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Device Integration Connectivity
Device Connectivity Overview
Wonderware's device connectivity servers offer connections to a multitude of industrial devices and PLCs (programmable-logic controllers) as well as industrial automation and information applications via HMIs (human-machine interfaces) and DCS (distributed control systems) on the plant floor. Our library of device integration servers include DA Servers (Data Access Servers), I/O Servers and Device Integration Objects (DI Objects) and are made for Archestra and non Archestra applications i.e Wonderware applications with DDE/SSL interface.
Archesta-Based Device Connectivity
For Archestra-based applications such as Wonderware Industrial Application Server (IAS), DI Objects are used as the connectivity server providing communication to external field devices. It resides within IAS applications and provides connectivity to PLCs, RTUs (remote telemetry units), other smart field devices, and other software applications. The DI Objects offers OPC-DA and DDE/SSL server capabilities enabling communication to any OPC, DDE, and SuiteLink clients.
Traditional Solutions For Device Connectivity
For traditional Wonderware based applications such as InTouch, IndustrialSQL Server, DAServers and I/O Servers are available for connectivity to field devices.
- DAServers are Wonderware's next-generation I/O Servers built on ArchestrA® technology. They offer enhanced communication diagnostics and performance with OPC-DA, DDE, and SuiteLink server capabilities enabling communication to any OPC, DDE, and SuiteLink clients.
- I/O Servers have a long-established reputation for reliability and support for DDE (Dynamic Data Exchange), FastDDE and Wonderware's SuiteLink™ protocol.
The following chart illustrates a matrix of functionalities for Wonderware's various connectivity server options:
Device Connectivity Functionality Chart
| Functions |
I/O |
3rd-Party OPC |
DAS |
DIO |
| DDE |
X |
|
X |
X |
| SuiteLink |
X |
|
X |
X |
| Native OPC |
|
X |
X |
X |
| Client Protocol plug-ins |
|
|
X |
X |
| Built-in Diagnostics |
Limited-Local |
Limited |
X |
X |
| Hierarchical org. of Data |
|
X |
X |
X |
| Remote configuration |
|
|
X |
X |
| Configuration and Diagnostics in Same Environment |
|
|
X |
X |
| Remote Deployment |
|
|
|
X |
| Redundancy |
|
X |
X |
X |
Archestra-Based Device Connectivity
Device Integration Objects (DI Objects), are device connectivity servers for use within Wonderware's Industrial Application Server. The DI Objects encapsulates the respective DAServer engines. Therefore it provides enhanced communication diagnostics and performance with OPC-DA, DDE, and SuiteLink server capabilities enabling communication to any OPC, DDE, and SuiteLink clients.
Each DI Object represent the application's communication with external devices. The Industrial Application Server contains Automation Objects, which are building blocks within the ArchestrA industrial software architecture. As a subset of these Automation Objects, DI Objects consist of two parts:
- DI Network Object encapsulates the DAServer engine within the object and is used to represent the communications to external devices.
- DI Device Object represents the physical devices within a network such as network bridge devices or PLCs. When these objects are deployed, they represent the network hierarchy. Each level of this hierarchy can be monitored for its individual status.
Each DI Object supports the following:
- OPC-DA, DDE, SuiteLink server capability
- Remote configuration and Deployment
- Redundancy
Network Redundancy for More Robust Device Communications
At the I/O data level, a Redundant Device Integration (DI) Object can be configured to have a pair of I/O network paths where one is Active and the other one is in Standby mode. If the Active network path fails, the Redundant DI Object uses the Standby network path to communicate with devices in the field.
See the list of available Wonderware Device Connectivity on the Wonderware Device Connectivity Matrix (pdf).
Traditional Device Connectivity
DA Servers
With DA Servers, Wonderware takes communications and connectivity to the next level. Built on ArchestrA™ technology, DA Servers are Wonderware's next-generation I/O servers. They offer enhanced communication diagnostics and performance with redundancy. All Wonderware DAServers have server capabilities for OPC-DA, DDE, and Suitelink enabling connectivity to any OPC, DDE, and Suitelink client protocols. The DA Server engine can run and collect data independent of the HMI operation status. In addition, the DAServer come with a user interface allowing configuration, local or remote server activation, and diagnostics.
Each DA Server supports the following:
- Simultaneous connectivity to multiple nodes between Wonderware® SuiteLink™, OPC and DDE client applications;
- Microsoft's Windows® 2000, Windows 2003 Server, and Windows XP operating systems;
- Modular with future plug-ins to accommodate various types of client communications;
- Data engine runs independent of the HMI system;
- Compliance with OPC version 2.05;
- Stand-alone operating mode;
- Support for remote on-line or on the fly configuration for device additions or parameter modifications;
DAServer Manager
Wonderware's DA Servers also come with an exclusive new user interface called the DA Server Manager. The Manager can be installed as a Microsoft Management Console snap-in. It enables simple remote or local server activation, configuration and operation as well as extensive protocol diagnostic troubleshooting.
See the list of available Wonderware Device Connectivity Servers on the Wonderware Device Connectivity Matrix (pdf).
Wonderware I/O Servers
Wonderware® I/O Servers have a long-established reputation for reliability and support for the DDE, FastDDE and SuiteLink protocols. Extending the broad range of Wonderware I/O Servers is unquestionably key to Wonderware's connectivity objectives. Wonderware's I/O Servers, as well as third-party I/O Servers created with Wonderware's I/O Server Toolkit, can satisfy most industrial device connectivity needs.
Wonderware's I/O Servers connect most PLC/RTU/DCS to Wonderware software solutions including:
- InTouch® human-machine-interface (HMI) software
- Industrial Application Server
- IndustrialSQL Server™ real-time plant historian
- InControl™ real-time control software
- InBatch™ process batching software
- InTrack™ production tracking software
- Many PLCs, RTUs, DCS systems
See a list of available Wonderware Device Connectivity servers on the Wonderware Device Connectivity Matrix (pdf).
Wonderware Third-Party Device Connectivity Servers
At Wonderware, we pride ourselves on our long history of providing customers with the broadest communication options for connectivity to industrial automation and information devices. In collaboration with hundreds of third-party product developers, Wonderware offers a plethora of third-party connectivity options.
OPC Connectivity
Wonderware's Factory Suite Gateway product provides OPC client or server capabilities enabling connectivity to any OPC software applications.
Wonderware Product as OPC Client
- Wonderware products can be OPC clients using FactorySuite Gateway. As OPC clients, Wonderware products can access data available from third party OPC servers such as hardware manufacturers with OPC servers for their devices.
- Wonderware OPC Client Proxy Object, Archestra based Industrial Application Server (IAS) users can access virtually any third-party OPC Server application (i.e., HMI, DCS or historian applications from most vendors).
Wonderware Product as OPC Servers
- FactorySuite gateway can be used to enable Wonderware software products to be OPC servers connecting to any third party OPC client
- Wonderware DAServers provide built in OPC-DA server capabilities
- DI Ojbects which encapsulates DAServers, also provides OPC-DA server capabilities from Archestra based applications.
See more details on Wonderware OPC solutions.
See more details on FactorySuite Gateway.
Wonderware Third-Party DAServers and I/O Server Connectivity
In collaboration with more than 100 third-party product developers, Wonderware offers the largest selection of connectivity options to hundreds of the most popular control systems.
To find out if there's a third-party connectivity server to meet your specific needs, visit our Wonderware ISV Product Library and type in one or more keywords indicating the interface and hardware manufacturer.