This driver is an advanced driver. It provides additional functionality to enable ClearSCADA to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
Kingfisher Remote Telemetry Units (RTUs) or outstations are used to monitor data and provide operator interaction. They are used on systems in a variety of industries, including water distribution, waste water, oil and gas.
The Kingfisher Driver allows the ClearSCADA system to communicate with Kingfisher outstations, either directly or remotely. It provides the server with extra functionality for interacting with the instruments and devices that are connected to each outstation.
You can configure ClearSCADA to communicate directly with multiple Kingfisher outstations. Alternatively, you can set up ClearSCADA to communicate with multiple Kingfisher outstations via a Kingfisher master outstation (a Master/Remote setup).
In a Master/Remote setup:
- The Master obtains its data from either a single Remote, or several Remotes that are multidropped together.
- A Remote transmits the contents of its database to its Master outstation, upon request or change of state.
The Kingfisher driver in ClearSCADA allows you to configure Master/Remote scenarios that communicate using the Kingfisher protocol (see Typical Master/Remote Scenarios).
The Kingfisher protocol allows Kingfisher remote outstations to report event data independently of polling cycles. When communicating in this way, the remote outstation reports event data by transmitting unsolicited messages (also referred to as unsolicited responses). A user can program a remote outstation to send event data in these messages, at a specific time, or in response to a specific trigger.
To communicate with Kingfisher outstations via a Kingfisher Master outstation, ClearSCADA uses:
- A Kingfisher Master database item to represent the master outstation. The data for this item is the local data for the master outstation, not the data reported by the remote outstations.
- A Kingfisher Remote database item for each remote device that transmits data to the Kingfisher Master. The data for the Kingfisher Remote items is the data that the remote devices transmit to the Kingfisher Master (and is stored on the Kingfisher Master).
The Kingfisher Driver documentation explains how to configure Kingfisher-specific features and items within the ClearSCADA database (see Configuring Kingfisher Devices in ClearSCADA).
It also explains:
- Kingfisher features that are of interest to operators (see Using Kingfisher Specific Actions)
- Kingfisher-specific aspects that may be of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected system behavior: