This works great. The question is around reporting.
We are thinking of installing a dedicated reporting backend GW server. It will have connections to all Databases. We will create the reports by login through designer launcher directly to that reporting GW. Is it the right approach? in which case do we also need the reporting module installed on the front-end servers to allow end users to access the report through Perspective?
Or should the frontend GW servers actually be the reporting servers?
Where should we install the reporting module in such architecture? is essentially the question.
So, I remember bringing something like this up with our sales rep, and there's a special license for architectures like this, if I recall. There's a license for the reporting module to generate the reports, but I think there's also a separate license you can get for just viewing reports on front end servers (but I could be completely wrong).
The reporting module would get you the reports section in the project browser and the report viewer component for vision/perspective.
Normally if you want to use the Report Viewer component, you'd get some license to do it, but I don't think you can reference a report from another gateway with the source property, which would make this approach pointless.
Typical solution is have report module on each front end gateway, but that isn't to say you couldn't have a dedicated report module gateway that would serve the pdf via Web Dev module and viewed in an iframe...
See this resource for example: Ignition Exchange | Inductive Automation
Thanks all for your feedback. Closing the loop on this thread. There are ways to handle reporting in this architecture:
Install the reporting module on the front end servers. Pros: the end user access Ignition thought the front-end only. Cons: a) the front end GW may suffer performance issue if large report are running, potentially affecting other users monitoring the environment. b) reporting module cost, each time a new Front-End server is added, the reporting module must be purchased.
Install the reporting module on a dedicated GW. Pros: a) because it is dedicated, the front-end servers won't have performance issue (at least not from running report!). b) need to only purchase reporting module once. Cons: End user must navigate to the dedicated GW to run reports. This cons can be lessen by creating links from the front-end project to the report, including parameters.
