版本比較

Product Edition	OPC Data Client Ultimate Edition	OPC Data Client Standard Edition	OPC Data.NET Stand Alone	OPC Data-COM Stand Alone
OPC Specifications
OPC Data Access: OPC-DA is the original specification.  It is commonly used to move real-time data from PLCs, DCSs, and other  control devices to HMIs and other clients, for display purposes and  further processing.
OPC Alarms and Events: OPC-A&E provides alarm and event  notifications on demand (in contrast to the continuous data flow of Data Access). These include process alarms, operator actions, informational  messages, and tracking/auditing messages.
OPC Unified Architecture (Data): OPC-UA is the next generation of OPC. It brings the existing specifications together with a unified data  model and uses Web services, rather than Microsoft COM, for messaging.	(2)	(2)
Development Models
Procedural Coding Model: This is the traditional programming. You write code to instantiate objects, and call methods to perform the OPC operations.
Live Binding Model: Simply use the Visual Studio Designer to configure bindings between properties of visual or non-visual components, and OPC data. For Windows Forms.	(1)	(1)
Live Mapping Model: Allows you to write objects that correspond logically to a functionality provided by whatever is “behind” the OPC data. You map your objects and members to OPC by annotating them with attributes.	(1)
Reactive Programming Model: High-level abstraction that allows you to compose asynchronous and  event-based programs using data streams and LINQ-style query operators.  Uses Microsoft Reactive Extensions (Rx) for .NET.	(1)
Platforms
.NET: For languages and tools based on Microsoft .NET on Windows. Typical  usage is from Visual Basic (VB.NET) or C#, but other languages can be  used  as well (e.g. managed C++, or F#).
COM: For languages or tools that supports Microsoft OLE Automation, e.g. VB6, VBScript (such as in ASP), JScript, Perl, PHP, Python, VBA (such as in  Excel), Visual FoxPro, REALbasic, Xbase, T-SQL, and many others. Also  works from native C/C++.

Notes:

1. Only available on .NET platform.
2. Directly available only on .NET platform. Can be achieved on COM platform through UA Proxy for OPC COM Clients (included with the product).

Component And Part Names

OPC Data Client is a name for the product as a whole. It is constituted of various components and modules.

EasyOPC is a main component of OPC Data Client, and it allow programmatic client access to OPC servers. Other parts of OPC Data Client are user interface objects (dialogs and forms), extension objects, utilities and so on.

The following table explains the product parts, and how they relate to OPC specifications they cover, and to the development tools platform that can be used with them.

Development Tools Platform
OPC Specifications
OPC “Classic” (DCOM based)	OPC Data Access (DA)	OPC Data .NET	OPC Data-COM
	OPC Alarms and Events (A&E)
OPC Unified Architecture (Data)		OPC Data-UA	N/A

In order to distinguish between the technologies and platforms that the product is aimed at, we refer to parts or subsets of OPC Data Client as follows (earlier they have constituted separate products):

• OPC Data.NET, for Microsoft .NET Framework technology, and connection to OPC "Classic" servers.
• OPC Data-COM, for use with Microsoft COM (automation), and connection to OPC "Classic" servers.
• OPC Data-UA, for OPC Unified Architecture specifications.

系統需求

Cogent DataHub可以讓您連接、整合、儲存和即時顯示資料的軟體工具。您可藉由這簡單使用的工具來建立一個完整的系統、或提升現有安裝的系統。

使用單獨的、模塊化的組件，您可以從幾乎任何來源連接到即時資訊。您可以整合所有的資訊源到公共數據庫提供給其他用戶。您可以建立網頁以可視化和過程即時互動。您可以發送通知、儲存數據進行分析或記錄。

系統需求：Cogent DataHub supports the following operating systems:

32-Bit Windows x86 Based Systems

• Windows Server 2003 SP2
• Windows Server 2008 Family
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows XP SP2, SP3
• Windows XP Embedded (with full DCOM support)
• Windows Vista Family (Excluding Home)
• Windows 7 Family (Excluding Home)
• Windows 8

64-Bit Windows x86 Based Systems

• Windows Server 2003 SP2
• Windows Server 2008
• Windows Server 2008 R2
• Windows Server 2012
• Windows XP SP2/SP3
• Vista Business Family (Excluding Home)
• Windows 7 Family (Excluding Home)
• Windows 8

Cogent DataHub Specifications

• DataHub v7 can communicate with DataHub v6.4 using Tunnelling, OPC DA and DDE.
• Supports OPC Server and Client connections.
• DataHub will connect to OPC DA 3.0 servers (and 2.05a servers that support browsing).
• DataHub will also accept connections from OPC DA 3.0 or 2.05a clients.
• Supports DDE Server and Client connections.
• Supports mirroring of data to Cascade DataHub running in:
• Linux kernel version 2.4.18 or later
• QNX 6.2.0 or later.
• QNX 4.25 or later.
• Supports live data in a web browser using Silverlight, ASP, AJAX and Java.
• Supports custom TCP/IP connections through Java, .NET and C++ DataHub APIs.
• Supports Windows GUI development through built-in Scripting language.
• Supports ODBC compliant database access.
• DataHub supports communication with MATLAB applications.
• Data transmission rates are client dependent, but are typically thousands of points per second.
• Automatic reconnect on a network break and recovery, no intervention required.
• No point list configuration, the DataHub creates points as they are needed.
• Superior publish/subscribe data model, no polling delays and no transmission of static data values.

特色：

Connect
OPC DA Support
Cogent is a long-time member of the OPC Foundation and has delivered products that support this industry standard interface for many years. See OPC DA for more details. Cogent DataHub will connect to OPC DA 3.0 servers (and 2.05a servers that support browsing) and will also accept connections from OPC DA 3.0 or 2.05a clients. OPC Aggregation is performed as a natural behavior within the DataHub. Connect to multiple OPC DA servers and you can store the data in a common data set within the DataHub, while maintaining an internal separation to effectively partition the incoming data.

OPC Alarm and Events
The OPC A&E support within the Cogent DataHub allows it to act as an aggregator and tunneller for alarms and events. See OPC A&E for more details. The DataHub doesn't generate the alarms and events itself; it reads them from installed OPC A&E servers. The DataHub acts as an A&E client program to bring data into the DataHub, where it can be used by any other DataHub client program. The DataHub can also act as an A&E server to offer the aggregated data to an A&E client program. The DataHub can tunnel the A&E data and make it available to A&E clients on remote network computers.

DDE Support
Cogent software has supported the Microsoft DDE interface since the beginning. As the standard for communication between Microsoft Office products, it makes perfect sense for the DataHub to support this protocol. See DDE/Excel Support for more details.

Network System Monitor
DataHub System Monitor is a smart idea well executed. Each DataHub on your network has the ability to query the operating system it is running on for system status and resource capacity. This data can be sent back to a central location, where system wide monitoring of critical network resources can help identify problems before they start, or alert support staff when things do go wrong. See System Monitor for more details.

DataHub API
For customers with highly customized systems, or where standard data interfaces are not available, the DataHub offers .NET, JAVA and C++ application programming interfaces (APIs). See DataHub API for more details.

Linux/QNX Connectivity
Unique to the middleware market is the DataHub's ability to mirror data between Microsoft Windows systems and many types of QNX and Linux platforms. Many customers have used the multi-platform support to build systems that fully integrate cross-platform real-time data mirroring. See Non-Windows OS for more details.

Embedded Data Access
The DataHub offers a tremendous opportunity to developers of embedded systems. A zero unit cost solution allows the developer to offer a complete range of integration solutions which use embedded data as the driving force behind web visualization, database interaction or email notification. See Non-Windows OS for more details.

Integrate
Data Bridging
A common problem that many customers face is the need to associate data points in one system with corresponding data points in another system. The Cogent DataHub makes this easy by providing an intuitive data bridging interface that allows you to define this point to point mapping, along with linear transformations that can be applied to the data as it passes from one system to another. Think of the situation where you have a temperature in °F on one system and you want to map it to a system that is using °C. Bridging makes this easy. See Data Bridging for more details.

Network Tunnelling
More than just tunnelling to overcome DCOM problems, the Tunnel/Mirror feature enables full data mirroring over a network, so that client-side applications can continue to work with the most recent data should the connection to the server become unavailable. Unique among the OPC Tunnelling products on the market, this feature is at the core of many of our real-time data integration solutions. See Tunnelling for more details.

DataHub Security
The Security serves two primary purposes: authentication and authorization. Authentication limits access to recognized users, based on a username/password combination. Authorization provides a set of permissions for each user, allowing access to certain functions while denying access to others.  See Security for more details.

DataHub Scripting
One of the most acclaimed features of the DataHub products has always been its powerful built-in scripting language. Capable of doing everything from writing data to CSV files, to running full control strategies on a process-wide basis. The DataHub scripting language is what allows the customer to fully meet their system requirements when off-the-shelf programs leave them stuck trying to finish the project. See DataHub Scripting for more details.

Data Source Redundancy
After careful examination of the needs of our customers, we set about building the best data redundancy mechanism on the market today. The results are proven in the instantaneous fail-over response of the new Data Redundancy feature within the DataHub. See Data Redundancy for more details.

Data Aggregation
The Cogent DataHub makes it easy to aggregate data from multiple different data sources, using different protocols. This has many advantages, from reducing client applicaton licensing fees to producing plant wide common data sets to enable effective control. See Data Aggregation for more details.

MES and ERP Connectivity
Integrating factory and management execution systems (MES) has been a long standing feature of the DataHub. With its ability to read and write data to ODBC databases, its OPC and DDE direct connections and the ability to use APIs to customize an interface, the DataHub is able to not only make the necessary data connection, but can also do so securely, so that critical data on both sides is not exposed to corruption. See MES Connectivity for more details
 
Use
DataHub WebView
The DataHub WebView feature is the flagship new addition to Cogent DataHub v7. Cogent has been offering real-time web display capability for many years, but nothing as powerful and easy to use as this new Silverlight based development and display environment. Collaborative screen development and full permissions-based access means a new way of working with real-time data on the web without knowing anything about web development. See DataHub WebView for more details.

DataHub QuickTrend -Real-time Trend
When Cogent started working on the new DataHub QuickTrend feature we soon realized this was too good to keep to ourselves. So we decided to offer this real-time trending feature as a standalone free download available here. Easily connect to data from both OPC and DDE servers to produce powerful real-time trend displays that can be scrolled and zoomed to fully analyze the inner workings of your factory, embedded system or financial strategy. See DataHub QuickTrend for more details.

Data Logging
Cogent DataHub's Data Logging feature is one of the most popular with our current customers. It enables both reading and writing of data with any ODBC compliant database (nearly all Windows and Linux based databases are ODBC compliant).  Combining both a powerful, yet easy to use configuration interface, with the ability to use DataHub scripting to completely customize the read/write procedure, the Data Logging feature makes it easy to fully integrate real-time process data into management and archival systems. See Data Logging for more details.

Data Historian
One of the new features in Cogent DataHub v7 is the Data Historian. This is a high speed, high volume historian specially designed to provide historical data for both QuickTrend and WebView trend displays. See Data Historian for more details.

Email/SMS Notification
DataHub products have a reputation for ease of use and this is true of the Email notification feature. A clean, smart interface makes it easy for you to configure multiple email and SMS actions based on simple triggers or complex alarm strategies. See Email/SMS Notification for more details.

Networking Excel data
Microsoft application data can be shared across a network using the Cogent DataHub.  See DDE/Excel for more information

WebServer
Serve data to the Web using the DataHub WebServer.  The WebServer supports ASP, AJAX and Java Applets.  SeeWebServer for more information.  Using the WebServer does require some knowledge of html or Java applets.  If you are looking to serve data to the Web without any programming you should use the DataHub WebView.

TOP Server是Software Toolbox的OPC和native HMI device連接應用軟件，搭配Kepware的先進科技。 
除了TOP Server，Software Toolbox提供附加產品、支援與專業知識的獨特組合，使世界各地成千上萬的用戶解決資訊整合與連接的難題。

系統需求：

Windows Operating System Support
NOTE:  Starting with TOP Server V5.9 (Q2/Q3 2012), Windows 2000 Operating Systems are no longer be supported. 

32-Bit (x86) Operating Systems (including Service Packs)
Windows Server 2003, 2007 and 2008 Families
Windows XP Professional
Windows XP Embedded (with full DCOM support)
Windows Vista Business and Ultimate
Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate
Windows 8

64-Bit (x64) Operating Systems (including Service Packs)
Windows Server 2003, 2007, 2008, 2008 R2 and 2012
Windows XP Professional (SP3 Only)
Windows Vista Business and Ultimate
Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate
Windows 8

• TOP Server Version 5.x will support a software license or a hardware (USB) key license.  When installed on a 64-bit OS, the TOP Server will run in a subsystem of Windows called WOW64.  WOW64 is included on all 64-bit version of Windows and is designed to make differences between the operating systems transparent to the user.

Client Interfaces Supported
OPC Unified Architecture (DA Profile)
OPC OPC .NET 3.0 / XI (DA & AE Profiles)
OPC Data Access Version 1.0a
OPC Data Access Version 2.0
OPC Data Access Version 2.05a
OPC Data Access Version 3.0
OPC Alarms & Events Version 1.0
OPC Alarms & Events Version 1.10
FastDDE for Wonderware
SuiteLink for Wonderware
DDE Format CF_Text
DDE Format AdvancedDDE
NIO Interface for iFIX

Minimum Hardware Requirements
2.0 Ghz Processor
1 GB installed RAM
180 MB available disk space
Ethernet Card

Virtualization Support
VMWare / Virtual PC / Hyper-V - See Licensing for more information

Server Features：

• Windows OS support
• Add drivers at any time, making TOP Server your communications infrastructure platform.
• Software licensing key with Internet delivery
• Hardware (USB) key available
• Can be used with VMware and Virtual PC’s – see license agreement
• Point, click, drag, drop configuration
• Dial-Up Modem Support in Serial Drivers including control
• Run As Service
• ProgID Redirect
• Device-Level Scan Rate Modes
• Ethernet Encapsulation for Serial devices
• Auto Demotion
• Tag Scaling
• Implement Redundancy Support from your client application to perform the following:
• Switch COM ports
• Switch Ethernet cards
• Change device ID or IP Addresses
• Enabled/Disable a device
• Change Timeout settings
• Add functionality to your Client application to detect if a Device is online/offline via special System Tags that are readily accessible
• Dynamic Tag Creation (Direct Tag Addressing) - allows you to pass the hardware addresses you want to read from your Client Application to the TOP Server, making adding Tags in the TOP Server an option and not a requirement.
• Extended functionality also allows you to specify data-type and scan-rate of a tag
• Configuration Security
• DNS Name Lookup supported with a number of Ethernet drivers.
• Additional Processor Settings to give you greater control of how your system runs.
• OPC Alarms and Events messages for the Event Log.
• OPC UA Interface
• OPC .NET 3.0 (Xi) Interface