Opto 22’s groov EPIC and groov RIO Version 3.4 Features More OPC UA Server and MQTT Options

Opto 22announces the latest firmware version 3.4 for thegroovEPIC edge programmable industrial controller from Opto 22, along with firmware version 3.4 for thegroovRIO edge I/O module. Both are available as a free download for all existinggroovEPIC andgroovRIO users, adding even greater capabilities for sharing OT data with SCADA systems, databases, HMIs, and historians, and with other functions like Quality and Process.

不w data democratization capabilities include an additional, embedded OPC UA server and much more flexibility in MQTT services. The release also adds support for SNMP and the Scratch Pad memory map area.

不w embedded OPC UA server.Opto 22 was instrumental in developing the original OPC specification and in founding the OPC Foundation. With the new PAC Control and I/O OPC UA server now on board, bothgroovEPIC and RIO offer this familiar, platform-independent way to exchange data among devices and software within your OT network. For example, you can smoothly integrate your control and I/O systems into SCADA software using OPC UA—no special drivers required.

• ForgroovEPIC, the new OPC UA server option complements three other OPC UA server options previously available on board: Ignition/Ignition Edge, CODESYS, and Node-RED.
• ForgroovRIO, the new OPC UA server is the first of its kind: a fully-functioning OPC UA server option for a remote, Ethernet-based input/output module.

更多的MQTT选项。This release also includes expanded menu options for MQTT and Sparkplug configurations. You can now configure multiple MQTT brokers (servers) and choose both JSON and Sparkplug payload formats to simultaneously publish operational data to multiple MQTT servers. For example, you can configure MQTT to send Sparkplug-formatted messages to one server and MQTT JSON strings to another server.

With these new data service capabilities, you can communicate operational data through both OPC UA and MQTT protocols simultaneously. Tried-and-true OPC UA is client/server based and, because it requires an open incoming port, is best used in a secure OT network such as your in-plant network. MQTT is a more secure publish/subscribe method, offering a simpler architecture that doesn’t require opening incoming firewall ports, which is ideal for sharing data with remote servers over standard IP networks, including cellular and the public internet.

Other notable updates.End users and system integrators will appreciate the new firmware’s support for SNMP for integration with network management systems. Also added is the ability to share EPIC and RIO Scratch Pad data, via both MQTT and OPC UA. This feature is especially useful forgroovRIO users because non-I/O data can be shared through the Scratch Pad area.

Also new in this release are enhancements to the embedded web-based, mobile-ready

groovView HMI, including new rulers and layout guides for building responsive HMI screens. Updates to the embedded web-based EPIC and RIO management tool,groovManage, offer a newgroovView management interface (similar to the existing Node-RED management page) and a new I/O Diagnostics page.

For improved security and performance, version 3.4 firmware includes several embedded software upgrades: Ignition 8, Ignition Edge 8, and their modules are updated to version 8.1.17. Ignition Edge 7 is now 7.9.20, and Node-RED is updated to version 2.2.2. Certificates in the root store are updated as well, and a number of Linux kernel packages and libraries are updated and running the latest security updates and patches.

For complete information on new features and bug fixes, see thegroov EPIC Release Notesor thegroov RIO Release Notes.

Availability
groovEPIC firmware 3.4 is available now as a free download frommanage.groov.com. Complete upgrade instructions are available in thegroov EPIC User’s Guide. For new customers, allgroovEPICs now ship with this latest firmware version. Note that due to supply chain-driven hardware changes, firmware version 3.4.0 will be the minimum installable version for new EPICs.groovRIO 3.4 firmware is scheduled to be released in July 2022 and will be available as a free download from Opto 22. Each of the threegroovRIO models will have product-specific 3.4 firmware updates:GRV-R7-MM1001-10,GRV-R7-MM2001-10, andGRV-R7-I1VAPM-3.