Echelon LNS - Manual (Page 43)

LNS Programmer's Guide 29
be anything from a remote monitoring station, to an installation laptop PC
using wireless networking. Each client tool can have a different user
interface, optimized to the particular network being managed (e.g. material
handling, access control, gas analysis, or HVAC) or to the skill set of the user.
By building application-specific knowledge into network tools, all or part of
the commissioning process can be automated, further reducing
commissioning time and training cost.
• Simplified system integration. By defining the basic object framework as
well as the higher-level component specifications, the LNS network
operating system provides a basis for tools to interact and communicate
with each other. Interoperable tools greatly simplify system integration,
and the use of plug-in applications allows system integrators to add new
features to their L ON W ORKS systems quickly and at low cost.
• Easy customization. By allowing tools to interoperate, LNS allows
developers to create custom system-level or device-level tools that
complement their systems or devices. For OEMs, this provides another
way to add value to their systems by embedding application-specific
knowledge into their tools. For integrators, system-to-system
communication reduces the need to understand the implementation
details within a given system. For end-users, this results in disparate
systems that work together, leading to more efficient operation, higher
yield, and greater comfort.
• Greater access to data. LNS provides users with the ability to deploy
Human Machine Interface (HMI), Supervisory Control and Data
Acquisition (SCADA), and data logging stations. Because of its client-
server architecture, there are no databases to copy or redundant updates
to make. Users no longer need to worry about tools losing synchronization
with the network’s configuration. LNS tracks the requirements of each
tool, and automatically informs them of configuration changes.
• Increased system up-time. With LNS, repair technicians can plug tools
into the network at any point, and access all network services and data.
Since multiple tools can interoperate on the same network, multiple
technicians can diagnose problems and make repairs simultaneously,
with no need to coordinate their actions or even to be aware of one
another. By building application-specific knowledge into their tools,
OEMs can further reduce system downtime by automating fault
detection, isolation, reporting, and repair.
• Transparent IP network communication. LNS allows tools to access
L ON W ORKS networks over TCP/IP links. Any workstation connected to an
LNS Server can run LNS applications that operate like local tools. This
allows users to easily integrate LNS-based networks with Internet-based
applications to create powerful enterprise-wide solutions, as well as
allowing for a high-speed connection using existing LAN infrastructure.
The LNS Programming Model
The LNS network operating system provides a compact, object-oriented programming
model that reduces development time, host code space, and host processing
requirements. LNS uses a hierarchy of objects that correspond to physical network
devices and logical objects to represent a L ON W ORKS network. Each object provides a set
of methods, properties, and events that implement the functionality and configuration of