Net Unit - ABB MicroSCADA Pro SYS 600 Technical Description

SYS 600 *9.0
4.4.
38
MicroSCADA Pro
System Overview
Technical Description

NET unit

The NET unit consists of NET software and communication hardware that is needed
to run it. The NET unit can be placed in a base system computer or in a
communication front-end. For example, PC-NET software with a PCLTA card is
considered as a NET unit. The NET unit also includes configuration data of the unit
itself, the lines and the connected devices. Event and alarm printers may also be
connected to the NET unit.
The NET unit is used to increase the amount of available protocols and COM ports,
and also to decrease memory consumption and processor load of the base system
computer.
Task
The task of the NET unit is to convert external protocols to an internal protocol of
MicroSCADA, which is used in the communication between the MicroSCADA
nodes (base systems) and the NET units. The external protocol is used for
communication with process units. This way devices and systems can be connected
to MicroSCADA by using several communication protocols.
In addition, NET units handle the following tasks:
• Message routing between physical devices and applications in the base systems.
• Diagnostic supervision of connected devices and lines.
NET unit types
MicroSCADA has two types of communication units, DCP-NET and PC-NET.
DCP-NET consists of a DCP-NET software running on a specific Emulex board,
whereas PC-NET is a program running on the base system computer.
DCP-NET unit
The DCP-NET unit is a NET unit containing DCP-NET communication software
and a DCP card. It can be either an external or an internal NET unit. The Internal
NET unit is placed in the base system computer, which means that it is in the same
computer as COM 500 or SYS 500. Two DCP cards can be placed into the base
system computer.
The external NET unit is in a communication front-end. There can be four DCP
cards in a communication front-end. The DCP card has 8 NET lines that can be
connected to process units or other devices.
PC-NET unit
PC-NET communication software is similar to the communication software of the
DCP-NET unit. It runs on the main processor of a Windows NT computer in parallel
with the MicroSCADA Kernel. The PC-NET unit can be placed in the base system
computer or in a communication front-end.
For communication with the LonTalk
card. (PC LonTalk Adapter). For communication it also uses COM ports. The COM
ports of the base system may be used, but they are often needed for other
communication purposes. An additional multi-port serial card may be used.
1
®
protocol the PC-NET unit uses a PCLTA
1MRS751852-MUM