OPC Book, 3rd Edition – Overview

(4th edition: “OPC – From Data Access to Unified Architecture” available in July 2010)

1. Preface by Thomas J. Burke, President of the
OPC Foundation
2. Who should read the book?
3. A brief description of the book's contents
4. What is on the CD-ROM?

1.	Preface by Thomas J. Burke, President of the OPC Foundation
	I am pleased to introduce the third edition of the OPC book written by my friends and colleagues Juergen & Frank. This is the real "OPC Book" that has become the fundamental reference manual and overview for the OPC foundation technology providing a real foundation of knowledge for anyone that wants to become literate on the OPC foundation technology. Whether you are an end user of products from vendors that use the OPC foundation technology or you are a vendor that either currently builds products with the OPC foundation technology or potentially will in the future, then this is the book for you to truly get jump started on understanding the OPC technology and using the OPC technology in a highly efficient manner. I have had the pleasure of knowing the authors of this book on both a personal and professional basis.The authors have been active participants in the development of the OPC technology since it's initial conception. The authors have written this book to truly provide the foundation of knowledge on the technology and communicate the total picture of OPC from the beginning to where OPC is today. The book provides an overview of the history of the OPC Foundation. It describes the advantages of the OPC Technology and gives detailed descriptions of the OPC specifications and the current status of the work of the technical subcommittees. It gives developers practical guidelines on theimplementation and use of the OPC specifications. The book communicates more than just the what about OPC, it tells the reader how to design and implement products that leverages the hidden tricks of OPC in addition to the standard features. It explains the real guidelines/rules to build OPC products that maximizes the use of the technology, and provides a reference point for developers to provide leading edge products. The authors are both developers and evangelists of the technology. The authors have in depth knowledge of how others have built products using the OPC technology. The book describes the process for the design and implementation of OPC components and illustrates how to use OPC with application examples. It explains OPC compliance testing, security aspects, and use of OPC in the Internet. It presents an overview of OPC products in the market place. The third edition addresses interoperability from both a compliance and interoperability perspective as well as providing the reference and understanding about the OPC technology being the "HOW" and moving "WHAT", with emphasis on moving information from the factory floor all the way to the enterprise and how the OPC foundation is collaborating with other standards organizations for reliability and interoperability beyond the manufacturing domain. The OPC foundation has undertaken a significant architecture endeavor called the OPC unified architecture which provides a common base of services focusing on the use of Web services and XML and embracing the standardization of all the OPC foundation existing technology and specifications. The unified architecture provides services targeted at reliability and security for moving information from the factory floor to the enterprise and leverages the standards from other organizations addressing Web services interoperability. A common base of services have been defined that will allow the functionality of OPC data access, OPC alarm and events, OPC historical data access, OPC batch, OPC data eXchange and OPC commands to truly be integrated together in a highly robust and secure fashion. Vendors will now be able to support a single set of services that is the foundation for interoperability for the other OPC foundation domain specifications. Interoperability via a Web services architecture allows for true platform portability as well as being scalable to address the different deployment technology that is needed to build products in all facets of automation. Performance, security and reliability are the attributes of the OPC unified architecture. Existing OPC products will be able to take advantage of the unified architecture by essentially plugging in and leveraging the OPC unified architecture wrappers. This will allow end-users currently using products that are based on OPC foundation DCOM based technology to take advantage of the services and reliability provided by the OPC unified architecture without requiring a product upgrade from the vendor's for the existing products that are currently in use. Native adoption of the OPC unified architecture will be retrofitted into the existing products supplied by the vendor's further enhancing the reliability and interoperability that the end-users expect for true automation interoperability. Thanks again to the authors for putting together such an excellent book that communicates the whole picture of OPC, and provides a real world guidelines for developers and end users to understand and develop OPC components that takes advantage of the OPC technology. Thomas J. Burke President of the OPC Foundation
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Preface by Thomas J. Burke, President of the OPC Foundation

I am pleased to introduce the third edition of the OPC book written by my friends and colleagues Juergen & Frank. This is the real "OPC Book" that has become the fundamental reference manual and overview for the OPC foundation technology providing a real foundation of knowledge for anyone that wants to become literate on the OPC foundation technology. Whether you are an end user of products from vendors that use the OPC foundation technology or you are a vendor that either currently builds products with the OPC foundation technology or potentially will in the future, then this is the book for you to truly get jump started on understanding the OPC technology and using the OPC technology in a highly efficient manner.

I have had the pleasure of knowing the authors of this book on both a personal and professional basis.The authors have been active participants in the development of the OPC technology since it's initial conception. The authors have written this book to truly provide the foundation of knowledge on the technology and communicate the total picture of OPC from the beginning to where OPC is today.

The book provides an overview of the history of the OPC Foundation. It describes the advantages of the OPC Technology and gives detailed descriptions of the OPC specifications and the current status of the work of the technical subcommittees. It gives developers practical guidelines on theimplementation and use of the OPC specifications.

The book communicates more than just the what about OPC, it tells the reader how to design and implement products that leverages the hidden tricks of OPC in addition to the standard features. It explains the real guidelines/rules to build OPC products that maximizes the use of the technology, and provides a reference point for developers to provide leading edge products.

The authors are both developers and evangelists of the technology. The authors have in depth knowledge of how others have built products using the OPC technology.

The book describes the process for the design and implementation of OPC components and illustrates how to use OPC with application examples. It explains OPC compliance testing, security aspects, and use of OPC in the Internet. It presents an overview of OPC products in the market place.

The third edition addresses interoperability from both a compliance and interoperability perspective as well as providing the reference and understanding about the OPC technology being the "HOW" and moving "WHAT", with emphasis on moving information from the factory floor all the way to the enterprise and how the OPC foundation is collaborating with other standards organizations for reliability and interoperability beyond the manufacturing domain.

The OPC foundation has undertaken a significant architecture endeavor called the OPC unified architecture which provides a common base of services focusing on the use of Web services and XML and embracing the standardization of all the OPC foundation existing technology and specifications. The unified architecture provides services targeted at reliability and security for moving information from the factory floor to the enterprise and leverages the standards from other organizations addressing Web services interoperability.

A common base of services have been defined that will allow the functionality of OPC data access, OPC alarm and events, OPC historical data access, OPC batch, OPC data eXchange and OPC commands to truly be integrated together in a highly robust and secure fashion. Vendors will now be able to support a single set of services that is the foundation for interoperability for the other OPC foundation domain specifications.

Interoperability via a Web services architecture allows for true platform portability as well as being scalable to address the different deployment technology that is needed to build products in all facets of automation. Performance, security and reliability are the attributes of the OPC unified architecture.

Existing OPC products will be able to take advantage of the unified architecture by essentially plugging in and leveraging the OPC unified architecture wrappers. This will allow end-users currently using products that are based on OPC foundation DCOM based technology to take advantage of the services and reliability provided by the OPC unified architecture without requiring a product upgrade from the vendor's for the existing products that are currently in use.

Native adoption of the OPC unified architecture will be retrofitted into the existing products supplied by the vendor's further enhancing the reliability and interoperability that the end-users expect for true automation interoperability.

Thanks again to the authors for putting together such an excellent book that communicates the whole picture of OPC, and provides a real world guidelines for developers and end users to understand and develop OPC components that takes advantage of the OPC technology.

Thomas J. Burke
President of the OPC Foundation

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2.	Who should read the book?
	Containing sections on OPC fundamentals, detailed descriptions of specifications and a comprehensive, practice-oriented chapter describing applications, the book is ideally suited for OPC beginners, developers and automation experts alike. The book is also suited for students who want to familiarize themselves with the most recent developments in automation technology.
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Who should read the book?

Containing sections on OPC fundamentals, detailed descriptions of specifications and a comprehensive, practice-oriented chapter describing applications, the book is ideally suited for OPC beginners, developers and automation experts alike.

The book is also suited for students who want to familiarize themselves with the most recent developments in automation technology.

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3.	A brief description of the book's contents
	Chapter 1 describes the history of OPC. It shows the development from drivers that were limited to just one product, to initial standardization attempts in the form of DDE, to OPC technology. The chapter examines the advantages and disadvantages of developing and using product-specific drivers, DDE servers and OPC servers. An overview of basic technologies such as DCOM, .NET and Web Services and of the fundamentals of OPC clients and OPC servers is also provided in this chapter. The chapter concludes with an insight into the structure and work of the OPC Foundation. Chapter 2 explains existing and emerging OPC specifications such as Common Definitions and Interfaces, Data Access, Alarms and Events, Historical Data Access, Batch, Security, Compliance Test, OPC XML-DA, Data Access 3.0, DX, Complex Data, Commands and Unified Architecture. For every specification, the chapter presents an overview of the field of application and the underlying model. Then the specification's content and its use are described based on specific scenarios. Some of the specifications have already been tested in practice. Problems encountered by users applying the specifications are discussed in a special section of the chapter. The chapter concludes with an application sample. Chapter 3 provides answers to questions arising during the design and implementation of OPC components. It explains general aspects of using DCOM and .NET and discusses the creation of OPC components with C++ and Visual Basic/Visual Basic .NET with and without using OPC toolkits. Furthermore, this chapter looks at security aspects and at using OPC with different embedded operating systems. Chapter 4 primarily addresses end users of OPC technology. It describes the use of OPC in automation products of different manufacturers. This section also includes customer reports talking about the experience with using OPC. OPC performance studies are also featured in this chapter. Chapter 5 contains a summary and a look ahead to the future of OPC.
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A brief description of the book's contents

Chapter 1 describes the history of OPC. It shows the development from drivers that were limited to just one product, to initial standardization attempts in the form of DDE, to OPC technology. The chapter examines the advantages and disadvantages of developing and using product-specific drivers, DDE servers and OPC servers.

An overview of basic technologies such as DCOM, .NET and Web Services and of the fundamentals of OPC clients and OPC servers is also provided in this chapter. The chapter concludes with an insight into the structure and work of the OPC Foundation.

Chapter 2 explains existing and emerging OPC specifications such as Common Definitions and Interfaces, Data Access, Alarms and Events, Historical Data Access, Batch, Security, Compliance Test, OPC XML-DA, Data Access 3.0, DX, Complex Data, Commands and Unified Architecture.

OPC Overview

For every specification, the chapter presents an overview of the field of application and the underlying model. Then the specification's content and its use are described based on specific scenarios. Some of the specifications have already been tested in practice. Problems encountered by users applying the specifications are discussed in a special section of the chapter. The chapter concludes with an application sample.

Chapter 3 provides answers to questions arising during the design and implementation of OPC components. It explains general aspects of using DCOM and .NET and discusses the creation of OPC components with C++ and Visual Basic/Visual Basic .NET with and without using OPC toolkits. Furthermore, this chapter looks at security aspects and at using OPC with different embedded operating systems.

Chapter 4 primarily addresses end users of OPC technology. It describes the use of OPC in automation products of different manufacturers. This section also includes customer reports talking about the experience with using OPC. OPC performance studies are also featured in this chapter.

Chapter 5 contains a summary and a look ahead to the future of OPC.

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4.	What is on the CD-ROM?
	The CD-ROM that comes with the book contains the following: A sample OPC server that implements Data Access and Events specifications The server provides simulated data in multiple formats and can be used for test purposes by any OPC client. A sample OPC client that implements Data Access and Events specifications. The client can be used as a tool for testing and commissioning OPC servers. Demo version of OPC C++ toolkits which enable the fast and easy development of Data Access and/or Alarms and Events servers and clients. Demo version of OPC ActiveX Controls that delivers full Data Access and Alarms and Events functionality in order to develop OPC clients in any ActiveX-enabled environment such as Visual Basic, Excel, Internet Explorer, SCADA systems, etc. Demo version of industrial OPC servers (S5/S7, PROFIBUS, CANopen) Demo version of OPC Connector Tools
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What is on the CD-ROM?

The CD-ROM that comes with the book contains the following:

A sample OPC server that implements Data Access and Events specifications The server provides simulated data in multiple formats and can be used for test purposes by any OPC client.
A sample OPC client that implements Data Access and Events specifications. The client can be used as a tool for testing and commissioning OPC servers.
Demo version of OPC C++ toolkits which enable the fast and easy development of Data Access and/or Alarms and Events servers and clients.
Demo version of OPC ActiveX Controls that delivers full Data Access and Alarms and Events functionality in order to develop OPC clients in any ActiveX-enabled environment such as Visual Basic, Excel, Internet Explorer, SCADA systems, etc.
Demo version of industrial OPC servers (S5/S7, PROFIBUS, CANopen)
Demo version of OPC Connector Tools

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