OPC Bridging Transfers Data between

Industrial Automation Systems

OPC Training Institute

OPC Training Institute

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]

Copyright © 2009 OPC Training Institute (OPCTI). All

rights reserved. The information contained in this
document is proprietary to OPCTI. No part of this
document may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval
system, translated, or transmitted in any form or by
any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying,
recording, or otherwise, without prior written
permission from OPCTI.
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

Introduction
Integrators frequently use OPC technology to connect one Industrial Automation
system (PLC, DCS, SCADA, HVAC, etc) with another so data can be shared between
the two systems. Because OPC technology is based on the Client/Server
architecture, the challenge is that two OPC Servers cannot communicate with each
other directly. A variety of vendors provide an intermediate software solution,
generically called an “OPC Bridge,” to facilitate this sort of communication. This
whitepaper discusses the concept of the OPC Bridge, the solution architecture,
required software components, and various features to help Integrators
differentiate between different OPC Bridge products.

OPC Overview
OPC is an industrial communication standard that enables manufacturers to use
data to optimize production, make operation decisions quickly and generate
reports. OPC enables plants to automate the transfer of data from a control system
(PLC, DCS, analyzer, etc) to an industrial software application (HMI, Historian,
Production system, Management system, etc). OPC is typically found in Level 3
networks and higher. Thus, OPC transfers process control data between the
Control (Level 2) network and the Operations/Manufacturing (Level 3) network. It
also exchanges data between the
Operations/Manufacturing network and the Business
(Level 4) network. In essence, OPC is the Modbus of
the new century. It is not a replacement for low-level
communication standards such as 4-20mA, Hart,
Profibus, or Foundation Fieldbus. Rather,
organizations use OPC in high-level communication.

Note: OPC is no longer an acronym. When OPC first

released in 1996 it was an acronym for OLE for
Process Control, and was restricted to the Windows Image 1: OPC communication
operating system. OPC is now available on other enables applications to
interoperate and simplifies system
operating systems and enjoys significant adoption architecture.
outside of process control. So, the original name (OLE
for Process Control) is no longer appropriate and OPC changed from an acronym to
a word. Thus, OPC no longer stands for anything (OPC is just OPC).

Connectivity Challenge
Successful automation of industrial systems often needs to connect various
disparate systems, or islands of automation, together. The following are some
common examples of system interconnectivity:

OPC Training Institute Page 2 of 2

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

· Send data from a PLC to a DCS

· Connect disparate PLCs together on a single network
· DCS “Console Replacement”
· Connect an Emergency Shutdown System (ESD) with a DCS
· Send data from one plant area/unit to another for feed forward or feedback
control
· Bring Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) data into an Energy
Management System (EMS)
· Augment an existing SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition)
system with a new data source

In the past, plants would achieve this system connectivity using hardwire (4-20mA)
connections. But these were often extremely expensive, especially if the plant
needed to transfer large quantities of data. Vendors then came up with less
expensive options such as serial interfaces or various proprietary networks.
However, the proprietary nature of these solutions kept installation/maintenance
costs high and often was unable to connect all systems. Fortunately, the
emergence of OPC provides a significant improvement to these solutions.

Since 1996, OPC has become the de facto standard for Integrators to connect
industrial automation systems. OPC Servers are available for every major control
system vendor and the list of available OPC software continues to increase on a
monthly basis. With OPC providing the communication backbone, connectivity is
easier to establish, provided that Integrators keep a few key OPC architectural
concepts in mind.

Bridging Concepts
It is not possible for two OPC Servers to communicate
with each other “out of the box” unless the vendor added
non-OPC Server capabilities to the OPC Server software.
OPC is based on Client/Server architecture. Therefore,
an OPC Client application (HMI, Historian, Production
system, Management system, etc) makes requests to
exchange data with an OPC Server. The OPC Server
responds to these requests. But, note that an OPC
Server can only respond to requests; the OPC Server
cannot make requests. In other words, OPC Servers can Image 2: The only way for two
OPC Servers to communicate is
only do what they are told. So, two OPC Servers cannot to have an OPC Client application
provide a bridge between the
exchange data with each other directly because each
two servers, thus becoming an
waits for a request from the other, and since OPC Servers “OPC Bridge.”
don’t make requests, no data transfer will take place.

OPC Training Institute Page 3 of 3

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

This is true for any Client/Server based system architecture in general and OPC
specifically.

The only way for two OPC Servers to communicate is to have an OPC Client
application provide a bridge between the two servers, thus becoming an “OPC
Bridge.” The OPC Bridge connects two or more OPC Servers together. The OPC
Bridge requests data from one OPC Server, and writes the data to another OPC
server. All OPC Bridge products follow this concept. Integrators must take three
steps to setup the data transfer:

a) Setup the OPC Bridge to connect to the OPC servers. The OPC Servers to
which the bridge connects are preset by the Integrator.
b) Setup the OPC Bridge to read data from one OPC Server, and write it to
another OPC Server. The Integrator preselects the specific data to transfer.
c) Setup the OPC Bridge to automatically execute the above configuration.

After the initial setup, most OPC Bridge applications are set to execute
automatically with little to no human intervention. This enables data to transfer on
a regular basis, just as if there were a hard-wire interface between the two
systems.

Connecting to OPC Servers

The first step to setting up an OPC Bridge is connecting to the OPC Servers. OPC
Bridge products typically enable Integrators with the
following ways to connect to OPC Servers:

a) Graphical User Interface (GUI) enables

Integrators to graphically browse the local PC
and other PCs on the network.
b) Manual Configuration enables Integrators to
get quick access to known OPC resources.

Most OPC Bridge applications provide both methods

above and enable Integrators to select the most
efficient way to establish the OPC Server connection.
While a GUI is certainly easier for beginners to Image 3: Cogent OPC DataHub enables
Integrators to connect to local and
understand, the Manual Configuration method is remote OPC Servers. This OPC Bridge
preferred by experienced users. software provides a useful mixture of a
GUI and manual configuration to help
beginners and advanced users alike.
Note: Establishing the first connection to OPC Servers Many options are easily accessible as
checkmarks, which provides flexibility
is usually the most difficult step when using OPC, for custom projects.
especially if the OPC Server resides on a remote PC.

OPC Training Institute Page 4 of 4

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

Refer to section titled “Additional References” available on the OPC Training

Institute website for troubleshooting information.

Mapping OPC Items

After making the initial connection to the OPC Servers, Integrators must select the
source and destination of each data item. OPC Bridge applications typically enable
Integrators to accomplish this as follows:

a) Graphical interface enables Integrators to

graphically select each source item and the
destination of the data.
b) Importing data files enables Integrators to
create a configuration file using an application
such as Microsoft Excel and import the file into
the bridge for mass configuration.
Image 4: Kepware LinkMaster
It may seem the graphical configuration method is provides an intuitive drag-and-drop
an efficient way to configure the OPC Bridge; but, GUI that enables Integrators to
quickly map data from its source to
consider that most data transfers move hundreds and destination. Integrators can also
even thousands of items from one OPC Server to make use of an import file for mass
configuration.
another. Setting up each data item individually is both
time-consuming and error prone. Therefore, if you must move a lot of data, I
recommend selecting an OPC Bridge that enables you to create standard
configuration files, such as a Comma Separated Value (CSV) file, with a mass-
configuration tool such as Microsoft Excel.

OPC Bridge Execution

Once the Integrator sets up the OPC Bridge, they must automate its execution.
This automation comes in a few different flavors (listed in increasing desirability):

a) Standard Windows application with explicit

startup: The OPC Bridge starts only when
someone explicitly selects it (i.e. double-click).
This startup mode may be convenient for
testing purposes, but not for production
because this method requires manual
intervention to initiate the operation of the OPC
Bridge.
b) Standard Windows application with automatic
startup: The OPC Bridge starts when a specific Image 5: Cyberlogic Crosslink
executes as a Windows Service.
user logs on to Windows. While this method Crosslink’s configuration enables
does not require manual intervention, it does users to bypass DCOMCNFG to set
require a specific logon account. the Server’s execution either as
System, or a specific User Account.

OPC Training Institute Page 5 of 5

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

c) Windows Service: A Windows Service is a specialized application that is

setup to execute with the “System” identity. In other words, it executes as
the Operating System itself. This is the most desirable method to run the
OPC Bridge. This application can automatically start as soon as Windows
boots up and does not require a specific user to log on to the PC. The OPC
Bridge is then able to immediately begin transmitting data with minimum
interruption. Execution as a Windows Service is desirable even if the
project requires specific User Accounts (with a User Name and Password
combination) to connect to remote PCs.

Most OPC Bridge applications can execute in all of the modes listed above,
however, when selecting an OPC Bridge, I recommend that you choose a
product that can run as a Windows Service.

Key OPC Bridge Considerations

Performance
The performance of OPC Bridge applications varies from vendor to vendor.
However, most can easily out-perform even the fastest Automation networks (i.e.
the connection between a PLC and PC, also known as ISA Level 2 networks).
Specifically, connections to a DCS typically provide data in the range of about 100-
500 points per second. Even connections to a PLC rarely exceed 2,000 points per
second. However, OPC can transfer data at over 10,000 points per second.

While an OPC Bridge can technically transfer data at over 10,000 points per
second, its performance is usually limited by its connection to its various data
sources. To put the performance of the OPC Bridge in the right perspective, I
recommend you find out the speed of data from the original data source. This will
help you to make more sense out of comments from various OPC vendors.

Multithreaded operation
It is important for an OPC Bridge to continue operations even when an acceptable
fault in the system occurs. Consider an OPC Bridge that transfers values from two
data sources (i.e. two OPC Servers) to a single destination (i.e. a third OPC Server).
If one of the two data sources (i.e. one of the OPC Servers) stops operating or is
delayed, it may still be necessary for the OPC Bridge to continue transferring
information from the good data source to the destination.

The ability to wait for one operation to complete while the other continues requires
a multithreaded design for the OPC Bridge. Unfortunately, most Windows
applications are single threaded; in other words, they only do one task at a time.

OPC Training Institute Page 6 of 6

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

When selecting an OPC Bridge, ask your vendor whether or not their OPC
Bridge uses a multithreaded design when connecting to OPC Servers. This will
enable your system to withstand faults without compromising the entire health and
performance of the system.

Cache reads upon reconnection

OPC Client applications (such as an OPC Bridge) receive data updates from OPC
Servers whenever the OPC Server detects a change in the data source. OPC
Servers transmit data that changes at various rates: Some readings, like pressures
and flows, change at high rates (many times per second), while other readings, like
Setpoints, change at a very low rate (once per week, or never).

For example, the Setpoint for room temperature is (typically) set once and left
alone. Suppose that an OPC Bridge disconnects from an OPC Server that has the
room temperature Setpoint, and suppose the OPC Bridge then reconnects. In this
case, the Setpoint does not change, so the OPC Server will not report a change in
value. If the OPC Bridge does not read the value and quality of the Setpoint when
it reconnects to the OPC Server, the OPC Bridge will never report the true value and
quality of the temperature Setpoint. This is because the OPC Server sends values
to the OPC Bridge when the values change, and the Setpoint does not change, so
the OPC Server does not send an update.

When an OPC Bridge reconnects to an OPC Server, it should immediately

perform a Cache Read from the OPC Server. This will ensure that the OPC
Server will quickly pass all its available values. This transfer will be take place
quickly because a Cache Read tells the OPC Server that the OPC Bridge requires
values that are already in the memory of the OPC Server. A Cache Read explicitly
tells the OPC Server that the OPC Client (i.e. the OPC Bridge) only requires values
that are already in the Servers address space (i.e. in the OPC Server’s memory).
This will ensure that no data ever displays incorrectly.

Bad Quality data

OPC uses a Quality identifier to inform users of the validity of the data in each OPC
Item (or point/reading). For example, suppose an OPC Item contains the value of a
flow reading. The value of the Flow reading could be questionable if any of the
following occur:

· There is no reading at all

· Reading is out of range
· PLC disconnects from flow meter
· OPC Server disconnects from the PLC
· Etc.

OPC Training Institute Page 7 of 7

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

Thus, in addition to providing a value for the flow itself, OPC also provides an
associated Quality to describe the validity of the data, or a description of the reason
the data is questionable. This helps Users troubleshoot the system.

The OPC Bridge may also be required to pass this value along. In this case, the
OPC Bridge may be required to write the data as well as the Quality of the data.
So, in addition to the standard OPC Server Quality values, the OPC Bridge must
also inform the OPC Server at the destination of additional troubleshooting
information such as:

· The OPC Bridge itself is disconnected from the source OPC Server
· The OPC Bridge is unable to transmit data
· The OPC Bridge received a bad calculation
· The OPC Bridge is overloaded
· Etc.

I recommend selecting an OPC Bridge that enables the Integrator to select

how the OPC Bridge passes OPC Quality information. The OPC Bridge should
also pass along additional OPC Quality values in case the OPC Bridge itself has a
problem with the data.

Calculations
Integrators often use OPC Bridges to perform calculations and transformations on
incoming data. For example, an OPC Bridge could take a 4-20mA reading from a
PLC, and transform it to a voltage that is between 0 to 240 volts.

I recommend selecting an OPC Bridge that enables you to perform calculations

on incoming data. In case of an error, the OPC Bridge should notify the
destination OPC Server of the problem (typically this would be done using the OPC
Quality identifier).

Available OPC Bridge Products

The following is a list of the most popular OPC Bridge software products on the
market today. I encourage you to send me information on missing OPC Bridge
products. I will modify this list as I become aware of additional OPC Bridges. Most
of these products are available on the OPCTI website for a free download.

OPC Training Institute Page 8 of 8

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

Company Product Name Website

CAS DataPorter www.cas.eu
Cogent OPC DataHub www.cogent.ca
Cyberlogic OPC Crosslink www.cyberlogic.com
Emerson OPC Mirror www.emerson.com
Honeywell OPC Integrator www.honeywell.com
Iconics DataWorX32 www.iconics.com
Kepware LinkMaster www.kepware.com
Northern Dynamic OPC Gateway www.nordyn.com
Open Automation Software OPC Route.NET www.opcsystems.net
SAE Automation OpcDbGateway www.saeautom.sk

Additional References
The OPC Training Institute has various other
whitepapers to help you troubleshoot and learn more
about OPC. These are available on the OPCTI
website at www.opcti.com. If these are of interest,
you can also consider attending one of OPCTI’s many
hands-on OPC courses where you get the opportunity
to benefit from experts’ context, learn new concepts,
and immediately apply them in live connectivity
scenarios and troubleshooting activities. The OPC Training Institute's website is
full of helpful whitepapers and
additional resources to help you solve
OPC & DCOM: 5 Things You Need to Know common OPC configuration problems
This whitepaper discusses the five steps to a simple and learn more about OPC.

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.

OPC & DCOM Troubleshooting: Quick Start Guide

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.

OPC Training Institute Page 9 of 9

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]
OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation Systems
OPC Training Institute

Cannot browse for OPC Servers on remote PC

Find out the reasons an OPC application is unable to browse for OPC Servers on a
remote PC, and how to overcome them. The cause of the problem is typically poor
configuration. However, it can also be caused by limitations in the specific software
in use. This whitepaper explains the problem, its causes and symptoms. The
whitepaper also details a structured and practical step-by-step approach to
determine the exact cause and solution.

OPC Error: Failure to obtain a CLSID

Find out how to overcome the specific OPC error of “Failure to obtain a CLSID”. The
cause of the problem is typically poor configuration. However, it can also be caused
by limitations in the specific software in use. This whitepaper explains the problem,
its causes and symptoms. The whitepaper also details a structured and practical
step-by-step approach to determine the exact cause and solution.

0x80040202 DCOM Error

0x80040202 error appears in the OPC Client application when it fails to receive a
callback from the OPC Server. Find out about the various circumstances that can
trigger this error.

0x80070005 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.

0x800706BA 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.

OPC Bridging Transfers Data between Industrial Automation

Systems
Integrators frequently use OPC technology to connect one Industrial Automation
system (PLC, DCS, SCADA, HVAC, etc) with another so data can be shared between
the two systems. Because OPC technology is based on the Client/Server
architecture, the challenge is that two OPC Servers cannot communicate with each
other directly. A variety of vendors provide an intermediate software solution,
generically called an “OPC Bridge,” to facilitate this sort of communication. This
whitepaper discusses the concept of the OPC Bridge, the solution architecture,
required software components, and various features to help Integrators
differentiate between different OPC Bridge products.

OPC Training Institute Page 10 of 10

Tel: 1-780-784-4444 | Fax: 1-780-784-4445
Web: www.opcti.com | Email: [email protected]