Product Comparison

Feature

OPC Systems.NET

Proprietary Software

Central communications implemented as a Windows Service.

Scalable deployment

.NET communications over TCP/IP

Use Internet for global communications

Unlimited

No restriction on the number of Tags

No restriction on the number of OPC Servers

No restriction on the number of OPC Items

No restriction on the number of OPC Clients

Unlimited

No restriction on the number of local and remote HMI applications

No restriction on the number of local and remote web applications

No restriction on the number of trend windows

No restriction on the number of alarm windows

Service based licensing with unlimited numbers of local and remote client applications.

4,995 US for the complete suite including all .NET features.

$795 US for individual features

Corporate Licensing available to OEMs and end users.

Microsoft Visual Studio

2003

2005

2008

2010

Expression Blend 2

Expression Blend 3

Free Express versions can be downloaded from www.microsoft.com

No programming is required

Easy to implement Microsoft and other third party .NET components into client applications, no VBA or custom scripting language needed.  All native .NET support for the CLR.

All .NET components are 100% managed

No ActiveX, COM, or DCOM

WinForm and Web Trend Components

WinForm and Web Alarm Components

WinForm and Web HMI Components

Data Component for real-time data

Mix multiple data sources

OPC Servers

OPC Clients

Database

Custom Data from Visual Studio

Server based configuration

Unlimited numbers of security groups

Unlimited numbers of users

Restrict all service configuration parameters

Limit read and write access

Restrict real-time and historical trend data

Restrict real-time and historical alarm data

Limit alarm acknowledgement

Restrict tag, OPC, and configuration browsing.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Smart Client compatible WinForm applications.

Central deployment with automatic update to remote clients with new version.  Keep all clients up to date with the latest application.

Components that include COM or legacy ActiveX controls are not Smart Client compatible, so make sure not to use components from other vendors that talk directly to OPC Servers from the components.

Visit the Smart Client page for more information and a live demonstration.

Web applications contain no java applets or ActiveX controls so web applications developed with OPC Systems.NET can be used on a vast number of different browsers and on different operating systems like Linux, Mac, and cell phones with web browsers like the iPhone.

No data is lost during temporary network disconnect or database engine failure.

Data Logging is buffered to disk or RAM on network failure or database engine failure.

Alarm Logging is buffered to RAM on network failure or database engine failure.

Real-Time trend data is cached in central service.

OPC Controls.NET components can be used to develop HMI applications with Visual Studio to run on local and remote systems.  No programming is required.

Automatically update properties based on real-time data.  Text, BackColor, ForeColor, Location, Enabled, Visible, Size, Image Index, and more.

Use the OPC Controls.NET Data component to read and write data to OPC Servers, OPC Clients, remote Visual Studio applications, and Databases like SQL Server, Oracle, Access, and mySQL.

To read data involves one AddTags method and the ValuesChangedAll event.

The write data involves one WriteTags method with optional Timestamps.  This simple feature turns your Visual Studio application into a data source for OPC Systems.NET.

By including the Timestamps with the WriteTags you can maintain data accuracy with 100 nanoseconds as OPC Systems.NET will queue multiple values for each packet.

Refer to the VB.NET Example that installs with OPC Systems.NET for working examples.

This is the easiest to use data component for OPC Servers and Clients and includes support for communications over the Internet.  No more DCOM headached.

OPC Web Controls.NET components can be used to develop HMI web applications with Visual Studio to run on local and remote systems.  No programming is required.

OPC Web Controls.NET can be included in any ASP.NET web application and is compatible with many different browsers and client operating systems including Safari on the iPhone.

Automatically update properties based on real-time data.  Text, BackColor, ForeColor, Location, Enabled, Visible, Size, and more.

OPC Mobile.NET components can be used to develop pocket PC applications for Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0.  Develop and deploy unlimited numbers of pocket PC applications for each licensed service.  No programming is required.

All components and all service configurations can be programmatically defined to create your SCADA application from your own custom database of information.

Automatically adjust SCADA applications based on site, company, and even real-time data.

OPC Trend.NET can be included in your own Visual Studio application for real-time and historical trending.

This easy to use 100% managed .NET component is superior to other legacy ActiveX controls providing 3D trending with all properties accessible for user and programmatic control.

Refer to the VB.NET Example that installs with the software or Smart Client example for demonstration of all of the controls functionality.

OPC Web Trend.NET can be included in any ASP.NET web application and is compatible with many different browsers and client operating systems including Safari on the iPhone.

Refer to the OPC Web Controls Example that installs with the software or the on-line Internet web example for demonstration of all of the controls functionality.

OPC Database.NET can log to the following database engines in an open easy to query table format.

Tables are automatically created with the data logging group configuration.

Event data from your Visual Studio application can be logged with 100 nanosecond accuracy.  Refer to the Data Logging section in the Training Guide on how to log High Speed Data from Visual Studio Application.

OPC Servers typically only support 10 millisecond accuracy, OPC Systems.NET will still be able to log with 100 nanosecond accuracy provided the Time Stamp of the data is set from the data source.

Data buffering can be written to disk during temporary network loss or database engine failure.

Feedback confirmation can be enabled to verify data has been delivered from data source successfully to the database.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Security can be enabled to restrict access of viewing and changing data logging parameters.

OPC Alarm.NET can be included in your own Visual Studio application for real-time and historical alarming.

This easy to use 100% managed .NET component is superior to other legacy ActiveX controls providing alarm data with all properties accessible for user and programmatic control.

Refer to the VB.NET Example that installs with the software or Smart Client example for demonstration of all of the controls functionality.

OPC Web Alarm.NET can be included in any ASP.NET web application and is compatible with many different browsers and client operating systems including Safari on the iPhone.

Refer to the OPC Web Controls Example that installs with the software or the on-line Internet web example for demonstration of all of the controls functionality.

OPC Alarm.NET and OPC Web Alarm.NET can log to the following database engines in an open easy to query table format.

SQL Server

Oracle

Access

mySQL

CSV

Tables are automatically created with the alarm logging group configuration.

Alarm buffering occurs during temporary network loss or database engine failure.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Security can be enabled to restrict access of viewing and changing alarm logging parameters.

Send E-Mails based on specific filter criteria.

Update OPC Systems.NET Tags, OPC Items, OPC Clients, and Visual Studio application data with the following alarm summary information.

These values can then be displayed, logged, sent to PLCs, drive an alarm horn, used in calculations, and notify supervisors of outstanding conditions.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Security can be enabled to restrict access of viewing and changing alarm notification parameters.

Generate reports in the following formats

Automatically generate reports at a specific time of day, continuously, or based on tag event.

Manually generate reports from desired time period.

Automatically send E-Mail with attached report.

Easy to user Report Designer for creating report templates, includes basic functions for summarizing including MIN, MAX, AVG, SUM, IF, and other functions.

Use with any open database format that can be queried, both OPC Database.NET and OPC Alarm.NET as most common data logging engines.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Security can be enabled to restrict access of viewing and changing report execution parameters.

Feedback confirmation can be enabled to verify data has been delivered from database successfully to the desired target.

Use dynamic query strings from tag calculations to define what data set is returned.

Use row or column based tag and value definitions in tables.  Tags can be mapped to specific fields or can be included in the table itself.

All properties can be changed during runtime manually or programmatically, even over the Internet.  CSV Import and Export is also available.

Security can be enabled to restrict access of viewing and changing recipe execution parameters.

The OPC Route.NET feature transfers values from OPC Systems.NET Tags to OPC Items.

Route data from one OPC Server to another to share process data from multiple controller manufactures.

Transfer data from remote OPC Server over TCP/IP, eliminates DCOM for remote connections.

Send calculated data from multiple tags to one OPC Item.

Send single Tag value to multiple OPC Items.

Monitor unlimited numbers of servers for n levels of server redundancy.