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Configuring Data Sources for OPC Plugins

Before configuring indicators to collect online readings, you must define the data source in APM. This definition brings together information about the service provider, the OPC plugin, and the connection to the target server. This topic explains how to configure a data source for the OPC DA and OPC HDA plugins.

Note: Make sure that your DCOM configuration is set up correctly to remotely access the OPC server.

Note: Before creating the data source definition, make sure that the connection to the OPC server is active. When creating the data source, you must connect to the server to record the connection string.

Note: If you are using the APM on-premises ODC agent, you must create and configure the data source on the premises. It’s easiest to do this is on the actual agent computer. However, you can also set up the data source in the local network context on a computer with the OPC, PI, or DB components installed.

To Configure a Data Source for an OPC Plugin

1.	From the Site window, select the Inspection Management view and the Settings tab. Select the Indicators tab and the Indicator Settings node in the tree.

Tip: You can also click the Administration menu, Inspection Management Settings, and then Indicator Management. The Indicator Settings window appears.

2.	Select the ODC tab and then the Data Sources tab.

Note: You can also create a data source that is available to all sites that use the Online Data Collection module. On the Enterprise window, select the Services view, ODC tab, and then the Data Sources tab.

3.	Click New. The ODC Data Source dialog appears.

4.	Enter a name for the data source (for example, OPCServer-INFI-90).

5.	Select a service provider from the list.

6.	Click Browse Plugins. The Browse ODC Plugins dialog appears.

7.	Select the plugin for the type of OPC source to collect data from.

8.	Click OK. The ODC Data Source dialog, General tab displays information supplied by the plugin.

9.	To permit future-dated indicator readings, click Allow future-dated readings. If the server clocks are not perfectly synchronized, the ODC service is still able to return the most recent indicator readings.

Note: Not allowing future-dated readings only prevents readings from having a future date, not a later time today.

10.	If you are using the APM on-premises ODC agent to manage data collection, select Via on-premise gateway.

11.	Click Browse to select the target ODC server. The following example dialog is for the OPC DA plugin:

Note: If the Select OPC DA Server dialog does not appear, log off and log on again, and repeat this step.

Note: If you are using the on-premises agent, the hostname and server URL are provided by the agent.

The following is an example of the OPC HDA plugin:

Note: If you are using the on-premises agent, the hostname and server URL are provided by the agent.

12.	Enter the hostname in the Host box.

13.	In the OPC Server area, select a server from the list, then you can click Connect and then review the state of the server in the Status area.

14.	For DA servers, select Enable low level browsing to allow low level searches when you browse for tags.

15.	For HDA servers, select Enable tag browse filtering to display the filter box and search icon for HDA servers that allow filtering of tags. If your server does not allow filtering, do not select this option and it will not be visible when browsing tags.

16.	Click OK to return to the ODC Data Source dialog. The General tab displays information about the plugin and connection. For example:

The Identifier value (obscured in the example above) is encrypted and displayed as hashed for security reasons.

17.	Select the Configuration tab to enter additional information about the configuration of the data source.

18.	Select the Description tab to enter additional information about the data source.

Tip: After you have configured indicators and started collecting online data, you can return to the ODC Data Source dialog to see information about how the data source is used. Select the Usage tab to see which indicators use the data source. Select the Messages tab to view ODC message logs.

19.	Click OK to save the data source and close the dialog.