OPCAdapter is a software application for processing eventually visualizing data from various automation devices of diverse suppliers with communication drivers implemented as OPC servers. For example: programming logical controllers (PLC), various intelligent sensors and actuators.
The advantage of the OPC technology is the fact, that it is very wide-spread industry standard. Its disadvantage is that it is based on the use of COM and DCOM technology and this fact limits its using almost only on Microsoft platforms. OPCAdapter removes this disadvantage, because data from/to OPC servers transfers from/to other applications, using communication driver over TCP/IP that does not use the COM and DCOM. This communication can proceed between two applications running on the same computer, or between two applications on two computers located in the different network domain or through Internet too.
For example the user application (which does not use COM) that is implemented in program language Java and is running on the same computer as OPCAdapter saves data collected using OPCAdapter to the database. This application represent the client to the OPCAdapter and OPCAdapter represents OPC client to the connector OPC servers. OPCAdapter and this user application communicate among each other through Windows sockets.
How can be OPCAdapter used?