Overview Many people familiar with, or new to, OPC will attest that configuring the DCOM security settings can be a major hassle - one they would happily to do without. For those of you not familiar with DCOM (and without getting into a lot of detail), it's a Microsoft Windows technology broadly used to communicate between processes on either local or remote computers. OPC uses DCOM to communicate between clients and servers.
Unfortunately, DCOM was originally intended for business applications, and is not the best technology to use for "high speed" real-time communication. In addition to the security configuration issues, DCOM also does not operate well on unreliable networks, generates additional data overhead, and requires specific firewall ports to be opened. To say the least, none of these issues are especially appealing to network or system administrators.
Luckily, there is an alternative to using DCOM for OPC called a "tunnel", such as Softing's OPC Easy Connect OPC Tunnel product.
To read the entire review, download the document.
For automated troubleshooting, refer to OPC Expert, a software application to troubleshoot OPC connections. If OPC Expert fails to connect, it automatically informs you of the problem, diagnoses the cause, and suggests a solution. OPC Expert is free to download, does not require installation, and does not make any changes to Windows registry, so it is safe to use on your computer. Download at www.OpcExpert.com.
OPCTI is the global leader in OPC training for automation professionals, and is the largest OPC training company in the world. OPCTI offers hands-on training workshops in-person and online.
OPCTI is vendor-neutral, meaning that we will teach you how to establish and implement a robust and secure communication infrastructure, no matter what OPC products you use - the training that you receive from OPCTI can be immediately implemented at your workplace. Our progressive training will enable you to increase your efficiency, security, and productivity.
The Certified OPC Professional (COP) designation is only offered by OPCTI. The designation is awarded to those who have successfully completed our training, and who demonstrate proficiency with OPC technology, design architecture, and installations. The COP designation is endorsed by many OPC Foundation member companies.
OPCTI is an active member and a strong supporter of the OPC Foundation. Randy Kondor, President and Chief Instructor at OPCTI currently serves as the Vice President of Education at the OPC Foundation.
Visit our Training Schedule to see where OPCTI is currently offering training workshops, or contact us to find out more about private trainings for you and your team at your site.