Connectivity Framework Annex B: Assessment Template: OPC-UA
B. 6.2 Business Viewpoint
B. 6.2.1 Purpose( Section 6.2.1)
B. 6.2.2 Pedigree( Section 6.2.2)
B. 6.2.3 Variants( Section 6.2.3)
B. 6.2.4 Maturity( Section 6.2.4)
B. 6.2.5 Stability( Section 6.2.5)
B. 6.2.6 Standards Body
( Section 6.2.6)
Give the general motivation and expectation for the Connectivity Technology. This section provides the business rationale. It communicates the fundamental " why and what " for the project.
Defines a comprehensive information modeling mechanism, which is fully extensible by specific vertical markets. Defines a standard set of services, which act on the information model.
Expose information about the system, its configuration, topology and data context( the meta data) in the collective“ address space” of the individual OPC-UA servers. Allow this address space to be accessed by authorized OPC-UA clients such that they can see what is available and choose what to access.
Describe the derivation, origin or history of the system. The objective is to understand the brief evolutionary context of this technology.
OPC-UA is the next generation of the OPC protocol, which is widely deployed in industrial automation.
OPC was introduced in 1996 based on Microsoft DCOM. This specification is now referred as“ Classic OPC”.
OPC-UA was first introduced in 2006( version 1.0). It no longer depends on DCOM and uses Web-Services and Binary TCP protocols instead.
OPC-UA version 1.03 was released in 2013. It has been endorsed as a key specification for Industry 4.0. Describe the options and variants from the original generic description of the technology.
The OPC-UA specification defines many optional profiles and services, notably: Discovery, View, Query, Attribute, Method, Data Monitoring, Data Access and Events & Conditions.
Estimate the technology maturity, state of development and condition relative to perfection. How refined are the connectivity concepts, requirements and demonstrated capabilities? Is the technology consistent and uniform?
A website 1 maintains a list of notable project that use OPC-UA.
OPC-UA has broad industrial support. Its focus is to allow information to be easily and securely exchanged between diverse platforms from multiple vendors and to allow seamless integration of those platforms without costly, time-consuming software development.
There are SDKs from multiple companies that can be used to build OPC-UA compliant systems.
Describe whether the connectivity technology has been in use for long enough that most of its initial faults and inherent problems have been removed or reduced; how easy is it to use for both non-experts and professionals? Has there been a reduction in the rate of new breakthrough advances related to it?
“ Classic OPC” has been widely deployed in the industry. The OPC-UA specification has been stable for many years as has the standard stack implementations and SDKs.
List the relevant organizational bodies developing, coordinating, promulgating, revising, amending, reissuing, interpreting or otherwise producing technical standards and guidelines intended to address the needs of the base of affected adopters.
OPC-UA enjoys broad industry support. The OPC foundation has over 450 members 2.
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