There are some powerful new features now available with TOP Server V6.1. In case you missed it, I did a high-level post giving you an overview of the six biggest features from the V6.1 release - click here to see that post.
CODESYS, which is an abbreviation for COntroller DEvelopment SYStem, is an open-source development platform from 3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH for programming controller applications. If you're aware of CODESYS, I'm guessing there is a good chance you've needed to connect at least once to devices supporting the CODESYS protocol at some point.
The protocol is very commonly used in the pharmaceutical, food and beverage, and packaging industries for collecting data from controllers across a site for numerous varied purposes — including traceability, monitoring and control, and plant-wide automation.
In the past, options for connectivity have been limited to only one or a very small handful of options. Working with TOP Server users in the Wonderware market for over a decade, I've come to know that one of the many factors why a Wonderware user chooses TOP Server is the variety of available drivers and the fact that they can co-exist in the same application.
This benefits users with more than just CODESYS devices with the convenience of having one place to go for their device connectivity needs. And, let's be honest - with process automation, there always tends to be a variety of different device types and protocols that need integration with the control system at any given site and in any given industry.
So what can you expect from the new CODESYS Ethernet driver in TOP Server V6.1?
First Phase Support (V6.1)
For this initial release, the CODESYS Ethernet driver supports the more prevalent version of CODESYS, V2.3, which is the most heavily implemented in CODESYS compatible devices. Such device manfucturers as Schneider Motion (Elau), Wago and Eaton have controllers supporting CODESYS for programming and communications.
With CODESYS V2.3 support, the TOP Server driver utilizes the ARTI transport on Ethernet for communications, supporting CODESYS V2.3 protocol options for Level2, Level2 with Routing and Level 4.
And, as always with TOP Server drivers, there are multiple flexible settings for controlling Layer 7 byte order, device byte order, buffer size and request size, as well as, full communications diagnostics and advanced logging for ease of troubleshooting any communications issue, if/when necessary.
Second Phase Support (V6.2 - Q2/Q3 2017)
In the next release, TOP Server V6.2 will add support to the CODESYS Ethernet driver for the newer version of CODESYS, V3. Many device manufacturers utilizing the CODESYS standard have either already migrated to implementing CODESYS V3 or have active plans to migrate.
So, in keeping with the continuous improvements philosophy always adopted for TOP Server, this support will be added in the next release to provided the latest support for those users who maintain current firmware implementations on their hardware.
And, for those users who have CODESYS V2.3 devices and CODESYS V3 devices, TOP Server support/maintenance holders for CODESYS Ethernet licenses would be eligible for the V6.2 release at no additional cost. So it's possible to integrate your V2.3 device now and integrate the V3 devices once V6.2 is released later this year.
If you're interested in learning more about the other features introduced with TOP Server V6.1, don't forget to have a look at my TOP Server V6.1 main features post. Or, have a look at the full release notes - click for details.
And please visit our updated TOP Server V6 Focus Website for other useful information. And don't forget to register for my upcoming webinar at 10 AM Eastern on May 5th covering all of the new TOP Server V6.1 features - click below to register.
