Rockwell Automation FactoryTalk View Machine Edition Users Guide - Manual (Page 79)

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5
Set up communications
This chapter describes:
 Data servers.
 OPC ( Open, Productive, Collaborative) communications.
 Creating data servers and setting up communications.
About data servers
Data servers provide access to devices, on the network, making it possible to browse,
read, and write values fromFactoryTalk View applications.
FactoryTalk View ME supports the following types of data servers:
 Rockwell Automation Device Servers
RSLinx Enterprise is the recommended data server for all Rockwell Automation
devices and networks. RSLinx Enterprise does not require activation or licensing and
can be installed as often as needed in any application.
 OPC Data Servers are any data server that supports the OPC-DataAccess Standard
v2.05a.
The OPC Foundation is a non-profit organization that provides standards and
technology that enables software from different vendors to work together. The
following OPC Data Access v2.05a servers are available with FactoryTalk View ME.
 KepServer Enterprise is used to communicate with non-Rockwell Automation
devices like Siemens or Modicon controllers.
KepServer Enterprise does not require activation or licensing for FactoryTalk
View ME.
 RSLinx Classic can only be used with FactoryTalk View ME Station and should
only be considered in the following situations:
 CIP to non-CIP routing is required to reach the device.
 Unsolicited messages are used to send data from controllers.
 Alias topics (multiple paths to the same device) are required.
About OPC communications
FactoryTalk View ME supports OPC communication on the PanelView Plus family of
terminals for use with only KEPServer Enterprise. Any OPC Data Access v2.05a
compliant server is supported by FactoryTalk View ME Station running on personal