GEI-100621G

GE Energy
WorkstationST* OPC DA Server
These instructions do not purport to cover all details or variations in equipment, nor
to provide for every possible contingency to be met during installation, operation,
and maintenance. The information is supplied for informational purposes only, and
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Changes, modifications, and/or improvements to equipment and specifications are
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testing, operation, and/or maintenance of the equipment described. This document
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 2006 - 2008 General Electric Company, USA. All rights reserved.

Revised: 081010
Issued: 060207

g
* Trademark of General Electric Company
CIMPLICITY is a is a registered trademark of GE Fanuc Automation North
America, Inc.
Microsoft, Windows, and Win32 are registered trademarks of Microsoft
Corporation.
OPC is a registered trademark of OPC Foundation.
Pentium is a registered trademark of Intel Corporation.
 Contents

Section Page
Introduction .................................................................................................... 3
Features .......................................................................................................... 3
Naming Variables........................................................................................... 4
Toolbox Variables through SDB.............................................................. 4
ToolboxST Variables ............................................................................... 4
Data Update Rates.................................................................................... 5
Monitoring the Service............................................................................. 6
OPC DA Server Variable Configuration.................................................. 7
Using the ToolboxST Application.................................................................. 8
Using the Runtime Monitor Config Utility .................................................... 8
Implementing EGD ...................................................................................... 11
EGD Live Data....................................................................................... 11
Produced Exchange Health .................................................................... 11
EGD Command Message Protocol......................................................... 12
Dynamic EGD Updates.......................................................................... 12
Redundant EGD Produced Pages ........................................................... 13
Determining Produced Page Health ....................................................... 14
OPC Client Data Plug-in .............................................................................. 17
SDI Data Plug-in .......................................................................................... 17
Live Data.csv File Interface.......................................................................... 18
Network Status Monitor ............................................................................... 20
Configuring DCOM ..................................................................................... 21
DCOM Default Properties...................................................................... 22
Default Access Permissions ................................................................... 24
Default Launch Permissions................................................................... 26
Windows XP Service Pack 2.................................................................. 26
Windows XP DCOM Authentication..................................................... 27
Windows XP Workgroups Example ...................................................... 29
Changing the OPC Server DCOM Settings............................................ 44
DCOM Security ..................................................................................... 46
EGD ICN Service with WorkstationST........................................................ 48
Configuring Multiple Addresses ............................................................ 49
Configuring Addresses........................................................................... 52
Acronyms and Abbreviations ....................................................................... 54
Terms............................................................................................................ 55

2 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Introduction
®
OLE for Process Control (OPC ) is an industry standard for communication between
vendors in an industrial environment. The non-profit OPC Foundation provides the
specification for the standard, as well as programming proxy stubs for OPC. OPC
Data Access (DA) is the standard for real time data. There are also standards for
historical data, alarms, and events. The OPC Server supports OPC DA.

Features
The OPC Server is OPC DA 2.05 and 3, as well as Ethernet Global Data (EGD) 3.04
compliant. It is a Class 4 EGD server, which means that it can respond to EGD
configuration HTTP requests, using all Communication Center of Excellence (CoE)
.xml configuration formats (Class 3) and is able to adapt to EGD configuration
changes to consumed EGD nodes (Class 4). It also:

• Supports Command Message Protocol (CMP) sending and receiving

• Produces EGD exchanges
• Consumes EGD exchanges from other EGD components
• Supports data plug-in features, including OPC client data plug-ins
This allows configuration of an internal OPC client to obtain variables at specified
rates from another OPC DA Server(s), and to make those variables available in the
OPC DA Server. The variables from this connection can be configured for an EGD-
produced exchange.

Note Changes to configuration using ToolboxST* do not require a service restart,

but are made through a WorkstationST* device download and requires the
ToolboxST application to produce .xml files.

• Provides System Data Interface (SDI) for public, non-EGD variables

• Permits browsing for non-EGD variables. This protocol works for Mark* VI,
UC2000, and Mark VIe controllers.
• Provides configuration through system database (SDB)
A Runtime Monitor Config utility allows you to configure the OPC DA Server, and
to select EGD components from an SDB. The selected components are consumed by
the OPC DA Server.
® ®
The server is based on the Microsoft .Net Framework, and runs on Windows 2000
and Windows XP. The service starts upon installation. Whenever the configuration
file is modified, the service must be restarted.

Note The OPC DA Server listens to EGD messages on the EGD port, which
conflicts with older versions (prior to release V02.03.03C) of the EGD Integrated
Control Network (ICN) service. Refer to the section, Using EGD ICN Service with
WorkstationST.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 3

Naming Variables
OPC clients connected to OPC DA Servers can add groups, which are collections of
variables with an associated update rate. A client can browse for the variable name
using OPC DA 2.05 or 3.0. Once the client knows the variable name, the OPC client
adds the variable to a group. Variable names are defined by the EGD component and
contained in that EGD component’s produced data configuration file. The produced
configuration file is an xml file published to the EGD Configuration Server by the
tool used to configure the EGD component. Tools that do not interact directly with
the EGD Configuration Server, but can interact with an SDB, can have their
produced data configuration published to the EGD Configuration Server by the
Runtime Monitor Config utility included with the OPC DA Server. Refer to the
section, Using the Runtime Monitor Config Utility.

Toolbox Variables through SDB

The variable names are determined by the user and the tool that produces the EGD
configuration files. For the Control System Toolbox (Toolbox) in a Mark VI or
UC2000, typical variable names are Region1\Region2\Region3\variableName where
Region2 and Region3 are optional. The SDB client used by the Runtime Monitor
utility (and also used by ToolboxST applications for systems containing SDB-
enabled external components) uses the SDB name but replace the backslash with a
dot. For example, G1\Variable would become G1.Variable when translated from an
SDB.

ToolboxST Variables
Variable names in the ToolboxST application typically display in one of three ways:

• DeviceName.variable
• DeviceName.program.variable
• DeviceName.program.block.variable
The variable name in the OPC DA Server is the same as the name used by the
ToolboxST application.

Note When displaying public variables in a Mark VIe device, the device name at the
start of the variable does not display. However, the device name displays when the
variable is viewed from another component.

4 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Data Update Rates
When a client connects to the OPC DA Server using an OPC DA 2.0 connection, the
variable values in a group are updated once when the group goes active, and again
when a variable changes. The update on change only contains the variables that
changed since the last update. In addition, OPC DA 2.0 allows for a group deadband.
When any variable changes by more than that deadband, the variable is updated to
the client. OPC DA 3.0 allows a client to establish a deadband per variable, as well.

The client requests an update rate when adding a group. The OPC DA Server replies
with the selected rate, which is the closest multiple of the Maximum Client Rate
configured in the WorkstationST OPC DA Server tab, or in the Runtime Monitor
Config Options menu. For example, if the Maximum Client Rate is set to 100 ms and
the client requests a rate of 80 ms, the client is given a rate of 100. If the client
requests 160 ms, the client is given a rate of 200 ms. The actual update rate of the
variables in a group depends on the rate that the variable is being updated to the OPC
DA Server. EGD variables are updated at the EGD exchange rate. For SDI variables,
the SDI live list is requested to the controller at the group rate.

In server performance testing:

• 5000 Boolean variables changed at 640 ms, and updated on one EGD exchange
at 1000 ms
• 10000 floating point variables changed at 32 ms, and updated on 40 EGD
exchanges at 1000 ms
• 100 floating point variables changed at 32 ms, and updated on one EGD
exchange at 100 ms
The server maximum client connection rate was set to 10 ms and one client with one
group was connected with a rate of 100 ms. With the client connected, the OPC DA
®
Server used between 20 and 30 percent of a Pentium 4 2.6 GHz CPU. Without the
client connected, the CPU utilization was around 10 percent.

EGD-consumed Variables
The timestamp is the time from the component. The EGD protocol provides a
timestamp in each produced exchange, which is applied to all EGD-consumed
variables.

SDI and OPC Client Variables

Variables that are read from SDI to a Mark VI, UC2000, or Mark VIe controller are
marked with the time contained in the header of the SDI live value update message.

Variables that are read from a remote OPC DA Server using the OPC client live data
plug-in are given the timestamp from the remote OPC DA Server.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 5

 Monitoring the Service
The WorkstationST component of ToolboxST provides configuration, monitoring,
and control of the OPC DA Server. In addition, the OPC DA Server Runtime
Monitor application can be used to monitor and control the OPC DA Server. The
Runtime Monitor application can be used to configure the OPC DA Server in
applications without ToolboxST.
To open the GE OPC DA Server Monitor screen
Click the Windows Start button, select Programs, GE ControlST, OPC
Server, and select GE OPC Server Monitor.

6 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 OPC DA Server Variable Configuration
The following diagram shows the variable configuration.

WorkstationST
WorkstationST component download
Computer
OR

OPC Runtime Monitor

OPC Clients Config Utility
Config
Files
**
EGDConfig
SDB
Server
OPC DA 1.0, OPC Server
2.0, or 3.0
OPC DA 2.0 WorkstationST
Server OPC client connection computer
variables data plug-in

Third-party
Broadcast, * EGD SDI data OPC DA
multicast, or Server plug-in Server
directed EGD
exchanges

CMP
write EGD exchanges can be
SDI data for produced by the OPC DA
Mark VIe, Mark VI, and variables Server. Variables on these
UC2000, or any third- not on EGD. exchanges can be written
party EGD device. SDI lists are to by exterior OPC clients,
Note that SDI only added and or by the internal OPC
works for Mark VIe, removed, as client. Variables can also
Mark VI, and UC2000. needed. be written to by another
EGD through an EGD CMP
message.
*Due to a port conflict, the EGD Server used here will not operate with the existing EGD ICN Service. If you want
the existing EGD Service on the same computer as the OPC DA Server, there will be a conflict. For example, if you
want CIMPLICITY® on the same computer, but you do not want CIMPLICITY to obtain data from the OPC, CIMPLICITY’s
use of the ICN Service will conflict.

**The EGD Configuration Server and SDB contain data for EGD devices. The configuration utility can optionally
import data into the EGD Configuration Server. The configuration files used by the OPC DA Server are built from the
data in the EGD Configuration Server. The ToolboxST application also allows data to be obtained from an existing
SDB.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 7

Using the ToolboxST Application
ToolboxST versions 2.0 or higher are used to configure the OPC DA Server, which
is a feature of the WorkstationST component. OPC DA Server-owned variables are
defined here, and optionally placed onto EGD. An OPC client feature allows for
multiple OPC DA Server connections to obtain variables from an alternate OPC DA
Server.

The ToolboxST application allows you to select consumed components for a

WorkstationST. The EGD for these components is then consumed by the OPC DA
Server. The components can be external or ones configured by the ToolboxST
application. Data can be obtained from an SDB for an external component.

Using the Runtime Monitor Config Utility

The Runtime Monitor Config utility allows you to

• Configure the server

• Start and stop the server
• Monitor server status
The utility allows you to select an SDB, as well as a next-generation SDB. EGD
components in the SDB can be selected. You may also add a network component to
your SDB to represent the OPC DA Server’s produced EGD exchanges. Once the
consumed EGD components from SDB are selected, a configuration build gets all
variable data for each selected component from the SDB, and places it into the EGD
Configuration Server. The data from the EGD Configuration Server is then placed in
the configuration files needed by the OPC DA Server.

The utility also provides an executable, OpcServerCfg.exe, which allows for a

command line configuration update. The OpcServerCfg has the following command
line arguments:
Argument Definition
/help Display this help
/build Bind the EGD configuration from SDB and EGD
Configuration Server, build configuration files
needed by OPC DA Server Service and request
service to read configuration (if no errors on bind)
/useWithErrors Request service to read configuration even if there
are errors on bind

8 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 To modify the configuration
From the Tools menu on the GE OPC DA Server Monitor screen, select
Modify Configuration. If the SDB is enabled under Settings in the
Options menu, the following screen displays:

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 9

 If the SDB is disabled under Settings in the Options menu, the following screen
displays:

Select components to be built into the configuration. All audible EGD variables are
placed in the OPC DA Server. Variables are audible if the EGD exchange on which
they reside is being sent to a destination (broadcast, directed, or multicast) that the
server can hear.

Note The address and subnet mask settings should match a network adapter used by
the OPC DA Server computer.

The Producer Device Name displays in the lower-left corner of the window. If the
producer information cannot be obtained from the EGD Configuration Server, click
the Edit PC Network Settings button to change the settings for this computer. For
example, if you wanted to consume an EGD component that was broadcasting a page
to 172.20.255.255 on the network Unit Data Highway (UDH), you could add a
network in the Edit PC Network Settings dialog box, then enter the address, subnet
mask, and network name to hear this broadcast (for example, 172.20.100.10 mask,
255.255.0.0 network name UDH).

10 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 The Build Configuration button allows you to refresh selected SDB components,
then put them into the EGD Configuration Server. All selected EGD Configuration
Server components are then built into a consumed data file and placed into the OPC
DA Server’s configuration directory. If one of the selected components matches this
producer component name, that component becomes the produced data for the
server. The OPC DA Server must be restarted to read this changed configuration.

Note If the EGD Generic Device editor is installed, the Launch Generic EGD Editor
button displays.

To view .xml files

1 In the OPC Server Devices list box, right-click a device.
2 Click the desired option.

To remove a component from the EGD Configuration Server

1 In the Devices In EGD Config Server list box, right-click a device.
2 Click the desired option.

Implementing EGD
The OPC DA Server has its own EGD server running, which handles the following:

• Consumption of EGD exchanges

• Production of configured EGD exchanges
• CMP Write commands to other EGD components
• Processing of CMP messages from other EGD components
• Responding to EGD Class 3 HTTP requests for configuration information
• Auto adapting to configuration changes in consumed Class 3 or higher devices

EGD Live Data

EGD exchanges from other components, such as Mark VIe, Mark VI, or UC2000 are
received by the OPC DA Server’s EGD server, then made available for use by OPC
clients. The exchanges must be on the same subnet if broadcast or multicast, or
directed to the computer running the OPC DA Server.

EGD exchanges configured with variables owned by the OPC DA Server are
produced. The variables become writable OPC DA Server variables.

Produced Exchange Health

A health timeout multiplier is applied to all OPC DA Server-produced EGD
exchanges. This multiplier, if greater than 0, determines the timeout when at least
one variable on an exchange must be written to by an external OPC client. The
timeout is calculated as the exchange period times this multiplier. Exchanges driven
by the OPC client data plug-in are marked healthy.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 11

 EGD Command Message Protocol
CMP messages are typically used by an Human-Machine Interface (HMI) to write
setpoint values, as well as to set and clear Booleans to a controller. The OPC’s EGD
server issues a CMP message to a consumed EGD variable when an OPC client
writes to the variable. Any other EGD node can also send a CMP write to the OPC
Server’s produced exchange variables. In this case, the Write command sets the OPC
DA Server variable. If the variable is owned by the OPC client data plug-in, the
Write command is sent to the connected OPC DA Server. If the variable has been
subscribed to by an exterior OPC client, the client receives an update of the
variable’s value through the OPC On Data Change.

Dynamic EGD Updates

Consumed EGD components occasionally undergo configuration changes, which
result in a signature change on the exchange. Some components are capable of
dynamic configuration changes. The OPC DA Server attempts to keep its current
configuration.

If a configuration signature mismatch occurs, the OPC DA Server requests a new

configuration for the component with the mismatch.

Note For Class 3 devices, data retrieval is attempted from the device. If that fails, a
retrieval is attempted from the EGD Configuration Server.

Changes to a component’s configuration that do not effect the EGD exchange are
still sometimes required by the OPC DA Server or some other feature of the
WorkstationST product. For example, a configuration may be downloaded to a Mark
VIe component with new alarm information or data logging information. Mark VIe
components have the application minor revision on the status page for the R, S, and
T controllers. Mark VIe components also have the Dynamic Data Recorder (DDR)
revision on the default EGD page for R, S, and T controllers. The OPC DA Server
monitors the EGD variable values for MinorRevisionX (X = R, S, or T) and
DDRRevisionX. When the OPC DA Server’s revision (kept in the EGD symbol table
for each component) does not match at least one of the R, S, or T revisions, the OPC
DA Server requests a configuration update for the EGD symbol table for that
component.

12 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Redundant EGD Produced Pages
WorkstationST EGD Produced Pages can be configured with primary or secondary
redundancy. A primary redundancy sends the Produced Page if the page’s data
source is healthy. (Refer to Determining Produced Page Health). A secondary
Produced Page is sent by another WorkstationST if the primary Produced Page is not
heard for three periods. Typically a consumer of an EGD Produced Page declares the
page unhealthy if the page is not received after five periods. If the secondary
redundancy again detects the production of the primary page, data production is
stopped. Like the primary, the secondary producer sends the page if the page’s data
source is healthy.

Note The period, which is user-configured as an exchange on a page, is the rate at

which the exchange is sent.

To show redundancy
On the EGD tab, select a Produced Page.

The Property Editor

allows you to change
Redundancy by
selecting the level from
the drop-down list.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 13

 Determining Produced Page Health
Each Produced Page contains WorkstationST variables. A data source for the
variable values can be an OPC DA client connected to the WorkstationST OPC DA
Server, an OPC DA Server connected to the WorkstationST OPC DA client, or a .csv
file watched by the WorkstationST .csv file watcher.

Health Timeout Multiplier can be configured for each Produced Page. If the
health timeout multiplier is greater than 0, and at least one page variable is written by
a data source within the timeout multiplied by the page period, the page is sent by the
primary producer (or the secondary if the primary is not producing). A flag allows
the first variable in the page (the one at offset 0.0) to be the only variable monitored
to determine the data source health.

14 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 OPC DA Client Page Health indicates the health of the Produced Page, which is
sent if the OPC DA client is connected to its configured OPC DA Server and the
server’s status is healthy.

Primary produced page configuration is a page configured as primary in the

WorkstationST component EGD page.

Secondary produced page configuration is a page configured as secondary in

the WorkstationST component. The secondary must be configured with the same
page name as the primary page.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 15

 The data source variables (typically OPC DA Server client-driven variables) must be
present in the secondary WorkstationST component, but it is not necessary to
configure the EGD Produced Page layout in the secondary. At runtime, the
secondary adapts to certain primary configuration changes such as data type and
offset changes to primary variables. When variables are added or deleted from the
primary, they must also be added to the secondary and downloaded, to allow the data
source to drive them.

16 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 The following example displays variables defined in the OPC DA Server tab to be
written by an external OPC DA client.

The WorkstationST OPC DA Server provides EGD and other data to OPC DA
clients. If redundant data must be sent to multiple OPC DA clients, multiple
WorkstationST computers can be configured and each OPC DA client can connect to
a different WorkstationST OPC DA Server. The OPC DA client must determine
page health and select the best source.

OPC Client Data Plug-in

For system configurations requiring data from a third-party OPC DA Server, the
OPC client data plug-in can be configured to connect to, and obtain data from, the
third-party OPC DA Server. OPC clients connect to servers using Groups, which are
lists of variables updated at a configured rate. The ToolboxST application allows a
WorkstationST component to be configured for OPC client connections to external
OPC DA Servers. Groups can be added and variables added per group. Variables are
selected by browsing the OPC DA Server.

SDI Data Plug-in

An SDI data plug-in is provided for variables that are not needed for control, but
might be needed for diagnostics or tuneup. All named variables are added to the
EGD Configuration Server’s EGD symbol table. These variables are then added to
the OPC DA Server for OPC client browsing. When a client adds a variable that is
not on EGD, but is available through SDI, an SDI connection is made to the
controller and live data is updated until the OPC client disconnects or removes the
OPC group or variable. An SDI server provides access to any OPC DA Server-
owned variable through the SDI protocol.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 17

Live Data.csv File Interface
WorkstationST allows you to read and save variable live values in a .csv file. The
OPC DA Server tab contains a CSV To Live Data option in the Tree View that
configures the OPC DA Server to read and monitor one or more .csv files for live
variable values.

When the OPC DA Server is started, and whenever the specified .csv file is changed,
the live values are read and set to the variables specified in the .csv file. The
variables can be any writable variables to which the WorkstationST has access. For
example, a client-driven variable can be defined and put onto an EGD Produced
Page. This variable’s value is then updated from the .csv file values. Any errors
display in the Status tab.

The .csv file format is one line of variable names and a second line of data values,
for example:

Var1,Var2,Var3

3.7,true,4.5

The utility LiveVarsToCsv.exe, which is in the GeCssOpcServer installation folder,

is used to read a snapshot of live values and write them to an output .csv file. The
command line utility’s syntax is as follows:

LiveVarsToCsv [options] <varCfgFileName |

var1,var2,var3...> <outputFileName>

18 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Where options are:

/opcClient - use an OPC client to the WorkstationST live

data core, otherwise an SDI connection is used by
default.

/host="name" - an optional host name. If not specified,

local host is used.

/Horiz - Without this option, the output format has one line of comma separated
variables and a second line with comma separated values. With this option the output
format has one line per variable with name, value and optional extended data.

/Extended - Additional information is appended to the variable column or row

/Header - Includes a column header line. This option is only used when the /Horiz
option is used

/SeparateDateTimeColumns - Creates two columns for the variable's timestamp

rather than one combined date/time column. This is only valid when used with the

/Horiz option /AdditionalColumns=col,val which allows the inclusion of a column

header(s) col with value val. For example, if you use:

/AdditionalColumn=Area,Train1, another column with a header text of Area and

column values of Train1, would be appended to the output. Multiple columns/values
can be specified (for example Area,Train1,Customer,GE). This is only valid when
used with the /Horiz option /ColumnOrder=list which allows the order of the
columns to be specified. The list is a comma separated list of column header names.

Valid header names are:

Name, Value, Type, Time Stamp,Units,Description, Second Language Description

If the /SeparateDateTimeColumns options was specified, Date and Time are also
valid column headers

If the /AdditionalColumns option was used, the headers specified are also valid for
the ColumnOrder list. This is only valid when used with the /Horiz option.

If the argument following the options is a valid file path, the file is expected to
contain a list of variables, one per line with optional comma separated columns for
scale, offset and a translated output name (see an example below). Otherwise, the
argument following the options can be a list of comma-separated variable names

Example varCfgFile format:

# Comments are allowed anywhere in the file if preceded

by a ‘#’

var,scale,offset,translatedName

G1.Celcius,1.8,32,G1.Farenheit

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 19

 Example using advanced options:

LiveVarsToCsv /Horiz /Extended /Header /SeparateDateTimeColumns

/AdditionalColumns="Plant Area,Train1"

/ColumnOrder="Area,Name,Value,Date,Time,Description,Units,Second Language
Description" var1,var2,var3 outputfile.csv

This utility can be used with the WorkstationST Task Scheduler to provide periodic
writing of .csv data.

Network Status Monitor

The Network Status Monitor Client, when enabled in a WorkstationST
configuration, provides live data values for the current network status through the
OPC DA Server. The following is the variable name form;

<workstationDeviceName>.NetMonitor.<otherDevice>.<networkName>.varname

The Booleans available include the following:

• Error
• Warning
• Online
In addition to the network monitor variables, each WorkstationST and MarkVIe
controller provides a default _Status page on EGD. The WorkstationST monitors the
variables on the _Status page and provides their live values to OPC DA clients.

The ToolboxST application uses an SDI live connection to obtain live values from
the WorkstationST OPC DA Server. A new live updated status message provides the
ToolboxST access to the above network status. Using this list between ToolboxST
and a local WorkstationST does not create any additional network traffic. The OPC
DA Server obtains the status information through EGD updates of _Status pages and
from the Network Status Monitor Client feature.

20 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Configuring DCOM
The Distributed Component Object Model (DCOM) utility allows components to
communicate across network boundaries but is also involved with client to server
interaction on the same computer. DCOM is configured for both the server and client
computers using dcomcnfg.exe.

Note The DCOM utility resides in the Windows System32 directory.

To start the DCOM utility

1 Click the Windows Start button, select Run.
2 In the Run dialog box, type dcomcnfg.exe, then click OK. The Component
Services window displays:

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 21

 DCOM Default Properties
DCOM must be configured to allow the client user access to the server computer,
and allowing the server user access to the client computer. The server user is the
system account on the server computer. Adding DOMAIN\ComputerName into the
access permissions allows access by the server to the client.

Note This does not apply to computers using Windows workgroups. Refer to the
section, Windows XP Workgroups Example.

To configure default properties

From the Component Services screen, right-click My Computer, then
select Properties.

22 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 The My Computer Properties dialog box displays.

Select the Default Properties tab.

Select the Enable

Distributed COM on
this computer check
box, then click OK.

This configuration is the default for Windows 2003, and Windows 2000. The Default
Authentication Level on the client computer should either match, or be more
restrictive than the authentication level on the server. When a DCOM connection is
attempted, the higher of the two levels is used. If the server is configured for Connect
level, and the client is configured for None, the client is rejected. This authentication
process occurs before any other DCOM security is checked.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 23

 Default Access Permissions
The Default Access Permissions allow a remote client to communicate with the
server. Communication between the client and the server is required for connecting,
adding OPC groups, and browsing variables. The client computer must allow access
by the server for live values to be updated.

Note Windows XP defaults the access permissions to allow access for both system
and self. Windows 2000 defaults the access permissions to an empty list of users,
groups, and computers. To allow any client to connect in Windows 2000 or
Windows XP, you must add Interactive with Allow Access permissions to the
Default Access permissions.

The server is configured to run as a service and, by default, runs as a system. To

receive live data updates, the client computer must allow the system account from
the server computer remote access.
To edit the Default Access Permissions

From the My Computer Properties

dialog box, select the COM Security tab.

Under Access Permissions,

click the Edit Default... tab to
open the Access Permission
dialog box and display the
Default Security tab.

24 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Select the appropriate check
box for the server computer
with remote access, then
click the Add button. The
Select Users, Computers,
or Groups dialog box
displays.

Verify that the Object Types (for Windows XP and

Windows 2003) match the object name entered.

In the above example, the computer named Corsair contains the OPC Server. Corsair
is added with access to this computer.

If the logon was changed to a different user, add the user computer rather than the
server computer (refer to the section, Changing the OPC Server DCOM Settings).

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 25

 Default Launch Permissions
For Windows XP and Windows 2003, the default launch permissions include launch
access and activation access. The GE OPC Server is normally started by the
WorkstationST service, so launch access is not required for local and remote clients.

Note The client does require activation access to connect.

In a Windows domain, both the client and server computers reside in the domain.
Therefore, the DCOM default settings allow the client to connect, add groups, and
browse.

Note Any change to the default DCOM configuration on either the client or the
server computer requires a restart.

Windows XP Service Pack 2

Although the default settings are adequate, additional limits can be set for
WindowsXP Service Pack 2.

Windows XP Service Pack 2 contains a firewall that does not allow DCOM and
other communications from remote computers. If a connection is made to the OPC
Server by an OPC client on a remote computer, the firewall settings must be correct.
With a client and the server on the same computer, no adjustment to the firewall
settings is necessary.

The setup package for the OPC Server modifies the Windows firewall Exception list
to include the ports needed for EGD, DCOM, and SDI communications. The
GeCssOpcServer application is also added. All clients must be added to the list, as
well.

26 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Windows XP DCOM Authentication
The default network access sharing and security model causes local users to always
authenticate as the user GUEST. To avoid problems for OPC servers and clients,
change the default network access policy to Classic mode, which allows local users
to authenticate as themselves.
To change the default network access policy
1 Click the Windows Start button, select Control Panel, Administrative
Tools, and Local Security Policy.
2 The Local security Settings window displays.

Select Local Policies

and Security Options.

Double-click the Network access:

Sharing and security model for
local accounts policy to display a
Network access: dialog box and
the Local Security Setting tab.

Select Classic - local users

authenticate themselves,
then click OK.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 27

 3 From Windows Explorer, select Tools and Folder Options.

From the View tab,

under Advanced
settings, verify that
the option Use
simple file sharing
(Recommended) is
unchecked, then
click OK.

The following is an excerpt from a www.opcfoundation.org white paper on Windows

XP SP2:

The Windows Firewall allows traffic across the network interface when initiated
locally, but by default stops any incoming “unsolicited” traffic. However, this
firewall is “exception” based, meaning that the administrator can specify
applications and ports that are exceptions to the rule and can respond to unsolicited
requests. The firewall exceptions can be specified at two main levels, the application
level and the port and protocol level. The application level is where you specify
which applications are able to respond to unsolicited requests and the port and
protocol level is where you can specify the firewall to allow or disallow traffic on a
specific port for either TCP or UDP traffic. To make any OPC client/server
application work via DCOM, changes need to be made on both levels.

28 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Windows XP Workgroups Example
This section describes the settings required to connect a DCOM client running as the
system account to a DCOM server running as the system account on a remote
computer. Services run as the system account.

Note The System user is not the same as the Administrator user.

When a client running as system tries to connect to another computer in a

workgroup, that client has no network credentials. If the computers were in the same
Windows domain, the client system user can be identified, but when using
workgroups, the remote server computer cannot identify the client user. Under these
conditions, the client is seen by the server as Anonymous Logon user.

Note Permissions must be applied to the server computer to allow the client to
communicate to the server (connect, browse, read, write). For the server to respond
with data change notifications, the settings must be applied to the client computer.

Ensure that the Authenticate Users as Themselves local security policy has been set
correctly. For more information, refer to the section, Windows XP DCOM
Authentication.

Both the computers must be in the same workgroup and have an identical account
and password on each. This common account is the account under which the OPC
DA client will run. This account should be included in the Default Access and
Default Launch and Activation Privileges with Remote Access enabled.

The default properties of the computer are left as the XP default. For information on
running dcomcnfg.exe and changing computer properties, refer to the section,
Configuring DCOM.

Setting Security Limits

To set security limits
1 Click the Windows Start button, select Run.
2 In the Run dialog box, type dcomcnfg.exe, then click OK. The
Component Services window displays.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 29

 3 From the Component Services window, right-click My Computer, then
select Properties.

30 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 The My Computer Properties dialog box displays.

Select the COM Security tab.

Under Access
Permissions, click
Edit Limits... to
open the Access
Permission dialog
box and display
the Security
Limits tab.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 31

 Verify that the
Allow check boxes
for both Local and
Remote Access
are selected for
each user or group,
then click OK.

32 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Setting Security Defaults
To set security defaults

Select the COM Security tab.

Under Access
Permissions, click
Edit Default... to
open the Access
Permission dialog
box and display
the Default
Security tab.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 33

 If ANONYMOUS
LOGON does not
appear in Group
or user names,
add it by clicking
on Add.

Verify that the

Allow check boxes
for both Local and
Remote Access
are selected for
each user or group,
then click OK.

34 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Setting Launch and Activation Permissions
To set launch and activation limits

Select the COM Security tab.

Under Launch and

Activation
Permissions, click
Edit Limits… to
open the Launch
Permission dialog
box and display the
Security Limits tab.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 35

 Verify that the
Allow check boxes
for Local and
Remote Launch,
as well as Local
and Remote
Activation are
selected for each
user or group, then
click OK.

36 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 To set launch and activation defaults

Select the COM Security tab.

Under Launch and

Activation
Permissions, click
Edit Default... to
open the Launch
Permission dialog
box and display the
Default Security
tab.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 37

 Verify that the
Allow check boxes
for Local and
Remote Launch,
as well as Local
and Remote
Activation are
selected for each
user or group, then
click OK.

After all new DCOM settings have been changed, restart your machine.

Adding an Anonymous User

The OPCEnum service provided by the OPC foundation does not include the
ANONYMOUS LOGON, so it must be added to the Launch and Access permissions
in the OpcEnum Properties dialog box. This change does not require a restart. The
settings take effect the next time the OPCEnum service is started. For information on
changing an individual DCOM server’s settings, refer to the section, Changing the
OPC Server DCOM Settings.
To add users and permissions
1 Click the Windows Start button, select Run.
2 In the Run dialog box, type dcomcnfg.exe, then click OK. The
Component Services window displays.

38 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 3 From the Component Services window, expand the DCOM Config folder.
Right-click OpcEnum, then select Properties.

OpcEnum will
appear after
WorkstationST
is installed.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 39

 The OpcEnum Properties dialog box displays.

From the Security

tab, the default
setting for Launch
and Activation
Permissions is
Customize. Click the
Edit button. The
Launch Permission
dialog box displays
with the Security tab
selected.

40 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Click the Add
button. The
Select Users,
Computers, or
Groups dialog
box displays.

Enter anonymous logon in the text box, then

click OK. The Launch Permission dialog box
changes to display ANONYMOUS LOGON in
the Group or user names text box.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 41

 Highlight ANONYMOUS LOGON.

Select the Allow check boxes for Local and

Remote Launch, as well as Local and
Remote Activation.

42 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 To set Access
Permissions and
Configuration
Permissions, return
to the OpcEnum
Properties dialog
box and repeat the
previous steps.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 43

 Changing the OPC Server DCOM Settings
The default settings for the OPC DA Server process are normally adequate.
However, if you want the OPC DA Server to run as a user other than a system, select
the Control Panel, Administrative Tools, and Services tool to modify the Logon As
(user). Because this setting is made during installation, installing a new version runs
the service as the default system account again.

Note If you change the Logon As setting, you must also change the DCOM identity
setting to match.

To change the GeCssOpcServer identity

1 From the Component Services screen.

Expand the
DCOM Config
file.

Right-click the GeCssOpcServer item and select Properties.

The GeCssOpcServer dialog box displays.

44 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 2 Click the Identity tab, verify that the option The system account (services
only) is selected, then click OK.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 45

 DCOM Security
The following information is an excerpt from www.opcfoundation.org:

Abstract
OPC Server vendors have two approaches to networking:

• The client can connect to a local server to use the existing proprietary network
scheme. This approach will commonly be used by vendors who are adding OPC
capability to an existing distributed product.
• The client can connect to the desired server on a target machine, then use
DCOM for networking. This approach may be used in conjunction with the
above approach.
Using DCOM for remote OPC Client/Server communications is necessary for cross-
vendor interoperability. Consequently, there are several issues that surface in the
design, development, implementation, and deployment of distributed (DCOM-
enabled) OPC components.

DCOM can make distributed applications secure without any security-specific

coding or design in either the client or the component. Just as the DCOM
programming model hides a component's location, it also hides the security
requirements of a component. The same (existing or off-the-shelf) binary code that
works in a single-machine environment, where security may be of no concern, can be
used in a distributed environment in a secure fashion.

DCOM achieves this security transparency by letting developers and administrators

configure the security settings for each component. Just as the Windows NT File
System lets administrators set access control lists (ACLs) for files and directories,
DCOM stores Access Control Lists for components. These lists simply indicate which
users or groups of users have the right to access a component of a certain class.
These lists can easily be configured using the DCOM configuration tool
(DCOMCNFG) or programmatically using the Windows NT registry and Win32®
security functions.

Whenever a client calls a method or creates an instance of a component, DCOM

obtains the client's current username associated with the current process (actually
the current thread of execution). Windows NT guarantees that this user credential is
authentic. DCOM then passes the username to the machine or process where the
component is running. DCOM on the component's machine then validates the
username again using whatever authentication mechanism is configured and checks
the access control list for the component (actually for the first component run in the
process containing the component).

If the client's username is not included in this list (either directly or indirectly as a
member of a group of users), DCOM rejects the call before the component is ever
involved. This default security mechanism is completely transparent to both the
client and the component and is highly optimized. It is based on the Windows NT
security framework, which is probably one of the most heavily used (and optimized!)
parts of the Windows NT operating system: on each and every access to a file or
even to a thread-synchronization primitive like an event or semaphore, Windows NT
performs an identical access check. The fact that Windows NT can still compete with
and beat the performance of competing operating systems and network operating
systems shows how efficient this security mechanism is.

There are three main issues: authentication, launch (activation) permission, and
access (call) permissions, which all operate more or less independently of each
other.

46 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 The first thing Windows NT does is to authenticate the user (as in the figure above).
Whether or not this is done depends on the authentication level defined in
DCOMCNFG. This level is specified by both the client and server machines: the
server specifies the minimum required authentication level for incoming calls (any
call that comes in below this is automatically rejected via E_ACCESSDENIED), and
the client specifies it’s required authentication level for each interface call. COM
automatically uses the higher of the two settings. More information on these settings
can be found in the HELP file for DCOMCNFG.

Once the user has been authenticated, two additional types of security are defined in
DCOM: activation security (permissions) and call security (permissions).

Activation security controls which classes a client is allowed to launch and retrieve
objects from, and is automatically applied by the Service Control Manager of a
particular machine. Upon receipt of a request from a remote client to activate an
object, the Service Control Manager of the machine checks the request against
activation setting information stored within it’s registry.

The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\OLE key’s

DefaultLaunchPermission named value sets the machine-wide default access control
list (ACL) to specify who has access to classes on the system. For class-specific
activation settings (which take precedence over the default setting), the
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\APPID\{…} key’s LaunchPermission named value
contains data describing the class’s ACL. These keys are set initially when NT is
installed, and can be modified by dcomcnfg.exe.

Call security provides the security mechanism on a per-call basis that validates
inter-object communication after a connection between a client and server has been
established. Call security services are divided into three categories:

General functions called by both clients and servers

• New interfaces on client proxies
• Server-side functions and call-context interfaces
The HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\OLE key’s
DefaultAccessPermission named value sets the machine-wide default access control
list (ACL) to specify who has access to classes on the system. For class-specific
activation settings (which take precedence over the default setting), the
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\APPID\{…} key’s AccessPermission named value contains
data describing the class’ ACL. These keys are set initially when NT is installed and
can be modified by dcomcnfg.exe.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 47

 DCOM Overview

EGD ICN Service with WorkstationST

Versions prior to V02.03.01 of the ICN Service opened the EGD receiving port and
the CMP receiving port by binding a socket to the port for IPADDRESS.ANY
without setting the reuse socket address flag. This meant that once the ICN service
started, no other process could bind a socket and receive EGD messages. Likewise,
ICN service could not bind its sockets if another process bound a socket to them
first.

To allow multiple EGD processes to co-exist, version V02.03.01 and later of the ICN
service will bind the EGD sockets using a unique address. WorkstationST, and the
controller simulator products use this same technique for binding the EGD sockets.

Note For new applications, when assigning IP addresses, the computer network
connection's primary IP address should be assigned to WorkstationST. Other
processes can use secondary addresses. It is important for WorkstationST to have the
first address if it has been configured to produce EGD containing read/writable
variables. If WorkstaionST is not producing EGD, or is not producing any
read/writable variables, this note does not apply.

48 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Configuring Multiple Addresses
Windows allows multiple IP addresses to be assigned to a network adapter. Each
EGD process must have its own unique address or addresses. To configure a network
connection with multiple addresses, use the advanced settings in the IP configuration
for a network.
To configure a network connection with multiple addresses
From the Windows Control Panel, select Network Connections. Select the
appropriate network, then right-click and select Properties. The Properties
window displays.

Click to select Internet

Protocol (TCP/IP). The
Internet Protocol (TCP/IP)
Properties window displays.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 49

 Click the Advanced…
button. The TCP/IP
Address dialog box
displays.

50 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 In this example,
configure one
address for ICN
Service, and the
other IP address
for WorkstationST.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 51

 Configuring Addresses
The addresses entered into the Toolbox Classic Turbine HMI component for the
PDH and UDH become bind addresses in the icn.ini file used by the ICN service.
ICN Service attempts to bind a socket to each address. Any addresses that fail create
an error entry in the Windows event log. If all addresses fail, the service stops.

52 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 To configure addresses for a WorkstationST
1 From the ToolboxST System Editor, open a WorkstationST component.
2 From the General tab, add one or more Network Adapters.

When a download occurs, the EGD Server portion of WorkstationST attempts to

bind to the specified addresses.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 53

Acronyms and Abbreviations
EGD Ethernet Global Data, a control network and communication protocol

CMP Command Message Protocol

Comm CoE Communication Center of Excellence

DA Data Access

DCOM Distributed Component Object Model

HMI Human-Machine Interface

ICN Integrated Control Network

OPC OLE for Process Control

PDH Plant Data Highway

SDB System Database

SDI System Data Interface

UDH Unit Data Highway

54 • WorkstationST OPC DA Server GEI-100621G

 Terms
Bind - To establish the correspondence between the data in an exchange and
variables in a component.

Bind/Build - To bind the configuration for each consumed exchange and

create/update the configuration for any produced exchange.

Collection - More formally, an EGD Collection. Is a group of components that

constitutes a formal subset of the components participating in a particular EGD
installation. This arbitrary grouping allows users to subdivide the system to make
some tasks easier.

Consume - To receive an EGD data message (exchange).

Consumer - An EGD node configured to receive an EGD data message.

EGD - A mechanism that provides access to global data between nodes supporting
the EGD protocol.

Exchange - An EGD data message consisting of a header and a body of data. The
header contains the producer ID and the exchange ID that uniquely identifies the
message. The body of data is a block of bytes in a format agreed upon by the
producer and all consumers.

Feature - An element of the WorkstationST runtime system, which can be

optionally enabled through ToolboxST. Examples include OPC Server, Recorder,
and Alarm Viewer.

Global Data - A concept in which multiple controllers on a network can share

information by exchanging portions of their local memory with peer controllers.

OPC (OLE for Process Control) - A standard for data exchange in the industrial
environment (OLE is Microsoft’s Object Language Embedding). The OPC
foundation provides specifications for various OPC standards such as OPC DA (Data
Access) and OPC AE (Alarm and Event).

Produce - To send an EGD data message (exchange).

Producer - The EGD node configured to send data messages. The source of the
data samples for an exchange.

Refresh - To bind the configuration for each consumed exchange for a particular
consumed component.

Runtime - Software stored in the controller’s Flash memory that converts

application code (pcode) to executable code.

Unbound Variables - Variables required by a consumer that were not found in the
producer configuration during the bind.

GEI-100621G WorkstationST OPC DA Server• 55

g GE Energy
1501 Roanoke Blvd.
Salem, VA 24153-6492 USA

1 540 387 7000

www.geenergy.com