With an update of its Sinema server software, Siemens is offering a host of new functions for the quick and easy location of faults in automation networks. A prerequisite of efficient fault localization is that the status of the devices in the network is always indicated correctly and clearly. A change of status can have many different causes that are recorded and stored in the form of events. Using Service Pack SP1 of Sinema Server, it is now possible to assemble any number of such events in groups and configure their influence like 'OK', 'Warning', 'Error' or 'Failure' on the indicated device states. Among other things, this offers the user the opportunity of defining new diagnostic events of a Simatic PLC, for example. Furthermore, this means that a tool can be used to detect and indicate application-specific events, in addition to the diagnosis of the SNMP network alone, before they cause problems.