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The Wonderware Operations Integration Schneider Electric SOMAC Communication Driver (referred to as the Communication Driver through the remainder of this user’s guide) is a Microsoft® Windows® application program that acts as a communications protocol server. This Communication Driver is hosted by the OI Server Manager, a Microsoft Management Console (MMC) snap-in, which is part of the ArchestrA System Management Console (SMC) suite of utilities.

This Communication Driver allows other Windows application programs access to data in PLCs (also referred to as devices) attached to an Ethernet network. The Communication Driver requires a TCP/IP package that supports the WinSock interface standard. It can access data directly via the Ethernet in Schneider Electric SOMAC family of controllers, such as the M241 and M251. The server can operate in either stand-alone mode or connect with any OPC, DDE, or SuiteLink compliant client application.

This document describes the SOMAC Communication Driver, and the device and protocol environment in which it works. It includes application-level and bus-level communications protocols, item naming conventions, and Communication Driver features.