OPC Server Support

Introduction to OPC

OPC is a set of open standards for connectivity and interoperability of industrial automation and the enterprise system. OPC provides a bridge between Windows based applications and process control hardware, thereby eliminating the need for proprietary or custom interfaces and drivers for the various data types and sources residing in your corporate information network. Having information readily available in a universally-recognized format can cut costs, speed up development and increase operations efficiency. This is especially true when many diverse software applications, hardware, and operating systems exist in the corporate and operations networks.

RECOMMENDATION: Use an OPC tunneling application for OPC data exchange over a network

warning

inaccurate data results

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Do not incorrectly configure the OPC Server.

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Do not base your maintenance or service actions solely on messages and information displayed by the software.

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Do not rely solely on software messages and reports to determine if the system is functioning correctly or meeting all applicable standards and requirements.

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Consider the implications of unanticipated transmission delays or failures of communications links.

Failure to follow these instructions can result in death, serious injury, equipment damage, or permanent loss of data.

OPC is supported through the implementation of IONReal Time Data Service, a .NET-based system that takes the traditional “register handle-based” ION data and transforms it into structured “measurement-based” data that complies with open standards such as OPC. ION Real Time Data Service facilitates the translation and organization of data in this new measurement classification system.

Power Monitoring Expert supports OPC server and OPC client functionality. The OPC server translates ION data into OPC data, for exporting and viewing in other third-party OPC client systems. The OPC client, on the other hand, takes OPC standardized measurements from third-party systems and translates them into a data format that Power Monitoring Expert can use.

This appendix provides basic configuration and operation instructions for the OPC server component of Power Monitoring Expert.

NOTE: The OPC client is available in all Power Monitoring Expert installations. However, due to the number of different third-party OPC-compliant servers in the industry, as well as different methods and syntax for connecting to these servers and accessing their data, it is highly recommended that you contact Technical Support for assistance in configuring the OPC client.

Optional OPC server license

The OPC Server Assistant is available during the 90-day trial period. After the trial period, you need to purchase a Data Exchange Module license and activate it through the License Configuration Tool to enable OPC server functionality.

OPC server type

The Power Monitoring Expert OPC server complies with the "OPC Data Access Custom Interface Standard Version 2.05A". The class of data that the current release of OPC Data Access server is able to provide is Read-Only data (i.e., control functions are not currently supported).