The OPC Router takes the next big step towards becoming the leading Industry 4.0 platform with the most comprehensive OPC UA implementation on the market! In the new version, we implement significant new specifications of the OPC Foundation and support the successful implementation of Industry 4.0 and IoT in the industry.
Test the fully functional and free demo version of our OPC Router. You will also find the new OPC UA Pub/Sub Plug-in and the UA Cloud Library function.
UA Cloud Library – Using and creating central specifications
As inray, we have participated actively in the working group of the OPC Foundation for the new UA Cloud Library Initiative. The UA Cloud Library is a central library in which, among other things, the technical definitions of the Companion Specifications are available for download. Not necessarily for the human user, but for software clients that can load, implement and provide the corresponding specifications.
With the new access to the Cloud Library of the OPC Foundation, the OPC Router is one of the first software products that can provide a selection of available Companion Specifications. After that, the OPC UA Server, which implements the Companion Specification, is created with just a few clicks. The data points of the objects contained therein are filled with graphical connections in the usual way in the OPC Router.
The valuable work of the many Joint Working Groups, which create specifications for many industries and use cases under the leadership of the OPC Foundation, can now be realized in practice with minimal effort.
The Cloud Library function is not limited to the OPC Foundation Library. Via a freely configurable URL, any library can be requested. Company-owned libraries are the best way to professionally define and distribute structural specifications for large internal OPC UA projects.
The UA Cloud Library has many valuable specifications for practical uses for the OPC Router.
OPC UA Pub/Sub Plug-in – OPC data transfer in a new way
OPC UA Pub/Sub completes the manner in which communication partners interact using the OPC standards. OPC UA Pub/Sub does not follow the client-server communication as OPC UA does with 1-to-1 connections. In OPC UA Pub/Sub, the communication partners are separated into Publishers and Subscribers. The Publishers can send without a connection to a Client and the Subscribers receive sent messages on demand.
Less complex communication can be achieved by decoupling sender and receiver. n-to-m relations are possible through the Companion Specification strategy in communication.
Pub/Sub communication aims at two target sectors in practice. On the one hand, close to-machine and close-to-device communication. For the first time, Pub/Sub can be used to establish real-time OPC communication that can also be implemented by devices with low computing capacities. On the other hand, Pub/Sub communication is very common in the cloud and IoT sector. Due to the very simple structure of the communication channel, for example with an MQTT substructure, a simple connection of cloud platforms is possible.
The OPC Router can operate with the new OPC UA Pub/Sub Plug-in as a Publisher and as a Subscriber. Due to the modularity of the OPC Router, all other plug-ins can also be operated simultaneously with the OPC UA Pub/Sub plug-in and therefore “publish” and “subscribe” data.
Docker Sample and Helm-Chart – from Docker to try out to Kubernetes
The OPC Router can be used in a Docker container since the last version (OPC Router 4.26 Release News). The feedback on the new functionality has been overwhelming. To simplify the access to the technology even more and to make it possible to test it out, we have created ready-configured Docker container scripts. The scripts can be downloaded from Github and started directly via Docker-Command. No installing, no configuring! Give it a try!
We also regularly receive questions about Kubernetes and rolling out OPC Router Docker containers in larger installations. We have collected experience and resources here with the associated Helm Charts. If interested, feel welcome to reach out via our contact form under the keyword “Kubernetes” for further information.
Test the OPC Router with all new functions now!
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