1. Common components for OPC-UA developments at CERN: An enhanced OPC-UA toolkit
Ben Farnham

2. The enhanced OPC-UA toolkit
Delivered via the OPC-UA server generator framework.
OPC-UA client
OPC-UA client
OPC-UA client
bought
OPC-UA server toolkit (C++) – Unified Automation
Commercial
toolkit
Logging
Security (X509 certificate handling)
XML Configuration
Common namespace items and Namespace utilities
Server meta-information
Common
components
made at CERN
in-progress
todo
~done
~done
in-progress
Hardware
specific logic,
Expected ~80/20
CERN/vendor
split
Device Logic (Custom code)
Hardware access layer (device I/O) – provided by vendor
100% vendor
Hardware
Hardware
Hardware
Goal: To provide homogenous OPC-UA server implementations based on shared components.

3. OPC-UA: Vendor support remains critical
Control System
CERN has influence from here up. Business logic requires vendor expertise too (~80/20 CERN/vendor split)
Toolkit
Business Logic
CAEN software, a black box library.
Hardware Access Lib
CAEN software, running on mainframe (essentially a linux PC).
CAEN Branch Controller firmware
(runs on low power processor)
CAEN Board firmware
(runs on low power processor)
Experiment Hardware
Meaningful support to CAEN/Wiener/ISEG users requires assistance from the vendors.

4. Vendor/CERN source code maintenance
CERN maintains the source code for the OPC-UA server implementations whilst promoting and seeking active collaboration with the vendors. Both CERN and vendors can commit code to the repository.
Each server will be a standard OPC-UA server, but always with the understanding that it must satisfy the requirements of CERN’s user community.
If a vendor needs an implementation taking a different direction then the implementations should branch; no CERN involvement in such branches.
Before starting any non-trivial work (i.e. minor bug-fixes), agreement should be sought from both CERN and the vendor.
Releases will be built (automated) from tagged versions of the code repository. CERN and the vendor are able to tag and trigger release builds.
CERN tests releases for CERN setups only, vendors take responsibility for any other validation.
Vendors remain 100% responsible for fixing problems in all layers except the OPC-UA server source code (i.e. the hardware-access-libs and below). CERN should prove an error comes from these layers.

5. Common JCOP OPC-UA Server Projects
CAEN
Approach discussed with company.
Early prototype available.
Wiener
ISEG
Approach discussed with company*.
Prototype not yet started.
Siemens PLC (Step7 + TSPP, UNICOS)
Early prototype available*.
Schneider PLC (Modbus + TSPP, UNICOS)
Prototype started.

6. End