Selecting and Licensing SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station Runtime Packages

Selecting the correct SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station (MS) Runtime license requires identifying the exact PCS 7 software release, determining whether the architecture is an MS Single Station or MS Client/Server, and calculating the required asset count. While PCS 7 includes MS Basic for core diagnostic monitoring of SIMATIC controllers, CPs, and ET 200 distributed I/O stations, full predictive maintenance and intelligent field device diagnostics (HART, PROFIBUS PA, and FF instruments via SIMATIC PDM) require an MS Standard Runtime license package (such as 6ES7658-7GB58-0YB0 for V9.0 or 6ES7658-7GB28-0YB0 for V8.2). All commercial license procurements must be confirmed through official Siemens ordering channels.

Maintenance Station Architecture: Basic vs Standard

SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station (MS) provides plant asset management, diagnostic visualization, and predictive maintenance for automation components and field instrumentation. When engineering a Maintenance Station, engineers must distinguish between two fundamental operational tiers:

Maintenance Station Basic: Included with standard PCS 7 OS engineering and runtime packages. MS Basic provides status visualization and hardware diagnostics exclusively for native SIMATIC PCS 7 system components, including S7-400 CPUs, Industrial Ethernet CPs, communication modules, and ET 200 distributed I/O stations (interface modules and I/O cards). It requires no dedicated MS license keys.
Maintenance Station Standard: Requires dedicated MS runtime licenses and SIMATIC PDM integration. MS Standard expands asset management to include intelligent field devices (HART transmitters, PROFIBUS PA/DP instruments, FOUNDATION Fieldbus devices), network components (SCALANCE switches), IPC system health, and non-Siemens field equipment. It calculates maintenance condition states, calibration intervals, and NAMUR NE107 diagnostic indicators.

Asset Counting Rules and Capacity Determination

Licensing for Maintenance Station Standard is determined by the total number of monitored 'Assets'. Each monitored component consumes asset licenses based on standardized rules:

Asset CategoryMonitored ComponentsLicense Counting RuleTypical License Package TierAutomation ControllersS7-400, S7-410-5H, S7-400H Racks1 Asset per CPU / SubsystemIncluded in base MS Runtime (100 Assets)Network ComponentsSCALANCE X Switches, SCALANCE W, Security Modules1 Asset per Managed Switch IPCounted against total asset poolDistributed I/O StationsET 200M, ET 200SP HA, ET 200iSP Racks1 Asset per Interface Module (IM)Counted against total asset poolIntelligent Field InstrumentsHART Transmitters, PROFIBUS PA/FF Valves, Positioners1 Asset per PDM Device InstanceScaled via MS Runtime PowerPacksThird-Party / Gateway DevicesModbus Gateways, Frequency Inverters, Protection Relays1 Asset per Configured NodeScaled via MS Runtime PowerPacks

Asset counting is distinct from AS Runtime Process Objects (AS RT PO) and WinCC OS Runtime Process Objects (OS RT PO). An intelligent control valve consumes 1 OS PO for supervisory control, but consumes 1 MS Asset license when monitored for predictive maintenance.

License Package Structures and Full MLFB Identifiers

To purchase or upgrade Maintenance Station Runtime licenses, engineers must reference complete 16-character Siemens order numbers (MLFBs).

[!IMPORTANT]
Commercial Accuracy Guardrail: Software licensing rules, package contents, and pricing vary by region and contract status. Software packages, order numbers, and capacity limits must be verified against current Siemens Industry Mall catalogs and validated through an authorized Siemens distributor quotation prior to procurement.

Representative Siemens MLFB order numbers for Maintenance Station include:
* SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station Runtime Standard V9.0 (100 Assets): 6ES7658-7GB58-0YB0
* SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station Runtime Standard V8.2 (100 Assets): 6ES7658-7GB28-0YB0
* SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station Runtime PowerPack (from 100 to 500 Assets) V9.0: 6ES7658-7GC58-0YD0
* SIMATIC PCS 7 Maintenance Station Runtime Upgrade V8.x to V9.0: 6ES7658-7GX58-0YE0
* SIMATIC PDM MS Server V9.0 (Integration Package): 6ES7658-3TX58-0YB5

If the Maintenance Station is implemented as a dedicated standalone PC (MS Single Station), the station requires both the underlying WinCC Single Station Runtime license and the MS Runtime package. If implemented as an MS Client/Server, the MS Server hosts the MS Runtime license while MS Clients utilize standard OS Client licenses.

Commissioning and ALM License Transfer Procedure

To install and activate the Maintenance Station license on the target machine:
1. Insert the Siemens License USB stick or access the Online Software Delivery (OSD) portal download.
2. Launch Automation License Manager (ALM) (6ES7810-5CC12-0YA7) with administrative privileges.
3. Select the source drive containing the new license key (e.g., PCS 7 Maintenance Station RT).
4. Transfer the license key to the target partition where WinCC is installed (typically local drive C:).
5. In SIMATIC Manager, open the Multiproject and navigate to the MS Server project properties; verify that the Maintenance Station mode is configured as 'Standard'.
6. Run OS Compilation for the Maintenance Station to generate the asset diagnostic tree and diagnostic picture hierarchy.

Verification

To verify that the Maintenance Station Runtime license is properly recognized:
1. In Automation License Manager, select target drive C:, open the 'Installed Licenses' view, and verify that PCS 7 Maintenance Station RT is listed with License Type 'Floating' and Status 'OK'.
2. Start WinCC Runtime on the Maintenance Station.
3. Open the WinCC diagnostic window (pdldlg.exe or Diagnose.pdl) and confirm that no 'Missing License: Maintenance Station' warning dialogs appear.
4. Open the MS Overview faceplate in runtime and confirm that monitored field instruments display green health status or active NAMUR NE107 diagnostics without licensing watermark banners.

Limitations and Operational Precautions

An asset license shortage occurs if the total number of monitored hardware components and PDM field instruments exceeds the licensed asset threshold in ALM. While PCS 7 typically permits temporary runtime operation during license shortages, an unacknowledged license violation popup will trigger periodically on the operator screen, and historical asset condition archiving may be suspended. Always conduct an asset count audit in Process Object View (Filter -> Asset Diagnostics) before deploying new remote I/O stations or smart transmitters.

Engineer FAQ

What is the difference between MS Basic and MS Standard?

MS Basic is free with standard PCS 7 OS licenses but only monitors native SIMATIC components (CPUs, CPs, ET 200 racks). MS Standard requires a dedicated license and monitors intelligent field devices (HART, PA, FF), network switches, and third-party instruments via SIMATIC PDM.

Does a dual-redundant Maintenance Station server pair require two MS Runtime licenses?

Yes. In a redundant MS server pair, each physical server requires its own identical MS Runtime license and OS Server Runtime license transferred via Automation License Manager.

Are HART transmitters connected to ET 200M modules automatically monitored by MS Basic?

No. The ET 200M interface module and I/O cards are monitored by MS Basic. However, the individual HART field transmitters require SIMATIC PDM and an MS Standard asset license to display NE107 diagnostic data.