JAI’2014: Overcoming Classic OPC
We present the summary of the most significant aspects of our presentation at the Conference on Technology and Solutions for Industrial Automation in Vigo.
Our colleague Héctor García, Director of the Industrial Communications Area of Logitek, was recently in Vigo representing us at the sixth edition of the Conference on Technology and Solutions for Industrial Automation. We leave you with a summary of the most significant aspects of his presentation at the event:
The OPC-DA, colloquially known as “classic OPC”, is based on Microsoft technologies that make it difficult to configure communication when the client and server are on different computers. In addition, to configure this communication, it is necessary to make adjustments in the computer’s configuration that can lead to major security problems.
How can we solve this?
The new OPC (OPC-UA: Unified Architecture) makes configuration much easier. In addition, it has been used to apply certain security concepts that are very common in the IT (Information Technologies) world, but unknown until now to the OT (Operations Technologies) world.
How have integrators received the new OPC?
The vast majority of integrators who are making new installations in which they need universal communication with OPC, already do so with OPC-UA instead of OPC-DA for a simple reason: it is very easy to configure. However, there is a minority that is aware that communication between computers, especially when data has to travel through open domains such as the Internet, must be a secure communication.
How to ensure the security of communications?
There are threats that can attack our data, but some concepts applied in the OPC-UA protocol serve to minimize these possible attacks.
It might be thought that these concepts present a certain complexity, but for these cases there are products such as Comom KepServerEx from Kepware, designed and capable of establishing secure communication in a way that is as simple as it is effective. The relevant thing is that, regardless of its internal complexity, they guarantee secure communication that is resistant to any threat.
Is OPC-UA applicable to any product?
Not all products that communicate via OPC-UA implement all security levels, if they implement any at all. That is why it is necessary to use products that can assure you that they comply with the OPC-UA specification. To detect these products, you must consult this seal: https://opcfoundation.org/certified-products.
As a closing to his presentation, both Héctor García and Logitek would like to thank Nacho Armesto, organizer of the JAI, for the opportunity he has given us to participate in the conference.
