Review some important bug fixes included in the latest groov EPIC firmware update 3.4.3.

Everyone here at Opto 22 knows that updating any controller's firmware is not a trivial task, and when in a production environment, it’s not something that can be done at the drop of a hat.

That said, sometimes we fix some bugs that require a minor point firmware update and the latest 3.4.3 release is just such a case. If you are using groov View or the new Data Services feature, then you should look closely at this release as you determine where updating your controller(s) should be prioritized in your jam-packed schedule.

groov EPIC OPC UA Server makes it easy to access your data; lessons on OptoU show you how

Do you need access to your PAC Control strategy variables and I/O, or data from the memory map area on your groov EPIC? Do you want to connect to OPC UA client applications such as SCADA, MES, or enterprise software?

groov EPIC is now serving up this data securely and reliably with its built-in groov EPIC OPC UA Server. Publish the data where you need it.

In this post, we’ll go over exactly what data is accessible from the server, the basics of configuring the server, and some examples of how you can use it. And when you’re ready to work with the OPC UA server, you can find step-by-step instructions in the groov EPIC OPC UA courses on OptoU.

New technical note shows you how to update security settings for your email applications.

You can use many Opto 22 products to send email notifications to keep engineers and technicians aware of important conditions in your system. For example:

• You can send email through a PAC Control strategy running on a groov EPIC or SNAP PAC controller.
• Your groov View HMI can send event notifications via email.
• Your Node-RED flow on groov RIO or groov EPIC can send email.

But you must make changes now to keep receiving emails!

Remote I/O over MQTT helps Rust Automation deploy affordable remote monitoring in a challenging environment.

Did you watch the Fall CODESYS Tech Talk virtual event that we shared with you last October? It demonstrated how the CODESYS runtime engine works and why it's included on Opto 22's groov EPIC.

Jared Bates, from OptoPartner Rust Automation & Controls, joined us for that presentation. He discussed a current water management application that utilizes CODESYS on EPIC, groov RIO remote I/O, and MQTT for secure data communications. 

Now, we've put the story of all that cutting-edge technology into a case study, so you can dig into all the details!

Which products are affected, and how to update your affected systems

Opto 22 engineers have addressed the Log4Shell/Log4j vulnerability recently reported in news media this week. Firmware and software updates for affected products are now available. Opto 22 urges you to apply these updates immediately, regardless of whether you're using groov View.

The Log4j vulnerability affects all products running groov View software, including: 

• GRV-EPIC-PR1, GRV-EPIC-PR2
• GROOV-AR1, GROOV-AR1-BASE, GROOV-AR1-SNAP
• GROOV-AT1, GROOV-AT1-SNAP
• GROOV-SVR-WIN, GROOV-SVR-WIN-BASE, GROOV-SVR-WIN-SNAP

Please see this Opto KB Article (KB90085) for more details.

Please note that the following Opto 22 products are NOT affected:

• groov RIO (GRV-R7-MM1001-10 and GRV-R7-MM2001-10)
• SNAP I/O brains, SNAP PAC controllers, and the PAC Project software suite
• Legacy products including mistic, Optomux, FactoryFloor, and others 

Opto 22's updated technical note helps current SNAP PAC users decide if, when, and how to migrate to the newer groov EPIC system.

Opto 22 customers have been relying on the SNAP PAC system for their controls and automation applications for almost 15 years. But now you keep hearing about the new technology of the groov EPIC system.

How is it different?

Should you make the switch?

What would be the benefits of upgrading, and what issues would arise from making the change?

Sharpen your drawing tools. It's time to go to work.

Visualization for industrial automation is bigger than it’s ever been, and it’s not just about control anymore. As it becomes increasingly important to turn data into information efficiently and ubiquitously, visualization platforms deal with more data types, presentation formats, and a broader range of users and use cases. As always, Opto 22 gives you many tools so you can choose what fits your project best. Let’s take a look at some of those options.

New interactive demo illustrates many of the features and capabilities of the groov View HMI software.

From pumps and processes to production data to the weather, your world is full of things you need to control, view, or monitor. With browser-based groov View, you can easily build a web-based, responsive operator interface to see and interact with exactly what you need. groov View is included with groov EPIC, and also available separately for Windows-based PCs (groov Server for Windows). To take a deeper dive into what you can do with it, we've added another interactive demo to the Opto 22 website.

Follow this new video to create Node-RED flows that interact with groov EPIC's embedded HMI server.

Thanks to all your positive feedback, Terry Orchard is continuing with his video series for groov EPIC and RIO users in the developer community.

Next up: How to use the Node-RED package for groov View.

Firmware and software updates were released this month to help you get the most from your groov systems.

January 2021 started off with some important new releases from the Opto 22 engineering team. There are significant groov View updates that affect the groov family of products: groov EPIC, groov Box and groov Server for Windows.  We've even updated the PAC Project software suite to version 10.3003.  Here's a quick recap of what you need to know.