Deploying process automation alarms to distributed control nodes

A method implemented by one or more processors of a distributed control node (DCN) of a process automation system, the method comprising:

• detecting occurrence of one or more alarm configuration conditions;
• responsive to detecting the occurrence of the one or more alarm configuration conditions:
• generating an alarm configuration request, wherein generating the alarm configuration request includes incorporating, in the alarm configuration request, a function block identifier of a function block based on the function block being executed by the DCN and/or being utilized in alarm monitoring by the DCN;
• transmitting, via a network of the process automation system, the alarm configuration request that incorporates the function block identifier;
• receiving, via the network and responsive to transmitting the alarm configuration request that incorporates the function block identifier, an alarm configuration file that is identified based on the function block identifier;
• and
• implementing alarm monitoring based on the received alarm configuration file and the function block.

A process automation system, comprising:

• an alarms configuration server including:
• one or more network interfaces communicatively coupled to a network of the process automation system;
• an alarms database that includes multiple function block specific alarm configuration files and, for each of the function block specific alarm configuration files, a corresponding association to a corresponding function block identifier;
• one or more alarm configuration processors executing stored instructions to:
• receive, via the network, an alarm configuration request transmitted by a node of the process automation system,
• wherein the alarm configuration request includes a function block identifier of a function block, and includes the function block identifier based on the function block being assigned for use in alarm monitoring by the node;
• responsive to receiving the alarm configuration request that is transmitted by the DCN and that includes the function block identifier:
• retrieve, from the alarms database, a particular alarm configuration file based on the corresponding association, for the particular alarm configuration file, being to the function block identifier that is included in the received alarm configuration request;
• and
• transmit, via the network and to the node, the retrieved alarm configuration file,
• wherein transmitting the retrieved alarm configuration file causes the node to implement alarm monitoring that conforms to the retrieved alarm configuration file.