Connecting a Kepware Client to an OPC UA server involves establishing a communication link that adheres to the OPC UA standard. It requires managing security certificates, defining connection details within Kepware, and importing the OPC UA server's tag structure. Configuration includes the certificate exchange, specifying server endpoints, and adding relevant tags.
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System Requirements
- KepServerEx V5 (or superior).
- OPC UA Protocol
How to Use
The procedure for a successful OPC UA connection is divided into three main steps.
- KepServerEx OPC UA Client Certification
- Creating certificates for the OPC Server
- Kepware OPC Client Configuration
KepServerEx Client Certificate
In the Kepware OPC UA Configuration Manager, go to Instance Certificates(1). In the Client Certificateportion, click Export Client Driver Certificate...(2), and save the file in any folder you want.
OPC UA Server Configuration
1 - Navigate to the Solution → Settings Runtime / Startup tab, locate the OPC Server Runtime configuration, select OPC UA, and click on Settings (1).You should see an application called the OPCServer option in the Startup Modules, and check it. Then, click on the gear icon to open the OPC UA Server Configuration Helperopening up. Click Browse (2)and search for the file .. fs-9.1uaPLUS.Net4.exe. Then, click Create UA Configuration(3)followed by Edit UA Configuration (4).
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2 - The OPC UA Server Configuration HelperThe Edit UA Configurationpage is where the OPC UA Server properties are configured, such as Endpoint(1)Endpoints, Security Policies (2), and CertificationsCertificates(Client and Server) (3).
3 - In the certificate popup ClientCertificate section, click Import a Client Certificate(4)and browse for the Kepware Client Certificate. Then, in Create a new self signed server certificate (5), give it a friendly name, and click Create.Finally, click Export (6)to save the Server Certificate. Click OK → Save And Close → Done
4 - In the Server Certificate section, click Export Certificate and save it.
KepServerEx Configuration
5 - In the KepServerEX Configuration display, right-click Connectivityand select New Channel. From the Channel Wizard popup, browse for the OPC UA Client.
6 - Fill in the Wizard configuration labels with the information from the OPC UA Server .
Configuration Helper information.
7- After creating the channel, right-click on Channel and select New Device. Click Add Device (1)and name it. Fill in all the device parameters until you reach the Import Items (2) page.The import tool WILL NOT work right now because the OPC Server (ProjectSolution) is not running yet. Click Advance (3)and finish Click on Next and complete your configuration.
Importing Server Certificate
Back in 8 - After creating the Device, go to the OPC UA Configuration Manager, go navigate to the Trusted Servers (1) tab, and Import (2) import the OPC Server certificate .
Reinitialize the Kepware service and run your project.
you created in step 4.
9 - Once you have completed the previous step, restart the KepServerEX service.
Solution Runtime
10 -
Solution Runtime
Once the configuration is done, you can launch the Solution to test the communication exchange. Remember to have the OPC Server Module enabled on Runtime → / Startup.
11 - You can now go to your Kepware Device and Browse for the existing Tags.
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The Tags Visibility property (onEdit → ObjectsUnified Namespace/Tags) must be configured according to the description below: |
- Public: Can be read and write in your OPC
- Protected: Can only be read
- Private: will not be seen or browsed
In the Advosol UAplus Server popup Module Information diagnostic tool, you can monitor the clients that are currently connected to your server. As shown an example, in the image below, we have there is one client (Kepware’s OPC Quick Client) that is successfully communicating with our Solutionsolution.
In this section:
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