We would like to submit an enhancement request that is highly critical during the engineering phase of projects utilizing AVEVA System Platform 2023 R2 SP1.
Requested Enhancement
We propose introducing an additional deployment option across all deployment levels:
“Deploy to / As per Last Deployment Status”
This feature would enable the system to redeploy objects based on their previous deployment state (i.e., only redeploy objects that were previously deployed, while leaving undeployed objects unchanged).
Current Operational Challenge
In a typical project scenario, we manage:
~200 Areas
Over 800 Objects
Within this structure, deployment status is often mixed—some objects are deployed, while others remain intentionally undeployed based on engineering requirements.
During routine engineering activities, particularly when performing adjustments at the AppEngine or Platform level (e.g., failover configuration, watchdog timing optimization), it becomes necessary to:
Undeploy the AppEngine or Platform
Apply required configuration changes
Redeploy the system
Limitation in Current Workflow
At present, the redeployment process forces engineers to choose between:
Deploying objects individually (time-intensive and error-prone), or
Deploying the entire hierarchy under the engine/platform
The latter approach introduces several issues:
Unfinished or unvalidated objects are unintentionally deployed
Premature creation of object references, communication links, and Historian tags
Increased risk of configuration inconsistencies
Additional effort required to manually undeploy non-finalized objects
Impact
This limitation leads to:
Significant engineering time loss
Increased risk of human error
Inefficient deployment cycles, especially in large-scale systems
Proposed Value
Implementing a “Deploy as per Last Deployment Status” option would:
Preserve deployment integrity during iterative engineering
Prevent unintended deployment of incomplete objects
Streamline engineering workflows
Reduce commissioning time and effort
Enhance overall system reliability and maintainability
Conclusion
This enhancement would provide substantial value for large and complex projects, where deployment control and engineering efficiency are critical. We strongly recommend considering this feature in future releases of AVEVA System Platform.
