OPC Workshops Course Description

This two-day workshop covers the evolution of data connectivity software, from proprietary device interfaces and custom protocol translation to the latest in OPC Unified Architecture (OPC UA) specifications. Participants will gain an understanding of basic OPC principles of both the OPC Classic and OPC UA Specifications and common use cases for applications that implement them. A critical component to understanding how these applications function is a basic knowledge of the underlying technology that supports OPC. This workshop explains how Microsoft’s COM/DCOM technology supports OPC Classic, and how the current version of OPC UA utilizes TCP/IP and other technologies to provide universal data connectivity in the 21st century industrial space.

Along with the technology itself, the requirement for security has evolved over the past two decades, making it necessary to implement increasingly robust security mechanisms in the OPC data path. This workshop demonstrates the various security mechanisms implemented in OPC, from DCOM security provided by Windows for OPC Classic to the latest in digital signing and encryption technologies defined for OPC UA applications. Practical exercises and demonstrations in a simulated industrial environment reinforce the materials covered in the class.

Building on the Overview and Concepts materials, this two-day workshop covers the pragmatic aspects of using OPC UA and OPC Classic applications in industrial settings. This workshop starts with practical advice on installing, licensing, and configuring OPC software, including general information on troubleshooting OPC applications and architectures. Following this, participants engage in a series of practical exercises that demonstrate how OPC applications are used to overcome data connectivity challenges and requirements such as

• data collection and sharing,
• data source federation,
• secure network traversal,
• archive migration and synchronization,
• redundancy,
• information modelling and mapping, and
• data publishing.

These exercises are carried out in a virtual environment that simulates a real-world data infrastructure.