OPC Suite Extended FAQs

The connection to the underlying OPC Server cannot be established. 
In the log file of the dataFEED OPC Suite you can see the following entry: „First connect not executed“

Workaround:

1. Notice the DCOM Identity settings for your OPC Servers:

• Start "dcomcnfg" (enter Windows key + R and "dcomcnfg.exe").
• In the tree view navigate to: Component Services – Computers – My Computer - DCOM Configuration
• Select your OPC server (right side).
• Open the context menu (right mouse button) -> Properties.
• Select the "Identity" tab.
• Write down the settings and close the window.

2. Set exactly the same Identity settings for the dataFEED configuration:

• Navigate to Softing - dataFEED Configuration1 in the tree view. You will see two entries for that, once for DA and once for AE. Repeat this step for both entries as this is easier. Select the tab "Identity"
• Now set exactly the same values as you have noted down from your OPC Server which you would like to connect to (see above).
• Close this window by clicking on ok and redo the same step and settings on the second entry.
  
  If the identity setting is not possible because this option is grayed out, then close this window and go to the dataFEED configuration. Change the execution mode first from the menu of the dataFEED Configurator (Local Application -> Run mode). Select another entry as before. After that, process the DCOM settings with step 2. again.

3. Then restart the Softing dataFEED OPC Suite.

The connection to the underlying OPC servers should now be successfully established.

The dataFEED OPC Suite is 100% compatible to the already discontinued OPC Easy Connect Suite, replacing this product. Therefore, it is possible to install Easy Connect on the client side and dataFEED on the server side and vice versa. The tunnel functionality is always guaranteed.

Dongle license is working for some time (>90 Minutes, usually some days / weeks). Then, suddenly the message “Software is running in Demo Mode” shows up.

Cause: energy-management of Windows shuts down USB-Ports to save energy.

Solution: 
Control panel -> Device manager -> Universal Serial Bus controllers -> USB-Root-Hub(s). 
In the tab “Power Management” switch off „Allow the computer to turn off this device to save power”
Do that with all USB-Hubs

The following general types of licenses are available:

• Node locked licenses with a corresponding software key.
• Portable licenses with a hardware dongle for the USB port.

Softing dataFEED OPC Suite V4.01 enables/disables functionalities based on licensed features. All supported features (available starting with version 4.00) are enabled by the following licenses:

dataFEED OPC Organizer Classic License, enables the following functionalities:

• OPC Bridge.
• OPC Server Concentrator
• OPC Optimizer
• Interface for the communication with different clients - OPC DA (V1.00, V2.05 and V3.00) and XML-DA
• Interface for the communication with different server -  OPC DA (V1.00, V2.05 and V3.00) and XML-DA
• OPC Filtering

Note: The number of possible server connection based on DA/AE client interface is limited to 1 DA (DA, tunnel or XML-DA) and 1 AE sever connection – the first configured connection will be establish and all others will be rejected at the initialization time.

dataFEED OPC Server Extension License, enables the following functionalities:

• 50 server connections  

dataFEED OPC Server Extension License 100, enables the following functionalities:

• 100 server connections  

dataFEED OPC Tunnel License, enables the following functionalities:

•  All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license 
• OPC Tunnel DA server interfaces
• OPC Tunnel DA client interfaces (the number of tunnel server connections is limited to 1 by Base DA license or to a specific number by Server Extension license)

dataFEED OPC Organizer UA License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• OPC UA Server interfaces

dataFEED OPC Data Handler License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• OPC to File add-on
• OPC to Database add-on
• Server to Server add-on (Exchange)
• Client to Client – Storage local items (internal address space)
• Store and Forward add-on

Note: The maximum number of items used for all running instances/configurations into add-ons is limited to 10.000 collector item.
Note: The number of server connections is limited to 1 by the dataFEED OPC Organizer Classic license. If you want to use the exchange functionality for Server to Server communication, the dataFEED OPC Server Extension license is needed.

dataFEED OPC Server Siemens License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• Siemens family PLC connections (unlimited number of device connections)

dataFEED OPC Server Rockwell License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• Rockwell family PLC connections (unlimited number of device connections)

dataFEED OPC Server Mitsubishi License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• Mitsubishi family PLC connections (unlimited number of device connections)

dataFEED OPC Server Modbus License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• Modbus family PLC connections (unlimited number of device connections)

dataFEED OPC Server B&R License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• B&R family PLC connections (unlimited number of device connections)

dataFEED OPC Suite License, enables the following functionalities:

• All features enabled by OPC Organizer Classic license
• All features enabled by OPC Organizer UA license
• All features enabled by OPC Tunnel license
• All features enabled by OPC Data Handler license
• All features enabled by MQTT Connector license
• All features enabled by REST Connector license
• All features enabled by MindSPhere license
• All features enabled by OPC Server Siemens license
• All features enabled by OPC Server Rockwell license
• All features enabled by OPC Server Modbus license
• All features enabled by OPC Server B&R license
• All features enabled by OPC Server Mitsubishi license

Note: The OPC UA Store And Forward Server functionality is not part of the dataFEED OPC Suite license.
Maximum number of server connections allowed by this license is 100.

dataFEED OPC Suite Extended License – Enables all available functionalities from Softing dataFEED OPC Suite product including the OPC UA Store And Forward functionality.
Note: Maximum number of server connections allowed by this license is 100. If more than 100 server connections are needed a Server Extension license with a higher number of allowed server connections must to be activated.

Installation and Activation of Licenses
All licenses can be installed and activated with the external Softing License Manager. If there are no licenses installed, Softing dataFEED OPC Suite is executed in a time/function limited Demonstration Mode.

Attention: If the actual licenses are changed during the runtime of the local dataFEED OPC Suite application, the local dataFEED OPC Suite application will be stopped and the configurator and the tray application will show the yellow 'Demonstration Mode Expired' icon for the corresponding configuration.

Demonstration Mode
If no license is installed on the local computer Softing dataFEED OPC Suite runs for 72 hours in a limited demonstration mode. All dataFEED OPC Suite features are enabled, however the available license items are restricted to the following values:
When the demonstration period ends after 72 hours, the local dataFEED OPC Suite application stops all functionalities. The user is notified by a warning message from the dataFEED OPC Suite tray application, and both the configurator and the tray application show the corresponding yellow icon.

Restarting the local dataFEED OPC Suite application will start a new 72-hours demonstration period.

Note: The demonstration mode is only available if no licenses are installed on the corresponding computer. Installing at least one license key will disable the demonstration mode completely.