COM Connectors
Allow other enterprise systems to use PI architecture and clients, delivering data between UDS and foreign databases or data historians without storing them in PI DataStorage.
Component Summary
The PI System's flexibility means you get more out of your data -- not just data in PI, but all your data. COM Connectors allow UDS to seamlessly connect with foreign databases.
Each COM Connector is designed to interact with a single, specific, foreign historian or data source to create a seamless connection to the PI System. Once data become part of the UDS infrastructure, they're instantly available for limitless analysis, simplified reporting, and clearer visual monitoring. They can be utilized throughout the PI System in applications such as PI ProcessBook, PI ActiveView, or PI DataLink.
Using COM Connectors leverages your investment in existing information systems within your manufacturing enterprise. Because all your enterprise data are available through the PI System architecture, your users will benefit from the familiar PI client tools, and your operations analysis can be centralized within PI. Additionally, you have the assurance of OSIsoft's ongoing commitment to future application development and support.
Technical Overview
By design, UDS allows seamless data retrieval from foreign data providers (e.g., control systems, lab information systems, etc.). Using COM Connectors opens legacy data historians and information systems housing time-series data to the UDS architecture. When the PI Redirector and one or more COM Connectors are installed, they establish an infrastructure to present and manipulate foreign data as though they were native PI data from a PI System.
PI's tag database stores the connection information of the COM Connector tag, which gets passed to the PI Redirector. The PI Redirector communicates with the correct COM Connector and contacts the foreign information system. When the connection is established, the data are accessed, and the requested values are delivered back to UDS.
COM Connectors are Component Object Model (COM) compliant objects designed to OSIsoft specifications. UDS subsystems use COM objects to obtain data when requests are received from OSIsoft client applications. Each COM Connector interacts with a single foreign data provider. COM Connectors reside either on the UDS server machine or on a remote machine. They are either in-process or out-of-process objects (communicating with COM or DCOM, respectively) depending on whether they are installed on the same machine as UDS. Check the Support home page for a list of existing COM Connectors.
Data acquired through COM Connectors are accessible from all PI client tools (PI ProcessBook, PI DataLink, PI ActiveView, etc.) and any of the PI development tools (PI DataAccess Pack). The end-user notices no difference between data served from a COM Connector and data archived in PI.
System Requirements
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000
- Service Pack 6a; either NT Workstation or NT Server
Component Summary
The PI System's flexibility means you get more out of your data -- not just data in PI, but all your data. COM Connectors allow UDS to seamlessly connect with foreign databases.
Each COM Connector is designed to interact with a single, specific, foreign historian or data source to create a seamless connection to the PI System. Once data become part of the UDS infrastructure, they're instantly available for limitless analysis, simplified reporting, and clearer visual monitoring. They can be utilized throughout the PI System in applications such as PI ProcessBook, PI ActiveView, or PI DataLink.
Using COM Connectors leverages your investment in existing information systems within your manufacturing enterprise. Because all your enterprise data are available through the PI System architecture, your users will benefit from the familiar PI client tools, and your operations analysis can be centralized within PI. Additionally, you have the assurance of OSIsoft's ongoing commitment to future application development and support.
Technical Overview
By design, UDS allows seamless data retrieval from foreign data providers (e.g., control systems, lab information systems, etc.). Using COM Connectors opens legacy data historians and information systems housing time-series data to the UDS architecture. When the PI Redirector and one or more COM Connectors are installed, they establish an infrastructure to present and manipulate foreign data as though they were native PI data from a PI System.
PI's tag database stores the connection information of the COM Connector tag, which gets passed to the PI Redirector. The PI Redirector communicates with the correct COM Connector and contacts the foreign information system. When the connection is established, the data are accessed, and the requested values are delivered back to UDS.
COM Connectors are Component Object Model (COM) compliant objects designed to OSIsoft specifications. UDS subsystems use COM objects to obtain data when requests are received from OSIsoft client applications. Each COM Connector interacts with a single foreign data provider. COM Connectors reside either on the UDS server machine or on a remote machine. They are either in-process or out-of-process objects (communicating with COM or DCOM, respectively) depending on whether they are installed on the same machine as UDS. Check the Support home page for a list of existing COM Connectors.
Data acquired through COM Connectors are accessible from all PI client tools (PI ProcessBook, PI DataLink, PI ActiveView, etc.) and any of the PI development tools (PI DataAccess Pack). The end-user notices no difference between data served from a COM Connector and data archived in PI.
System Requirements
- Microsoft Windows NT 4.0 or Windows 2000
- Service Pack 6a; either NT Workstation or NT Server