Avoid DCOM and Remain Secure

Since the introduction of OPC back in 1996, Automation professionals have relying on DCOM technology for use in distributed automation applications. While technology in OPC leveraged the best available Microsoft Technology of the day, COM (Component Object Model), its networking counterpart – DCOM (Distributed COM) was not designed with the rigors of industrial automation in mind, nor the distributed operation common in our Internet connected world. As a result, “Tunnel” products have been developed as a replacement to DCOM for distributed applications.  Software Toolbox offers two methods of effectively tunneling your data: Data Tunneling and OPC-UA Tunneling

Tunneling

What is Tunneling?

OPC Tunneling means connecting an OPC Server to an OPC Client over a network, using TCP/IP as the transport protocol. This means you can avoid the problems associated with configuring DCOM to work over a network. You also eliminate the long DCOM timeouts that can effectively shutdown your application.

Download and view the free Cogent DataHub Webinar recording and learn more

Learn more by downloading Cogent Data Hub Tunneling paper

What is Advanced Tunneling?

Advanced Tunneling goes beyond just avoiding DCOM and actually reduces network traffic and remains easy to configure.  Most OPC tunneling programs don’t give you this added benefit so while you don’t have to configure DCOM you can still have problems with your Client and Server communication that can cause them to freeze or see slow updates.  See the Cogent DataHub to learn more about why it is the best tunnel product available.  The Cogent DataHub can also tunnel ODBC Data, DDE data and more. The Cogent DataHub is a great addition to the TOP Server or any OPC Server, because of all the additional features it can add to your system providing you with the flexibility and power you need to achieve your results

 OPC-UA Tunneling

OPC UA communications, by pairing an OPC UA Client with a Remote OPC UA Server, is the ideal solution for connectivity between distributed OPC Classic Clients and Servers.  The TOP Server can be an ideal tunnel between automation products that support OPC DA with its variety of connectivity options.

Benefits of TOP Servers OPC UA Based Tunneling Solution:

• Two TOP Servers working together as a Secure Tunnel using the UA Client Driver on one side.
• High Performance using the OPC UA Binary standard
• Communication Encryption and Endpoint Authentication based on current accepted industry standards of RSA and •
  x509, using technology familiar to the IT community.
• Keep Alive and Watchdog features to ensure reliable connectivity
• Tunneling for OPC DA 1.0. 2.05a and 3.0.
• A solution based on an open standard – OPC UA
• Works within the corporate network, through wide area networks and firewalls