0x80040202 error appears in the OPC Client application when it fails to receive a callback from the OPC Server. Read the full article to troubleshoot and repair this DCOM error.
DCOM Error 0x80070005 appears in the OPC Client application when it succeeds in launching an OPC Server or OpcEnum, but fails to receive a reply from either of the applications. This error could be caused under several conditions. Read the full article to troubleshoot and repair this DCOM error.
The 0x800706BA DCOM error appears in the OPC Client application when the OPC Client "believes" that it has a live connection to the OPC Server, but truly does not. This can happen under several conditions. Read the full article to troubleshoot and repair this DCOM error.
The results of technology such as our OPC servers have been a lifesaver in terms of efficiency, but getting there can be complex in some older plants where we are dealing with some legacy equipment. Simple things like naming conventions require a standard practice to prevent having a collision when multiple plants tie together...
Engineering and IT (Information Technology) evaluate and respond to computer system issues in ways that are repeatedly at odds. Nowhere is this more evident and disruptive than in plant Process Control and Automation...
This error appears in the OPC Client application when it fails to find the OPC Server. The two most common causes are: a. Failure to find the OPC server in the Windows Registry and b. Failure to connect to OPCENUM.EXE. For the complete solution, download this whitepaper.
Confused about selecting the right OPC Driver from the right vendor? This article outlines a number of things integrators need to consider when selecting a driver. Emphasis is also placed on the consequence of not selecting the proper driver. Download the article for complete details.
As this case study points out, the intentional cyber threat from outside plants is obscuring the need for integration and training to prevent the danger of unintentional cyber security violations from inside.
Today, process data is readily available at many levels, from instrumentation to higher-level data historians and OPC servers. Choosing the right platform can be key to successfully implementing robust and maintainable process calculations at your company.
This paper is intended to show how .NET applications can access OPC servers. It explains the required .NET wrappers and additional features built into OPC .NET client components.
This document: •Enumerates the DCOM challenges •Presents the most suitable replacement technology •Compares .Net Remoting technology with DCOM •Offers a flexible architecture with .Net Remoting •Provides a solution with examples of proposed architecture that addresses security issues Download the full article for details.
NERC standards for Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) apply to various critical assets, and this paper aims to show how Change Control principles can help protect: SCADA and control systems. Click to Download
OPC is powerful industrial communication standard. However, OPC relies on having DCOM work properly. Luckily, DCOM problems can usually be overcome with relatively simple configuration changes as documented in this whitepaper.
This whitepaper discusses the five steps to a simple and effective strategy to establish reliable DCOM communication. In addition, the whitepaper covers troubleshooting tips to identify common OPC and DCOM problems, their symptoms, causes, and how to solve them. This will help integrators set up reliable and secure OPC connections.
Standards are intrinsically difficult to implement and adopt. In the industrial automation business, OPC is a unifying standard that allows true interoperability. It needs more end-user support and involvement.
This whitepaper discusses how to use OPC technology to connect one industrial automation system with another so data can be shared between the two systems.
Fielding Chemical Technologies is using OPC DataHub to provide real-time data across a network of small plants connected via a data link to reduce costs of chemical recycling at its Pervap project. The Pervap project requires data to be collected from various locations and displayed live in web browsers running in workstations in the central office and off-site. The data must also be stored in a SQL Server database for archival and analytical use...
OPC Security White Paper 1 is the first of the three and explains what OPC is and describes the results of a survey of OPC end-users on how OPC is actually used in the field. Download the whitepaper.
The white paper is the second of the three. In it we detail the vulnerabilities typically found in OPC hosts, based on OPC’s current architecture (such as the use of DCOM) and the typical underlying operating system.
The white paper is the last of the three. In it we detail the vulnerabilities typically found in OPC hosts, based on OPC’s current architecture (such as the use of DCOM) and the typical underlying operating system.
OPC provides organizations with a standards-based communication infrastructure that enables them to increase production efficiency, reduce costs, and decrease environmental impact. Upstream Oil and Gas companies have been using OPC for over 10 years and have seen many successful implementations that have helped them overcome specific industry challenges. OPC improves system interoperability over previous proprietary solutions, and, as new OPC specifications come online, we will see more companies adopt OPC in more places in the next five years than ever before.
The concept of OPC tunneling is still new to many of us. What is OPC Tunneling and what do integrators or end-users need to know? This whitepaper examines the connectivity problems facing integrators today and outlines what you need to consider when overcoming OPC issues.
OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) is an important building block that enables users to build the next generation of software automation solutions. With complete backward compatibility ensured, vendors will have much to gain – and nothing to lose – by adopting the new OPC Unified Architecture. Download this whitepaper and learn more.
OPC UA (Unified Architecture) represents the OPC Foundation’s most recent set of specifications for Process Control and Automation system interconnectivity. This paper explains OPC UA from the perspective of the organization that will benefit from the connectivity, in other words: the End User.
A new generation of OPC, known as OPC-UA, is upon us, unifying the multiple specifications of the past and redefining the acronym of OPC, formerly OLE for Process Control, to OPC-UA (OPen Connectivity-Unified Architecture). As often happens the second time around, this latest generation of OPC-UA delivers solutions to problems of the past, adds significant new capabilities, and provides a foundation for future developments.
OPC Express Interface (OPC Xi) is the newest OPC specification from the OPC Foundation. The specification is available for download here. Based on Microsoft's WCF .NET framework, OPC Xi enables a smooth migration from Classic OPC and supports communication through firewalls. The OPC Xi specification and reference code has been released as a Release Candidate.
Whitepaper provides an overview of OPC Express Interface (OPC Xi), OPC Client and Server development, and the transition from Classic OPC (based on DCOM) to OPC Xi (based on WCF).
Integration between process control, plant-level and enterprise systems is no longer an option for industrial companies if they want to remain competitive, especially considering the current global context. Convergence of the IT world with automation and process controls greatly helps in this effort by providing economically and technically competitive solutions. There are different options available and it is important for companies to thoroughly understand their needs and objectives before making decisions.
OPC middleware products are designed to enhance any OPC-based application.
Given the critical nature of the Abqaiq Plant operations, security was a key area to address. Since the data being collected on the network from the different automation sources could affect the availability and confidentiality of data, it was necessary that the data be encrypted with very limited user and external application access. OPCNet Broker provided these features by assuring data integrity through encryption/decryption and user authentication to avoid unauthorized...
In a recent data integration project, Siemens engineers in Copenhagen, Denmark were able to connect equipment and instrumentation running in a high-security facility to a remote monitoring location, using the OPC DataHub. The goal was to allow...
There are critical capabilities that manufacturers need to consider that position plant-wide historians as a better option for leveraging raw data from sensors and other real-time systems to improve production for operations.
The design of Process Historian databases must include considerations for performance. Failure to do so could result in a poorly performing database or even data loss. This article provides 10 tips that can help speed up the performance of your SQL database.
The OPC Training Institute has compiled, and answered, 45 of the most popular OPC integration questions. If you’re responsible for integrating OPC technology or troubleshooting OPC, you want to pass up the chance to find out what you don’t know. If you’re struggling with a current project, chances are we have the answer.
.NET is the choice platform for most client applications and it’s also a good choice for the development of OPC servers. This whitepaper covers the different components of .NET OPC servers.
The performance of wireless networks can change over time due to increased performance demands, changes in the radio frequency (RF) environment and changes in the physical environment. This article will explore the use of a wireless diagnostic OLE for Process Control (OPC) server technology to embed diagnostic information in human machine interfaces (HMIs), thus optimizing industrial wireless network performance.
The .NET platform required for XML DA is now widely used and OPC server and client applications are being developed on the .NET platform. However, still most applications are built as DCOM based OPC DA server/clients, using .NET wrappers. Despite the many difficulties with DCOM configuration the transition to web services based designs is slow.