OPC Server

Features

• Standards based on integration with OPC and Microsoft .Net
• True interoperability and scalability with OPC and Microsoft .Net
• Reduce implementation time and cost of systemintegration
• Easy and fast configuration, only limited configuration data is required

Description

OPC is an open standards specification which gives a consistent method of accessing data from to controlling system connected hardware. Hardware, such as the AlphaCom E exchange, presents information about the capabilities and status of its connected intercom stations in a defined manner to any OPC based system management software package. This consistency means that there is no need to write specific interface protocol software for each combination of hardware and management software. Especially in projects where the management software needs to control more than just the intercom exchange this is an enormous saving in cost and time.

The AlphaCom E exchange communicates to the management system that it can report different statuses of its intercom stations as detailed further on. Furthermore it lets the management software know that it can accept commands such as calling, cancelling of calls, and many more.

A typical application is a large building with an AlphaCom E intercom exchange, CCTV, intruder alarm, fire alarm and access control, all connected to an OPC based management system. The guards receive information from all these different systems in a recognizable and consistent way which allows for easy operation of the total system.

Configuration

The STENTOFON OPC server is a self configuring software package, which needs only very little information during commissioning; only the node numbers of the AlphaCom exchanges which are present in the system and the IP-address of the connected AlphaCom need to be entered, all other information will automatically be extracted by the OPC server. The OPC Server will at start-up ask all AlphaCom exchanges in an AlphaNet it knows about for a list of all Stations with their current status. The Server will build an OPC item tree for these stations. The access path for a specific station will be a node number and directory number. Each station will have multiple items defining different properties of that station.

If a DA-Client application is set-up with one or more master stations, these should be added to a ‘Master Station List’. The Client can then use the unique ID from the list to refer to a Master station.

Each exchange in the AlphaNet must have its own OPC licenses. An exchange will only report as many stations to the OPC server as determined by the license in that exchange, see Ordering Information.

For OPC AE all AlphaCom Events for a station can be individually configured.

Operation

The OPC server software runs on a PC. For proper operation, Microsoft .NET 2.0 must also be installed on this PC. In an AlphaNet configuration, only 1 AlphaCom E needs to be specified with which the OPC server will communicate, although, via AlphaNet, the server will communicate with all exchanges in the network. The exchange which is specified to communicate directly with the OPC server must have TCP port 61112 opened in the ‘Filter page’ in AlphaWeb.