Add data sources to the PI Connector for OPC UA

Add data sources and configure them for data collection from the PI Connector Administration Site page.

1. From the Overview page, select the Data Source List link, or select Add or modify data sources in the Data sources area.

2. To add a new data source, enter the name in the Data source name field, and then select Add and configure.

   Note: All Data source name values for the connector must be unique. Data source names are not case-sensitive. For example, DataSource1 and DATASOURCE1 are considered the same.

   The configuration window opens.

3. Enter and select your data source parameters.

   • Data source description

     Optional: Description of the data source configuration.

   • Discovery of Server Endpoint URL

     Required: The endpoint URL of the OPC UA or Discovery server. The URL format is for instance:

     opc.tcp://OPCServerHost:Port/OpcUa/SimulationServer

     To discover available Discovery or OPC UA Server endpoints select Discover Available Endpoints button and then pick the desired endpoint in Discovered Endpoints drop down control.

   • User name

     Optional: User name for accessing the OPC UA server. Default is empty string.

   • Password

     Optional: Password for accessing the OPC UA server. Default is empty string.

   • Root NodeIds

     Optional: List of comma separated NodeIds of those objects from where the connector will browse the OPC UA server address space. This option allows selecting only subsets of the OPC UA address space by explicitly listing one or more NodeIds which will be included into the initial browse. For example:

     ns=5;s=85/0:Simulation

     In effect, only this node and all its underlying descendants will be considered.

     Default is empty list, which means the whole address space will be browsed.

   • Data Access Filter file

     Required: This is where users specify the "mode" that they will use.

     In order to "activate" the tags-only mode, users must manually create the .csv file described in the Apply the filter based on OPC UA NodeIds chapter, and then reference it to PI Connector for OPC UA by selecting the Change button.

     Note: In the tags-only mode, it is not necessary to press the Export available Type Definitions button! The file containing the NodeIds must be created manually.

     In the mode based on type definitions, pressing the Export available Type Definitions button generates the .csv file with all existing types that the given UA server supports.

     Note: The "Export available Type Definitions" operation on some OPC UA servers might take a longer time; consequently, the connector admin page times out (~3 min), and the "Verify that the connector service is running" message appears on the connector configuration page. If this message is printed, do not press the "Export available Type Definitions" button again, but wait until there is an entry in the Windows Application Learn about message log saying the filter file was stored. For example:
     [ProSys] Filter stored in C:\ProgramData\OSIsoft\PI Connectors\OpcUa.ConnectorHost\Filters\ProSysAvailableTypeDefinitions.csv

     Manually modifying its content, by marking those type definitions that the user is interested in, allows it to filter/limit the amount of OPC UA objects replicated to the PI System.

     The modified .csv file is referenced back to the connector by pressing the Change button.

     Refer to Apply the filter based on OPC UA Type Definitionschapter for more details.

   • Incoming Timestamps

     Required: Specifies whether the incoming timestamps are taken from the source, the OPC UA server, or from the connector: Default is Source.

   • Store Mode

     Required: Specifies whether the connector will insert or update values in PI points. When a PI point has a different value at the same timestamp, UPDATE changes the existing value of the point, whereas INSERT creates a new value for it.

   • Preferred Locale

     Required: Specifies which text localization will be used. Default: English - United States.

   • Startup Mode

     Required: Specifies whether the connector starts in one of the following modes

     • Complete: During start-up, the connector always browses the whole UA Server address space and subsequently establishes the subscriptions (to dynamic and static variables which pass the filter).

     • Cache: The connector does not issue the potentially expensive browse call and uses the cached information from the previous Complete: run to establish the subscriptions.

       Note: Browsing the UA Server address space is an expensive operation and might take a long time. The Cache mode allows to start the connector without issuing the browse call function which results in faster start-up times. Remember that the very first start is always in Complete mode.

4. Select Save.

   The Data Source List page opens and lists the new data source.