The world of software is expanding and developing rapidly. Going back a few years, the only way to acquire a software application to suit specific requirements was to have it specially engineered using the programming tools of the day. Then, in a short space of time, many off-the-shelf software applications became available; mostly from vendors who had custom developed an application and wanted to see some return on their development. So, the configuration functionality evolved to make them configurable for general use.
These software packages grew in size and complexity as each customer required something added or changed. This process resulted in massive and expensive software packed with features of which many customers only used a small percentage. Support of these packages became expensive, so compulsory support contracts added to the cost as well; operating systems also changed regularly, adding to the maintenance burden All this resulted in many incredibly powerful products, which certainly have their place in select environments, but are a complete overkill in others.
As with many, worldly, cyclical patterns emerge due to evolution of the environment and the fact that developed solutions start to fall short of customer requirements, whether these are cost or functionality related. An example of such a cycle is the shift from centralised server computing with all the dumb ‘green-screen’ clients connected to it, to the individual desktop revolution, which is now reverting back to server and thin/zero client architecture: almost a full circle, but now using more advanced technology.
In line with this, Kepware has realised the need to assist developers to connect their applications to OPC servers in industry. The OPC server has created a window into the automation and information systems that allows access for various custom created applications. Correct OPC client connectivity standards are critical to maintaining OPC server performance.
Client Ace, Kepware’s .NET Visual Studio toolkit, provides developers with a toolbox to create the OPC client connector for an application without any knowledge of the OPC standards. This once off licence purchase allows developers to sign off as many applications as required without any form of royalty costs, with the first software application sale paying for the Client Ace licence in many cases.
There are two primary parts to Client Ace:
ClientAce .NET API: The application programming interface provides users of languages such as C# and Visual Basic .NET with a simple, intuitive and optimised class library to develop OPC client applications for accessing OPC servers.
DA junction control: This is a customised .NET control that enables Visual Basic .NET and C# programmers to develop OPC client applications that can access any OPC UA, OPC DA, and XML DA servers. No detailed knowledge of OPC Data Access interfaces is required. The DA Junction will perform the connection handling procedure between a custom client application and the OPC server, as well as monitor and reconnect when necessary.
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