Upgrade Path for Non-Linux RT Targets with OPC

[JoeLesker]

I deploy to both sbRIO 9606 (VxWorks) and 9607 (LinuxRT) targets.  I'm currently on LabView 2015, and am investigating upgrading to 2018.  But it appears that support for OPC is restricted to only LinuxRT targets beginning with 2017.  Is this true?  Is there no way to use utilize OPC on a sbRIO-9606 running LabView 2018?

[KathrynTheGreat]

Hi JoeLesker,

From what I'm seeing, it looks like the answer may depend on what you're doing with OPC and how your system is set up. Here's what I would need to know to be able to get you a more concrete answer:

-Are you working with OPC UA or DA? After LabVIEW 2017, these are handled by two different products, so this will help us narrow down which one is appropriate for your project. 

-What role will your VxWorks cRIOs play in the system (for example, are they hosting the server or are they clients)? Depending on the software you need, this may factor into compatibility.

Also, is this page where you found the information regarding Linux RT compatibility? If so, it's referring to the OPC UA Toolkit, which spun off from the LabVIEW DSC Module in 2017, rather than all OPC compatibility. The readme for the 2018 version of the UA Toolkit lists only Linux RT targets under Supported Hardware, so I think it's safe to assume that the OPC UA Toolkit is not designed for VxWorks targets.

If you're working with OPC DA, you'll still want to use the DSC Module in 2018. This may have different compatibility information, so I would recommend checking the readme for that product to verify.

[JoeLesker]

Hi Kathryn,

Thanks for the reply.

I'm working with OPC UA.  The cRIO can act as both a server and/or client, based on configuration.  Historical Access and Alarms are not needed.

It was my understanding that UA and DA are distinct standards, and there is no interoperability between them.  Is that the case?

-Joe

[rolfk]

OPC DA is based on OLE and therefore only operational under Windows. OPC UA is based on TCP/IP standards and therefore potentially available on other platforms. But VxWorks doesn't belong to them unless you want to create your own OPC UA solution by compiling a shared library from some C sources. However Open Source OPC UA implementations are spotty in terms of implementation and compatibility and commercial source code is very expensive.