Microsoft / OPC UA
The new OPC UA standard stack
At Hannover Messe 2017, the OPC Foundation announced a new open source implementation of OPC UA technology developed by Microsoft. It is intended to enable the rapid adaptation of OPC UA in cross-market and cross-platform products.
The new open source implementation of OPC technology will replace the OPC Foundation's original .Net sources that have been developed and maintained over the last ten years. The original OPC Foundation .Net OPC UA reference implementation has always been available to OPC Foundation members, and last year it was made available as open source on GitHub. However, this original version could only run on the Microsoft Windows operating system.
The new OPC Foundation .Net reference stack was developed and optimized by Microsoft as a platform-independent infrastructure. It is based on the new .Net standard technology and can run on the following platforms: various Linux distributions, iOS, Android, Windows 7, Windows 8, Windows 8.1, Windows 10, Windows Phone, HoloLens and Azure Cloud.
One of the most important features of the OPC UA .Net standard stack is the extension of the security functions to meet the requirements of Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications and those of the Industry 4.0 platform.
The advantages of the new stack
- The .Net standard API portability strategy is aimed in particular at one-off development that can then run everywhere: OS-specific functionalities that regulate special cases become superfluous.
- The architecture of the .Net standard stack focuses on 'managed code', which leads to significantly faster application development.
- Microsoft enables NuGet packages so that providers can integrate OPC UA support into their application with a few mouse clicks.
- The stack includes enhanced security, including SHA512 support.
- The stack enables support for cross-platform UI design tools via Xamarin.
- In conjunction with the OPC Foundation, Microsoft provides sample applications including reference clients, reference servers, an aggregation server, a classic 'OPC wrapper' and a web application to quickly view OPC UA telemetry data sent to the cloud.
You might also be interested in
From the chip to the Microsoft cloud
IT is becoming a driver of growth and productivity in the manufacturing industry: reason enough for Microsoft to take part in the most important automation trade fair with its own stand. Included: solutions relating to the OPC UA connection to the...
read more...Data hub for OPC UA
In June 2017, Industrie Informatik presented the latest release of the MES solution Cronetwork. The focus was on the newly integrated OPC UA server. Thomas Krainz, member of the management team and responsible for product management, explains what...
read more...Software & IT in its own hall for the first time
This year, for the first time, SPS IPC Drives is bundling the topic of software & IT in manufacturing in its own hall - Hall 6 - in response to the increasing convergence of the two sectors in the age of digital transformation.
read more...Sercos OPC UA Companion Standard available
The OPC Foundation and Sercos International have been cooperating since 2011 with the aim of improving communication between machines (peripherals) and higher-level IT systems. The jointly developed Sercos OPC UA Companion Standard is now available.
read more...Artificial intelligence for edge devices
Researchers at Microsoft Research Labs are currently developing machine learning services for microcomputers such as Raspberry Pi or Arduino. The aim is to make artificial intelligence usable for edge devices. An initial prototype of the software is...
read more...Real-time Ethernet is a reality
Around 200 participants attended the 2nd Deterministic Ethernet Forum in Vienna at the beginning of May. The focus was on standardization topics and examples of successfully implemented applications in industry and the automotive sector relating to...
read more...A new TSN working group
TSN has enormous potential for automation technology - the management of the ISW in Stuttgart is certain of this. In mid-May 2017, the institute therefore hosted the kick-off event for the 'TSN for Automation' industry working group.
read more...Commercial license for OPC UA .NET Standard Stack
In June 2016, the OPC UA .NET standard stack developed by Microsoft was made available as an open source project on GitHub. Softing is now planning to offer a commercial license for this stack from the fourth quarter of 2017.
read more..."The" TSN Congress
Time Sensitive Networking - TSN for short - is a real-time extension of standard Ethernet. The effects on all sectors - from industry and automotive to the consumer world - will be the focus of the TSN/A Conference on September 20-21, 2017 in...
read more...