OPC Unified Architecture (UA) Server Support

OPC UA server functional overview

The OPC UA server is the passive, server-side portion of an OPC UA client / server relationship. The UA server validates, accepts, and executes incoming requests from OPC UA clients.

OPC UA provides a single, secure, and reliable cross-platform framework for accessing a variety of data. It is moving away from COM / DCOM to purely binary TCP / IP or alternatively SOAP.

Power Monitoring Expert supports OPC UA server and OPC UA client functionality. The OPC UA server translates ION data into OPC UA data, for exporting and viewing in other third-party OPC UA client systems. The OPC UA 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.

PME exposes the device data from both standard and custom drivers over OPC UA to other systems.

You can create a custom VIP in PME and expose the values in the VIP over OPC UA to other systems.

The OPC UA server has the following limitations:

  • The server supports OPC UA real-time data only.

  • Alarm Properties, historical data, methods, write Tags are not exposed.

  • Extended quality modes Control Inhibit and Tag Override are not available.

  • Redundant OPC UA servers are not supported.

warning

inaccurate data results

● Do not incorrectly configure the OPC Server.
● Do not base your maintenance or service actions solely on messages and information displayed by the software.
● Do not rely solely on software messages and reports to determine if the system is functioning correctly or meeting all applicable standards and requirements.
● 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 UA Server Architecture

The following image illustrates the simple system that can be configured for a third-party application that is consuming third party applications consumes data from PME OPC Server.

NOTE: OPC UA server should be included and hosted on the PME Server.

Prerequisite

To start the OPC UA server services:

  1. Go to Windows search bar.

  2. Type Services. select Services.

    The Services dialog box appears.

  3. Right-click ION OPC UA Server.

  4. Select Start.

This starts the services for OPC UA server for the client.