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Service Control

OAS Service Control

To Start and Stop the 3 OAS Services on Windows you can use either the Service Control Manager built into the Windows Operating System or the OAS Service Control application.

If deployed to Linux view how to Setup OAS Engine as a Linux Service or Daemon.

Using the OAS Service Control application

To run the OAS Service Control application select Start-All Programs – Open Automation Software-OAS Service.

Select the desired feature of the Service Control application:

  • Start Service: Starts the Service.
  • Stop Service: Stops the Service.
  • Start Runtime: Starts Runtime of Open Automation Software if the Service is running.
    Use the OAS Configuration to have the Service start automatically in Runtime.
  • Stop Runtime: Stops Runtime of Open Automation Software if the Service is running.
  • Configure OAS: Launches the Open Automation Software Configuration application.
  • Exit: Exits the application.

Using the Windows built-in  Service Control Manager

Alternatively you can use the Service Control Manager built into the operating system. To start the Service Control Manager you must first have Administrative rights to the system.  Select Start-Control Panel-System and Security-Administrative Tools-Services to view all Services installed on the system.

Select OAS Engine, OAS OPC, and OAS Reports and select Start or Stop.  Using Properties of the Service you can also set the Startup Type as Manual, Disabled, or Automatic (Delayed Start).  Automatic (Delayed Start) is the default after installation so the Service will start with the Operating System.

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Service Logon

There are 3 scenarios that would require setting the service LogOn to one of the OAS Services running on Windows.  The following information is not applicable for Linux.

Connecting to classic DCOM OPC Servers that run under the desktop account
The OPC Client connection to third party OPC Servers runs in a Windows Service called OAS OPC (previously called OPC Systems Data). By default this Windows Service runs under the System account.

If you are receiving bad data quality from a classic OPC Server it is most likely due to a security logon restriction in the operating system. Some OPC Servers cannot run as a Windows Service, so you may need to either use the OPC Data Fix or set the OAS OPC Service to run under the desktop user account with the service LogOn so that the operating system DCOM security allows the connection. Using the OPC Data Fix is preferred in case the user account login is changed in the domain for the server.

If the OPC Server is running as a Service you can often leave the Service Log On to the Local System account, but check the box for “allow service to interact with desktop” if DCOM security is restricting the connection.

Refer to the Troubleshoot OPC Communications section in this Knowledge Base to resolve all OPC connection issues.

Data Logging or Recipe access to MS Access on a remote network drive
If you cannot assign the SYSTEM account to have access to the remote drive set the OAS Reports service LogOn (previously called OPC Systems Database).

Data Logging to CSV or SQLite file on a remote network drive
If you cannot assign the SYSTEM account to have access to the remote drive set the OAS Engine service LogOn (previously called OPC Systems).

Network Path – Best Resolution
Another common solution is to use the full network path instead of a mapped drive.  Mapped drives are usually defined to a user while a network drive starting with \\ will work without a user depending on the domain and security.

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Service Control Manager

The following guide shows you how to use the built in Service Control Manager of the operating system to set a Windows Service LogOn.
If you just need to start and stop the OAS Services you can use the OAS Service manager from the program group Open Automation Software.

There are 4 scenarios to for OAS to set a service LogOn for 1 or more of the OAS services. Following is list of Service Names and the reason of changing the LogOn from the SYSTEM account.

  • OAS OPC – Connecting to classic DCOM OPC Servers that run under the desktop account
  • OAS Reports – Logging to MS Access on a remote network drive
  • OAS Reports – Default printer is not set for the operating system for automated reports
  • OAS Engine – Logging to a CSV or SQLite file on a remote network drive

Network Path – Best Resolution
The best resolution to logging to MS Access, SQLite, or CSV files on a remote server is to use the full network path instead of a mapped drive.  Mapped drives are usually defined to a user while a network drive starting with \\ will work without a user depending on the domain and security.

Previous service names

  • OAS OPC – (previously OPC Systems Data)
  • OAS Reports – (previously OPC Systems Database)
  • OAS Engine – (previously OPC Systems)

To start the Service Control Manager you must first have Administrative rights to the system.

Select Start-Control Panel-Administrative Tools-Services to view all Services installed on the system or type Services from the Search field of the start menu.

Setting the Service LogOn:

Select desired OAS service and right click to select Properties:

Select the Log On Tab to view the current Logon Account. 

Select This account radio button and use the Browse button to Select User:

Use the Advanced button in the lower left:

Service Control Manager 7

Then the Find Now button to select the desired Logon User Account:

Service Control Manager 8

Select OK twice to return to the Log On Tab dialog.

Enter the Password for the User Account and select OK:

If the Service is already started it must be Stopped and Started for the changes to take effect.

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OAS Service

If deployed to Linux view how to Setup OAS Engine as a Linux Service or Daemon.

The OAS Service Control Manager for Windows lets you manage:

  • Starting and stopping the OAS Services
  • Start and stop runtime mode of OAS
  • Launch Configure OAS application
  • Enable OPC Data Fix for connecting to classic OPC Servers that will not run under the SYSTEM account

Alternatively, you can use the built in Windows Service Control Manager to stop and stop the OAS Services and also set each service LogOn to a specific account.

OAS Service Control

OAS Service Control Manager

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System Configuration

Manage connections, runtime, global configurations and options via the OAS Service Control Manager and the OAS Configuration Manager.

The built in OAS Service Control Manager for Windows lets you manage starting and stopping the OAS Services.

If deployed to Linux view how to Setup OAS Engine as a Linux Service or Daemon.

Use the Configure OAS Application to define Data Sources, Destinations, Security, Licensing, an other functions.

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Videos – Overview

Open Automation Software Introduction

Introduction to Open Automation Software.

SCADA / HMI software for Windows and open platform solutions.

Open Automation Software Products

Quick overview of all Open Automation Software products.

IOT for SCADA

Internet of Things Live Data Cloud using Open Automation Software.

How to quickly connect to all of your live and historical enterprise data using OAS IOT.

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Programmatic Interface .NET and jQuery

Open Automation Software is designed to be easy to use for the novice user new to Visual Studio with no programming required, while also providing developers the flexibility to access everything through the 100% managed .NET components.

  • Allows Prospect/Customer to leverage their existing investment in applications, algorithms, industry specific methods etc.
  • Do not need to redesign to fit our application, our application (Open Automation Software) is built to accommodate the best of what you offer.
  • Allows you (or our team) make changes to our application to fit your needs quickly (do not have to wait for new releases etc.)
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Open Data Access

All aspects of Open Automation Software are provided in an open format.

  • Access all real-time data from .NET applications, OPC Clients, OPC Servers, databases, Microsoft Excel, and third party SCADA applications quickly, securely, and easily.
  • Data is logged in an open format SQL Server, Oracle, Access, MySQL, and CSV files with 100 nanosecond resolution.
  • Alarms are logged in an open format to SQL Server, Oracle, Access, MySQL, and CSV files.
  • All configurations can be accessed using the free programmatic interface.
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Enterprise Wide Data Access

One Click Enterprise Wide Data Access to Real-Time Data from Windows and Non Windows (Smart Phones)

  • No Client Licensing
  • No DCOM
  • Very Low Bandwidth
  • No Impact on Windows Registry
  • Works with any browser
  • MEANS MUCH LOWER COST OF ACQUISITION, DEVELOPMENT, DEPLOYMENT AND MAINTENANCE
  • Access OPC Servers, Databases, Direct Access to Devices, Other Applications, and Competing SCADA Systems become Data Sources for us
  • Deliver the data to Any Screen, Database, Application, Person that you need it delivered to (Windows or Non-Windows (Smart Phones, MACS’ Linux etc.(anything that works with a browser)
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Open Automation Software Key Differences

Performance

Open Automation Software consistently out performs all major brands of SCADA and HMI software in many ways.

  • Monitor over 1,000,000 tags from OAS Service.
  • Open Automation Software is designed to run on business networks.
  • Open Automation Software network load is from 1/1000 to 1/1,000,000 to that of our competitors.
  • Efficiently move large amounts of data across your local network or across the enterprise.
  • Log over 1,000,000 data points to an open database with no loss of data even on network loss.
  • Easily deliver vital data to all levels of the enterprise.
  • Only one connection to you data source(Reduced load)

Reliability

  • Because Open Automation Software is a service oriented architecture activity occurs at the OAS Service. This allows the service to automatically buffer data on network loss. How does this affect your system?
    • Data logging – All data can be buffered on loss of network or database connection. As soon as the connection is restored Open Automation Software will push the buffered data to the database server. Better still Open Automation Software employs a method to parse the data to the server without overloading the database server or the network with large amounts of data.
    • Trending – Trend data can be buffered on network loss. This means no blank spaces in you HMI trend windows. The missing data will be added to your trend as soon as the network connection is restored.
    • Alarming – Alarm data can be buffered on network loss. This means no missing Alarms in you HMI alarm windows. The missing data will be added to your alarm window as soon as the network connection is restored.
    • All of the above applies to data transfer across your local network or the internet.
  • DCOM can be fragile – Just changing a few seemingly unrelated settings on one PC can break the connectivity causing hours of downtime, lost productivity and I.T. overhead. OPC system eliminates the need for DCOM enabling you to use Open Automation Software TCP as the communications platform. This reduces the network load and hours of configuration of DCOM settings.

Flexibility

  • With 19 products to choose from you only need to purchase what is relevant to your project.
  • Connect to a verity of data sources such as Modbus, Allen Bradley, Siemens, MQTT, OPC Servers, OPC Clients, Databases, Excel, and .Net applications.
  • Because Open Automation Software frees your data you can easily move you data to existing enterprise systems like SAP.
  • Want to move data form you database to your HMI without the security risk. Open Automation Software Recipe.Net allows you to securely move database data to your HMI or Device on your local network or across the internet.
  • Ever have a customer request that that was impossible to accomplish with you existing SCADA software? Open Automation Software uses Microsoft Visual Studio as it development platform. You can accomplish virtually anything that a customer has in mind. If you don’t have the resources, contact us and one of our software engineers can help you.
  • Need a change to Open Automation Software or a new feature? – We can quickly provide what you are looking for. No need to wait 6 Months for a new release. We often provide our customers changes within hours or a few days.
  • Open Automation Software can be integrated with and alongside competing SCADA application to provide features that they don’t provide.

Price

The initial cost of Open Automation Software is far less than our competitors. But the savings don’t stop there.

  • No charge for client licenses – That means that you can deploy as many client applications as you want.
  • Easily and quickly develop world class SCADA systems using Open Automation Software and Visual Studio with no programming required.
  • Rapid application development reduces development costs and speeds up time to market.
  • Reduced IT cost. Open Automation Software client applications have no impact on the client machine registry.
  • Open Automation Software is designed to run on your business network. We are not restricted to closed control networks. This provides much more bang for your buck by allowing key information to be shared to business systems.
  • Purchase what you need when you need it – Open Automation Software is completely customizable with 19 features to choose from you have ultimate flexibility. View OAS Pricing for some basic examples.
  • Ever try to get data from one of their closed proprietary databases? Then you know how much it costs just to get access. Then try to interface that to your business systems, the cost skyrockets. With Open Automation Software we are all about data access.  We can log data to SQL Server, MS Access, Oracle, MySQL, PostgreSQL, SQLite, or CSV.
  • Often the cost of switching to Open Automation Software is less the then yearly maintenance of our competitors. Effectively providing a return on investment in less than one year and saving for every year thereafter. Not to mention the reduced IT costs and the benefit of have access to key data enterprise wide.

One more thing that sets Open Automation Software apart we don’t ask you to take our work for it. Download a fully functional trial with unlimited tags and products and ask for a free presentation tailored to your specific needs.