OPC Data eXchange (DX) - Bridging from Device-to-Device and Bus-to-Bus

TOP Server Professional includes the OPC DX and the OPC Server Manager OPC DX in a Nutshell Standardized Device- to-Device, Bus-to-Bus data transfer Standardized connection and configuration management Online or Offline Configuration Local or remote configuration Easy to plug into TOP Server Uses OPC DX, OPC DA open technologies Click to purchase the OPC DX Plug-In for TOP Server or get a FREE DEMO copy of the softwarer

The Challenge

Since 1996, software technologies using OPC for shop floor data access, often referred to as OPC DA or OPC Data Access, have been used to bridge the vertical information gap in manufacturing systems. By utilizing OPC DA technologies, manufacturers around the world have been able to combine data from a myriad of sources of the shop floor and utilize the data to create actionable information at many layers above, from HMI and SCADA on up to ERP/MRP/MES and business systems.

Whenever two controls systems needed to share data from one to another, for example from an AB PLC to a GE PLC, or from an Ethernet/IP network to a Profibus network, the choices available to the user were traditionally limited. Often times users would write custom applications or bring the data up into a higher layer such as the HMI layer and then push it back down into the other network. Although this worked, it created unnecessary network traffic and burden on the HMI layer or other layers above.

Over the last few years, a number of OPC server to OPC server bridge products have been available to solve this problem, including LinkMaster. LinkMaster provided a means of moving data from any vendor's OPC server to another OPC server rapidly and easily. What LinkMaster lacked was the ability to remotely configure the application and it was not based on any standards other than OPC DA because at the time that was all that was available.

What is OPC DX ?

The OPC Foundation designed the OPC Data eXchange or OPC DX standard to address the needs of device-to-device or bus-to-bus communications without having to go up into the HMI or other higher layers. 

• OPC DX provides a standardized method for OPC Server to OPC Server data transfers. 
• OPC Server vendors that implement OPC DX in their OPC Servers can in turn directly exchange data with other OPC Servers that implement OPC DX.
• OPC DX connections can be locally or remotely managed

How to I get OPC DX in my OPC Server ?

• If you are using TOP Server, simply purchase the OPC-DX plug-in for the TOP Server. You will need a license of the OPC-DX plug in for each computer that you will be using a TOP Server on. 
• If you are using DX between TOP Server and another vendor's OPC Server, you will need to make sure you have OPC DX enabled the other OPC Server also.
• There are no tag count or device count limits on how much data you can exchange using the TOP Server OPC DX plug-in.
• Once installed, you can run the OPC DX configuration utility locally or remotely to configure your OPC DX connections between your TOP Servers or other OPC DX enabled OPC Servers.

What if I am using TOP Server and the other OPC Server Doesn't offer OPC DX ?

If the other OPC Server you are using does not offer OPC DX, there are a couple of possible solutions that will still allow you to exchange data between the systems.

• LinkMaster is still a very viable solution for OPC DA to OPC DA server communications. Although you will not have the remote configuration capabilities, the data transfers with Linkmaster are done using standard OPC DA interfaces. Linkmaster is quick and proven with many field installations.
• Although not always optimal, consider replacing the OPC Server that does not offer OPC DX. Check the list of the latest TOP Server driver list as we are always adding more drivers. We can offer you bundled pricing on a TOP Server with OPC-DX plug in if purchased at the same time. Contact us with your requirements.