A system and methods for using data from an external database compiled from real device used for testing and simulation of a system. The system includes an external database interface to access an external database. The external database includes a plurality of categories of time-value data collected from an electrical device. An importer converts one of plurality of categories of time-value data to a corresponding topic of a common data format. A device profiler is coupled to the importer to create a device profile including the converted topic. A database profiler creates a database profile representing a system including a device defined by the device profile and including the category of time-value data.