Data Integrity: ALCOA+ Concept

Attributable

Who, when, what, and why?

Risk:

While sharing licenses can reduce system cost, it can violate the integrity of the metadata rendering it unattributable.

Eurotherm Remedy:
Password protected accounts determine permission for which actions can be carried out by a user’s role definition. Actions are logged within the audit trail, and the Security Manager feature can be linked to Microsoft® Active Directory for simplified and centralized user management.

Legible

Readable and permanent?

Risk:
Paper records are susceptible to alterations and incorrect scaling of measured values. Tracking them can be complex.

Eurotherm Remedy:
Process data and alarm history are digitally available in readable form for real time and historical views via the HMI, recorder screen, Data Reviewer software, SCADA interface, data historian and reporting packages. Metadata, including audit trail information is also available for analysis, queries and periodic reviews.

Original

Unaltered state and "true copy"?

Risk:
Paper based records and data digitally recorded in CSV or TXT files can be easily edited and modified.

Eurotherm Remedy:
Original process data and metadata are digitally recorded and stored in Eurotherm proprietary tamper resistant binary-checksummed file format (.UHH).

Accurate

Is it the right value/action?

Risk:

Handwritten records, poorly positioned sensors and measurement drifting in recording equipment can lead to data misinterpretation and inaccuracies.

Eurotherm Remedy:
Recording digitally via high accuracy inputs, expertise in sensor positioning, and procedures to cover instrument loop calibration and validation, help to confirm that values read are representative of the actual process conditions.

(+) Complete

Consistent

Is the sequence correct?

Risk:
If not timestamped, the recording sequence and data audit trail cannot be relied upon.

Eurotherm Remedy:
Data is recorded chronologically, with the date and time stamp in the expected sequence. Process data, alarms and events stored in the UHH files can be viewed as a trend via Data Reviewer software, where inconsistencies or missing data are evident.

Enduring

Is it securely stored for long term use? 

Risk:

Paper trails can get lost or disintegrate over time:

Eurotherm Ready:

Digitally recording data in a file format with long term compatibility retrieval support to ensure data is available from historian databases years after it is recorded

Available

Is the data accesible immediately?

Risk:
Retrieving data from paper trails or multiple archives can be time consuming.

Eurotherm Remedy:
High availability system architecture, including uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) and redundant instrumentation, servers, historians, and communication networks enable fast retrieval of data. Data Reviewer software can access data quickly by batch code, recorder/group name or time/date.