Engineering' license key. This article details the software entitlements included within each engineering license tier, explains how Automation License Manager (ALM) evaluates engineering permissions, and highlights the licensing boundaries for optional engineering tools such as OpenPCS 7, Version Trail, and PDM.

Architecture and Fundamental Mechanics

Engineering License Hierarchy and Functional Entitlements:

PCS 7 AS/OS Engineering Bundle (e.g. 6ES7658-5AX..):
Scope: Universal engineering workstation license. Authorizes full end-to-end configuration across both the Automation Station (AS) and Operator Station (OS) domains.
AS Engineering Tools Authorized: SIMATIC Manager, CFC (Continuous Function Chart), SFC (Sequential Function Chart), S7-SCL, HW Config, NetPro, Docpro, and S7-PLCSIM.
OS Engineering Tools Authorized: WinCC Explorer, Graphic Designer, Tag Logging, Alarm Logging, Report Designer, User Administrator, and OS Project Editor.
Conclusion: Installing this bundle renders the standalone 'AS Engineering' license completely redundant on that machine.
PCS 7 AS Engineering Standalone License (e.g. 6ES7658-1AX..):
Scope: Dedicated automation controller engineering license. Authorizes PLC program design, hardware configuration, and network topology.
Target Deployment: Intended for specialized PLC programmers or stations dedicated exclusively to controller logic where no WinCC OS screens, graphics, or alarms are modified.
Limitation: Attempting to open WinCC Explorer, edit graphic pictures, or run the OS Project Editor on an ES with only this license triggers ALM 'License Key Missing' dialogs and forces WinCC into demo mode.
Boundary with Optional Packages and OpenPCS 7:
Neither AS/OS Engineering nor AS Engineering includes runtime or optional engineering packages.
OpenPCS 7: Provides external OPC DA/HDA/A&E and OPC UA connectivity to PCS 7 OS data. It is never included in the engineering bundles and requires dedicated licensing:
1. OpenPCS 7 station / OS: For running OpenPCS 7 services directly on an OS Server.
2. OpenPCS 7 station: For hosting OpenPCS 7 on a dedicated standalone PC client workstation.
Other Add-ons: SIMATIC PDM, Version Trail, Version Cross Manager, and Maintenance Station Engineering are licensed separately.

Step-by-Step Implementation Procedure

Step-by-Step Verification and License Allocation Procedure:

Audit Installed Licenses in Automation License Manager (ALM):
- Open ALM on the Engineering Station.
- Inspect the 'License Keys' pane under the local C: or target drive.
- Verify whether 'SIMATIC PCS 7 AS/OS Engineering' (matching the PCS 7 version) is present.
Identify Unnecessary Duplicate Purchases:
- If 'SIMATIC PCS 7 AS/OS Engineering' is installed, do not purchase or transfer 'SIMATIC PCS 7 AS Engineering' (6ES7658-1AX28-0YB5).
- Reallocate any unassigned standalone AS Engineering licenses to other dedicated controller-only programming laptops or stations.
Identify Required Optional Packages:
- If the architecture requires OPC UA/DA integration to MES or third-party historians via OpenPCS 7, procure the specific OpenPCS 7 runtime license:
- On an existing OS Server: SIMATIC PCS 7 OpenPCS 7 station / OS.
- On a separate dedicated workstation: SIMATIC PCS 7 OpenPCS 7 station.
Verify Multi-User Engineering Allocations:
- In multi-user engineering environments where multiple engineers access the same central multiproject concurrently across the network, verify that each participating ES workstation possesses its own valid engineering license key.
Validate Engineering Editors:
- Open SIMATIC Manager, CFC, and SFC; verify full edit and compile capability.
- Open WinCC Explorer on the ES and launch Graphic Designer; verify no licensing banners appear.

Verification

Verification Procedure:
1. ALM License Status Check: In ALM, select menu File -> Check License Keys. Confirm that all installed keys report status 'OK' with zero corrupted or expired tokens.
2. AS Editor Operational Test: In SIMATIC Manager, compile a CFC chart as program. Confirm compilation completes without licensing warnings.
3. OS Editor Operational Test: Open WinCC Explorer on the ES; open a process picture (.pdl) in Graphic Designer. Confirm that saving and compiling graphic objects occurs without 'Demo Mode' notifications.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

Operational Precautions and Commercial Disclaimers:
- Engineering vs Runtime: Engineering licenses strictly authorize project configuration and testing on the ES. They do not authorize production runtime execution on OS Servers or OS Clients.
- Floating License Behavior: While PCS 7 engineering licenses are floating and can be served across a local network from a central ALM server, each concurrently running engineering session consumes one full license seat.
- Procurement Verification: The catalog number 6ES7658-5AX28-0YB5 corresponds specifically to PCS 7 V8.2. Each major PCS 7 version (V8.2, V9.0, V9.1) has unique MLFB identifiers. Validate all final quantities, upgrade paths, and MLFBs against the official Siemens ST PCS 7 catalog and an authorized Siemens distributor quotation.

Engineer FAQ

Does the AS/OS Engineering bundle include all features of AS Engineering?

Yes. The AS/OS Engineering bundle completely encompasses all AS Engineering tools (CFC, SFC, SCL, HW Config) alongside all OS engineering editors.

What happens if I only have an AS Engineering license and try to open WinCC?

WinCC Explorer will warn that the required OS engineering license is missing, and the graphic editors will run in non-licensed demo mode.

Is OpenPCS 7 included in the AS/OS Engineering license?

No. OpenPCS 7 is an optional communication package that requires separate runtime licensing on the server or client station.

Can multiple engineers share a single AS/OS Engineering license simultaneously?

No. Each active engineering workstation executing PCS 7 editors concurrently requires its own dedicated license seat in ALM.

Can an AS Engineering license be upgraded to an AS/OS Engineering license?

Yes. Siemens offers specific PowerPack upgrade packages to upgrade a standalone AS Engineering license to an AS/OS Engineering bundle.

Technical References

Related Tags

AS-OS Engineering
AS Engineering
PCS 7 Licensing
OpenPCS 7
Automation License Manager

Automation License Manager

20 respuestas

Differences Between PCS 7 AS-OS Engineering License Bundles and AS Engineering Licenses