OPC UA Server - Getting started (Zenitel Connect Pro)

This article is a quick getting started guide for the OPC UA for Zenitel Connect Pro. Please see OPC UA Server - Configuration and Operations Guide for full documentation.

The settings described in this article are the bare minimum to get a working set up and should therefore only be used in a test and demonstration environment. In a full production environment all the security settings should also be configured.

Create a Zenitel Link User in Zenitel Connect Pro

The communication between the OPC UA Server and Zenitel Connect Pro (ZCP) is using the "Zenitel Link" protocol.
A Zenitel Link user must be created in Zenitel Connect Pro.

In ZCP go to System > Users
Press the to add a new user
Give the user a Name and a Password, and set the Role = "Zenitel Link User"

Install the OPC UA Configurator

Follow the steps below to install the OPC UA Configurator on a Windows machine (Windows Server or Windows 10/11).

Download and unzip the file ZenitelConnectPro.OpcUa.x.x.x.zip from the download section
From the extracted folder run the .msi installer package
Follow the instructions on the screen

The OPC UA Configurator require the .NET 10 Runtime. If the runtime is not already installed, the first launch of the Configurator will detect this and prompt the user to install it.

Open the OPC UA Configurator from the Desktop shortcut or the Start Menu shortcut.

To create the Windows service on the system click Install under System maintenance in the Operations panel.

Operations panel showing the install button.

The Worker service status should now change to Installed, not running.

Configure the OPC UA Server

Before starting the service for the first time, the OPC UA Server must be configured.

Select the Configuration tab. In the Connect Pro Settings configure the communication parameters towards the Zenitel Connect Pro.

Connect Pro connections

Server address: The IP address of the Zenitel Connect Pro
Port: 8086 (The WAMPS port used by the Zenitel Link)
Username: The Link User name as defined in ZCP
Password: The password associated with Zenitel Link User.

In the Operations panel click Save, then Start.

In a fully operational system the status bar at the top of the Configurator window should display:

Worker: Running
OPC UA: Alive
Connect Pro: Connected

Global status bar showing Worker, OPC UA, and Connect Pro connection state.

Test and verification

The recommended OPC client for test and verification is the OPC Expert.

Configure the OPC Expert test client

The first time you start UaExpert it will ask for "New Application Instance Certificate". UaExpert cannot connect to the OPC UA server without an application certificate. That’s why the dialog appears on first start.

For testing and troubleshooting the only field required is Organization, the other fields can be left default. Click OK to continue.

Copy the "Endpoint URL"
In the Zenitel OPC UA Configurator go to Configuration tab. Under OPC UA Settings click on the Copy icon to copy the Endpoint path.

Copy the Endpoint path

In UaExpert click on (+) to add a new server:

Enter a Configuration Name, e.g. "Connect-OPC"
Under the Advanced tab, paste in the Endpoint URL.
Change the IP address in the "Endpoint URL" to the IP of the computer running the OPC UA Server.
- If the OPC UA Expert is running on the same computer as the OPC Server, change the IP address to 127.0.0.1 (local host). Click OK.

Paste in the Endpoint path and modify the IP address

Connect OPC Expert to the OPC Server
Right-click the server name, and select Connect:

Connect to the server

On the first time connecting you might be prompted that you are connecting to a server of which the certificate is not trusted yet.
Click on Trust server Certificate and Continue

The window Address Space will now be populated with the data tree from the Zenitel Connect Pro.

Reading and writing values with OPC UA Expert

When you want to read and write values with OPC UA Expert you first drag and drop a tag from the Address Space into the Data Access View.

The tag will automatically be read and updated cyclically. If you want to write a value you double click on the cell with the value and change it. After changing it the value will automatically be written to the OPC server.
If you want to change the cycle time of reading or writing You need to right click on the row that you want to change the timing on:

Under Subscription settings you can change the cycle on which the the value is published from the client to the server (writing values).
Under Monitored Item Settings you can change the cycle on which the values are being sampled (reading values).