In a direct - single channel communications set-up, each Direct outstation in the set communicates with the ClearSCADA server via a single uninterrupted connection. For example, an outstation could communicate with the ClearSCADA server via a network connection, a radio connection, or a cable connection. The connection is permanently established.
With such a set-up, the server scans one outstation after another on the channel, starting with the outstation that has the lowest address. When the ClearSCADA server makes a request for data from an outstation, it establishes communications with that outstation. The outstation reports its data, and then the server requests data from the next outstation. Once the server has polled each outstation in turn, it repeats the whole process, starting once again with the outstation that has the lowest address.
For this type of communications set-up, you would configure a Direct Outstation to belong to a Direct Outstation Set, that communicates via a single Direct Channel.
NOTE: Leased line connections are represented by direct channels as they are permanently established.