Converting from OPC-DA to OPC-UA

[Roger_Palmen]

I have an OPC-DA server on which i need to expose a number of tags to a remote network.

I want to use KepWare to transition from OPC-DA to OPC-UA. How is this done, and using which license / suite?

This should also support writing data from OPC-UA back to OPC-DA server.

In other words:

- source: OPC-DA server

- Kepware: connect to source using OPC-DA client

- Kepware: provide an OPC-UA Server

- target: clients can connect to the OPC-UA server and read/write tags from/to the OPC-DA server through Kepware

[mattroy · Accepted solution]

Greetings,

Ideally, Kepware would be installed on the same PC as your OPC DA server. If that’s not possible, the next best option is to install Kepware on a PC/VM within the same network, ensuring there are no firewalls between the two machines.

Kepware will use the OPC DA Client driver (part of the OPC Connectivity Suite) to connect to the OPC DA server. This setup allows OPC UA client applications to access the data through the OPC UA Server interface. The OPC UA client itself can be on a different network segment, provided that the OPC UA port (default: 49320) is opened for outbound connections from the client to the PC running Kepware. Yes, reads and writes are supported.

Additionally, some OPC UA configuration may be required on the Kepware side depending on your security requirements, such as user authentication and/or signed and encrypted packets.

Please let me know if you need further clarification or assistance.

Thanks,
Matt

[SlidingDownhill]

I can confirm this works. I used this technique to connect an GE Proficy iFix Database to Ignition. Ignition was on a different network segment but Kepware was on the same machine as the iFix (DA) installation .

[Roger_Palmen]

Thanks Matt!

I was sure i also implemented this setup several years ago, but no options to test out on short term, i wanted to use the wisdom of the crowd to double-check.

Wrt to required drivers, OPC-DA client is required of course to connect, but the OPC-UA server is available as a base component of KepServerEX, and does not require a specific license, right?

[MR_8750954]

That is correct, the OPC UA Server interface is always available and does not require a license.  

Matt