Introduce a PI OPC UA Server
The OPC landscape is shifting away from DA/HDA and towards UA servers. A significant number of OPC client tools are being created that connect to OPC UA servers, and none of these are compatible with PI without the use of a third party UA wrapper since we only provide DA and HDA servers.
Kelsey Duffy
shared this idea
We have been gathering use cases and information about OPC UA Server functionality as it pertains to OSIsoft products.
There are a number of different requirements to consider, and as such we’re changing the status back to “UNDER REVIEW / RESEARCHING” to more accurately reflect the current status of the work.
At this time, we are not committing to bringing this capability to market.
We will update this thread if the status changes.
18 comments
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Nebojsa
commented
Hello,
Any update on the subject?
Nebojsa -
Stephen Woodward
commented
Both Dow and Whirlpool are requesting the OPC UA Server. Whirlpool would like to expose data from PI to Ignition via OPC UA. Dow uses OPC UA as a common integration protocol to their business systems. Happy to schedule a meeting with product development and the customer to discuss further.
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Clay Kalter
commented
The US Midwest sales region has several customer users requesting, including one of the world largest chemical company and worlds largest heavy equipment maker.
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Anonymous
commented
In response to Raymond Verhoeff, "We have started work on an OPC UA server..."
Inductive Automation has a UA Client that would utilize this : OPC-UA Connections and Settings - Ignition User Manual 7.9 - Ignition Documentation
This link has the connection information you may need for testing with there demo. -
Nebojsa
commented
Please you have to include security.To have the ability to set access rights to OPC clients, not everyone should be able just to use a client an access the OPC.
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marcogiunti
commented
The main requirements is that the OPC UA does not require a specific requirement, it is an industrial protocol that finally bring all OPC functionalities in an unique framework and platform independent, also represented with an international standard - IEC62541. Many business applications leverage on the real time data, the most recent is the IoT and the OPC UA server capabilities make them easily accessible for instance...
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marcogiunti
commented
Fully agree! the PI must be able to work with the OPC UA server specifications;
in order to meet the cyber security requirements as well. -
Anonymous
commented
In response to Raymond Verhoeff, "We have started work on an OPC UA server..."
Ideally, would want to use Pi as BOTH an OPC / UA client and server.
From a client perspective, the Pi OPC / UA connector could be used to either poll OPC / UA based comm mgmt. servers (like Kepware) or subscribe to published events via OPC / UA from comm managers capable of that or eventually edge based PLCs, etc. that can act as OPC / UA servers.
From a server perspective, once data is collected into PI Server, would like to be able to stream it (via OPC / UA over MQTT or AMZP) up to an IoTHub in Azure for more advanced analytics. It looks like this piece may be doable in the upcoming version of the Pi Integrator for Azure. -
Nebojsa
commented
Hello,
Any update on the subject? It is 2018!!! -
Michael Tippett
commented
In response to Ray's comment asking for OPC UA Clients. One use case I have heard from customers is to expose PI data via OPC UA to Siemens SINCAL.
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Joebwv
commented
We have a need to Access AF elements via an OPC UA Server.
We have third party software that gets it's data via an OPC DA Server, and that tool refers directly to Tag names.
Those names could possibly get modified and cause many edits in the third party application, this situation has already occurred at least once.
If we could point the third party tool to use AF Elements, exposed via the OPC US Server, then the third party tool would no longer need to change if tag names changed. -
JaredGoretzky
commented
In response to Balamurugan Veldurai, "We need to expose PI as OPC UA server fo..."
Balamurugan they don't have a road map yet. If you need to implement soon you need to look into using an OPC UA Wrapper. -
bala
commented
We need to expose PI as OPC UA server for one of the large scale implementation project. Does OSISoft has any roadmap?
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moliveto
commented
Fully agree, the PI System should have the possibility to work as an OPC UA server.
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JaredGoretzky
commented
Yes a PI OPC UA server is needed to support cloud based apps or other OPC UA enabled applications.
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Nebojsa
commented
Dear Ray,
Maybe you are not aware but there are already RTU's and PLC's having OPC UA for more than a year/two. SCADA systems like the ones from Siemens i think even Rockwell now supports OPC UA how long now... others too!
It is an very important subject to us and our industry and we would like to know if this is planned and when. Buy not having the capability to send OPC UA , it creates and impact on the complete chain of applications and that is not small! I think just the security impact should be enough from your end to develop the same.
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Nebojsa
commented
Hello,
YES we need it, in fact even our IT security department is asking for it as already.
We have real-time systems that already have the same protocol.
It is more secure
It saves a lot of issues and complications with DCOM
It is becoming a standard in the industry due to the improvements over the old DA/HDA.We do distribute data from PI to other internal projects via OPC, and current OPC server is not quite up for the task in terms of security
We could have used it a year a go, we will require it soon if not we will be forced to look for other solutions. -
VCampus-METCO
commented
Many customers are now asking for the historian to support OPC UA.
This is covered on the interface side now but not the server.