Automating PI Tag Synchronization Across Multiple PI Historians Using PowerShell

Maintaining consistent PI tags across multiple PI Data Archives—especially development, test, and production environments—can be a daunting task. While PI to PI interfaces ensure replicated data flows, keeping tag definitions synchronized (i.e., PI Point creation, deletion, or updates) often requires additional attention. Traditionally, solutions like piconfig batch files handle bulk export/import, but with the advent of OSIsoft's PowerShell Tools for the PI System, streamlined and more flexible scripting solutions are within reach.

Why Automate PI Tag Synchronization?

As PI deployments grow in complexity, maintaining alignment between development and production environments is vital for accurate testing, validation, and minimizing configuration drift. Manually updating tags is error-prone and time-consuming. By leveraging PowerShell scripting, you can:

• Automate comparison and synchronization between source (production) and target (dev/test) PI servers
• Eliminate manual intervention and reduce outages due to missing or misconfigured tags
• Enable repeatable, scheduled, and scalable updates

Prerequisites

• PowerShell Tools for the PI System Version 2 (included with PI System Management Tools 2015 (3.5.1.7+) or later). Download from the OSIsoft Tech Support site.
• Sufficient privileges to connect and write to both source and destination PI Data Archives.
• PowerShell 5.1 or above recommended.

Basic Workflow

1. Connect to both PI Data Archives
2. Export PI Point lists and attributes
3. Compare the sets (differential query) using Compare-Object
4. Import/create/update PI Points as required on the target Data Archive

Sample PowerShell Script

Below is a simplified script that demonstrates the workflow for synchronizing tag (PI Point) definitions between production and development PI servers:

# Set up connections to both PI Data Archives
$prodServer = "yourProdPIServer"
$devServer  = "yourDevPIServer"
# Requires PI PowerShell module
$prodConnection = Connect-PIDataArchive -PIDataArchiveMachineName $prodServer
$devConnection  = Connect-PIDataArchive -PIDataArchiveMachineName $devServer

# Get all tags from both servers (use wildcards or filtering as needed)
$prodPoints = Get-PIPoint -Name '*' -Connection $prodConnection
$devPoints  = Get-PIPoint -Name '*' -Connection $devConnection

# Compare tag names between servers
$comparisons = Compare-Object -ReferenceObject ($prodPoints.Point.Name) -DifferenceObject ($devPoints.Point.Name)

# Tags present in prod but not in dev (=> candidates to add)
$tagsToAdd = $comparisons | Where-Object {$_.SideIndicator -eq "<="} | Select-Object -ExpandProperty InputObject

foreach ($tag in $tagsToAdd) {
    $pointConfig = $prodPoints | Where-Object { $_.Point.Name -eq $tag }
    # Create tag in dev, duplicate attributes as needed
    Add-PIPoint -Name $tag -PointType $pointConfig.PointType -Connection $devConnection 
    # Further properties can be set here (descriptor, engineering units, etc.)
}

# You might also compare and update attributes, or handle tag deletions in dev if required.

Going Beyond Tag Names

The PowerShell Tools not only allow you to compare just tag names but also compare and synchronize PI Point attributes (such as pointtype, descriptor, engineering units, etc.). You can retrieve and clone all relevant metadata using PowerShell objects and ensure your environment is an accurate mirror.

Useful Resources

• PowerShell Tools for the PI System
• Getting Started with the PowerShell Tools for the PI System – Daphne Ng

Final Thoughts

PowerShell scripting supercharges your ability to automate PI system management tasks—including synchronizing tag definitions across environments. With a little setup, you can save hours of repetitive work and ensure your development landscape evolves in step with production.

Have you automated your PI tag management processes? Share your experiences or questions below!