Configuring SCADAPack Modbus Devices in ClearSCADA

On a ClearSCADA system, you configure the ClearSCADA database so that entries in the database correspond to the plant, measuring instruments, and control devices on your system. This section summarizes the database items that you need to configure to represent the SCADAPack Modbus devices on your system.

In order to represent any SCADAPack Modbus devices, the Advanced Modbus Driver and the SCADAPack Modbus Extension Driver need to be installed and running on the ClearSCADA servers on your system (see Confirm that the SCADAPack Modbus Server Component is Installed). When the driver is first installed, a system administrator needs to define the server settings for the driver (see Configuring SCADAPack Modbus Server Settings).

When you configure SCADAPack Modbus items in the ClearSCADA database, many of the settings for those items need to correspond to the settings of the relevant SCADAPack Modbus devices on your system. Some settings are either fixed (incorporated into the design of the SCADAPack controller), or are configured by an engineer. You need to have access to, or an understanding of, the settings of the SCADAPack Modbus devices on your system before you can configure the SCADAPack Modbus database items successfully. For instance, you need to specify the type of firmware that is running on each SCADAPack controller on your system.

You also need to be aware of which optional features are required for each SCADAPack Modbus item. These features include:

• Alarm views
• Alarm redirections
• Historic data storage
• User methods.

You can also use core ClearSCADA features with SCADAPack Modbus database items, including Lists, Actions, and Mimics. For actions that are specific to the SCADAPack Modbus driver, see Using SCADAPack Modbus Specific Actions. For further information on actions and for details on Lists and Mimics, see the core documentation.

For SCADAPack Modbus devices that are to communicate with ClearSCADA using direct or PSTN communications, you need to configure:

1. An Advanced Modbus Channel to represent the communication connections between a SCADAPack controller and the ClearSCADA server (see Configuring an Advanced Modbus Channel in the ClearSCADA Guide to the Advanced Modbus Driver).
2. An Advanced Modbus Outstation Set to define each collection of SCADAPack controllers (see Configuring an Advanced Modbus Set in 0the ClearSCADA Guide to the Advanced Modbus Driver).
3. A SCADAPack Outstation of the correct type for each SCADAPack device to define the units that monitor data and control plant (see Configuring a SCADAPack Controller). If ClearSCADA is running a SCADAPack Modbus Extension Driver to provide additional support for SCADAPack controllers, alsosee the relevant section in the appropriate SCADAPack Modbus extension driver guide.
4. If required, an Advanced Modbus Remote Connection. You only need to create and configure an Advanced Modbus Remote Connection if an application such as TelePACE® is to communicate remotely with SCADAPack devices via ClearSCADA. A remote connection defines the port on which ClearSCADA is to receive commands from the application(s) (see Configuring an Advanced Modbus Remote Connection in the ClearSCADA Guide to the Advanced Modbus Driver).

   NOTE: SCADAPack Controllers do not support writing of configuration from the ClearSCADA server. However, you may be able to write configuration remotely, via applications such as TelePACE®. Refer to the documentation supplied with the application for information.

5. SCADAPack Modbus Analog and Digital Points to represent the analog and digital measuring instruments and control devices that are connected to each controller (see Points Used on SCADAPack Modbus Controllers).

Further Information

Scanning Direct Controllers on the SCADAPack Modbus Driver.