Updated technical guide provides instructions for setting up communications between your Opto 22 groov products and your systems and equipment.

Are you using one or more of Opto 22's groov products? Our documentation team has just updated the "Guide to Networking groov Products" to help you securely monitor, control, and move data between your automation equipment and computer networks, including the internet. 

Networking can be a complex subject, and connecting both operation technology (OT) and information technology (IT) can bring up some security concerns. We're here to simplify that process.

Topics: groov, Networking, Node-RED, MQTT, Ignition Edge, groov server for windows, groov EPIC, groov RIO

Looking to learn more about IIoT technologies, control systems, and how they work together? It’s time to check out OptoU!

This free online training program provides convenient, on-demand training courses to fit in with your busy schedule. With its “watch and learn” premise, course topics are made up of video and written lessons. The secure sign-in feature lets you return to unfinished lessons and learn at your own pace.

Topics: PACs, Networking, Training, I/O, Security, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Node-RED, MQTT, Ignition Edge, EPIC

In part 1 we met two communication models for computers on a network: request-response and publish-subscribe. Now let's take a look at when you might want to use each, and why.

Request-response: proven and reliable

In a request-response architecture, each client opens a direct connection to each server, because the client requests data directly from the server.

In automation, typically clients are PCs and servers are PLCs or PACs. So each PC opens a direct connection to each PLC or PAC from which it needs data. 

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, Remote monitoring, IoT, Machine builder, OEM, Integrators, Networking, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, MQTT, Ignition Edge, EPIC

We all know that computers and other electronic devices—printers, routers, laptops, smartphones, and more—are networked so they can exchange information.

But how does that information get where it’s supposed to go?

How does a spreadsheet get to the printer, a YouTube video get to your smartphone, or—most important for automation engineers—a value from a sensor get to your HMI?

Topics: groov, Internet of Things, IoT, Networking, IIoT, Industrial Internet of Things, Data acquisition, MQTT

Opto 22 SNAP PAC controllers and brains both have two Ethernet network interfaces—pretty handy. But do you use them the same way? That's the question we'll answer in this tech tip.

Most devices used on an Ethernet network have one network interface with an RJ-45 connector. But SNAP PAC controllers and EB brains each have two interfaces—two RJ-45 connectors.

However, the two interfaces on controllers and brains are designed for different uses.

Topics: Tips, optonews, PACs, Networking, OptoNews 2017-04-12

One Ethernet network troubleshooting tool our Product Support Group recommends is Wireshark. It's been a helpful choice for many years, and it's free.

Our recent blog post explains where to get Wireshark and how to use it. You can pay a lot for network analysis tools—and in some cases you may need them—but many times, the free ones do the job. 

Topics: Tips, optonews, Networking, OptoNews 2017-03-29

When most people think about cyber security, they probably conjure up thoughts of someone locked away in a dark room, wearing the same grey hoodie for months. Staring at a screen for days at a time looking for just the right network packet to tell them where and how to attack. But that's not always how hacking is done.

Topics: Process control, PACs, Networking, Security

When you're working on your network, what's in your toolkit? 

For automation networks or IT computer networks, a few essential cables and adapters should be in your kit.

That way you've got them handy, whether you're troubleshooting network problems or just keeping your equipment and line up and running.

Topics: Tips, optonews, Integrators, Networking, OptoNews 2017-03-15

Note that the information below applies not only to PCs, PACs, and PLCs, but to pretty much any industry-standard compliant network device.

There are a ton of great network analysis tools out there today that you can pay huge sums of money for. But a go-to industry standard, and my tool of choice for everyday network troubleshooting, is a free piece of software called Wireshark.

Topics: PLCs, IoT, PACs, Networking, IIoT

In a recent developer survey conducted by the Eclipse IoT Working Group, IEEE IoT, and Agile IoT, 40.8% of respondents indicated the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions they were either currently building or planning to build were IoT platforms or IoT middleware.

Almost every large IT or OT company today has some form of IoT platform or middleware, with the current number of self-described IoT platforms exceeding 150.

Topics: groov, Remote monitoring, Tips, IoT, Networking, IIoT, Node-RED, Data acquisition