This driver is an advanced driver. It provides additional functionality to enable Geo SCADA Expert to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
Intended Audience
This guide is primarily intended for engineers who are responsible for configuring EtherNet/IP items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
The guide also contains information for:
- Operators and engineers who use the EtherNet/IP driver to monitor and control plant.
- Maintenance engineers.
Document Scope
This guide explains the configuration, features and database items that are specific to Geo SCADA Expert’s EtherNet/IP driver. The EtherNet/IP driver enables Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with supported ranges of Allen-Bradley controllers using the EtherNet/IP protocol. (For information about the ranges of Allen-Bradley controllers that the driver supports, see Configure an EtherNet/IP Outstation.)
Prerequisite Reading
This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with Geo SCADA Expert configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- Geo SCADA Expert configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration, and the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Point Configuration.
- Driver structure, components, and configuration properties, pick actions, and status attributes that are common to many drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Drivers.
- Advanced driver configuration order, outstation types, and configuration properties and logging options that are common to many advanced drivers. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers.
The EtherNet/IP driver documentation:
- Summarizes the Terminology of which you need to be aware
In the EtherNet/IP Driver Guide, the term 'items of data' is used to refer to 'variables' in Allen-Bradley controllers.
- Explains how to configure EtherNet/IP specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (see Configuring EtherNet/IP Devices).
- Explains driver-specific aspects that are of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected behavior relating to the EtherNet/IP driver (see System Analysis).
NOTE: There are no driver-specific pick actions for database items on this particular driver. However, users with the required privileges can add custom pick actions to a database item by using the User Methods tab on the relevant configuration Form (see Using the User Methods Tab to Define Custom Actions in the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration). See a system administrator for the documentation associated with such custom actions (also known as ‘methods’).
Policy of Continuous Development
To maintain Geo SCADA Expert's position as a leading SCADA solution, we operate a policy of continuous development. Each new version of our product supports additional features and functionality to previous releases. To use the new drivers, features, or functionality involving database items, your system has to be running the latest version of Geo SCADA Expert software. Additionally, if you have upgraded from an earlier version of the product, you have to deactivate any Database Emulation that was activated during the upgrade process. You should only deactivate the Database Emulation once you have successfully completed the upgrade process on all of the servers and clients in your system (see Deactivate Database Emulation after a Successful Upgrade).