Which Driver?

ClearSCADA can communicate with SCADAPack controllers using one of several drivers. The driver that you need to use depends on the type of SCADAPack device(s) with which ClearSCADA is to communicate.

If ClearSCADA is to communicate with SCADAPack controllers other than SCADAPack E controllers using the Modbus protocol, your system needs to run the Advanced Modbus Driver along with the SCADAPack Modbus Extension Driver. If the Realflo feature is enabled on any of those controllers, ClearSCADA also needs to run the SCADAPack Modbus RealfloExtension Driver, to enable ClearSCADA to retrieve gas flow measurement data from those controllers. (The Realflo feature converts a SCADAPack controller into an electronic natural gas Flow Computer.) Refer to the rest of this guide for information on configuring ClearSCADA to communicate with SCADAPack controllers (other than SCADAPack E controllers) using the Modbus protocol. Refer to the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADAPack Modbus Realflo Driver for information on configuring ClearSCADA to communicate with Realflo-enabled SCADAPack controllers.

If ClearSCADA is to communicate with SCADAPack E controllers, or 386 eNET outstations, your system needs to run the DNP3 driver, along with the DNP3 SCADAPack E Extension Driver. Use these drivers to enable ClearSCADA to communicate with SCADAPack E controllers and eNET outstations using the DNP3 protocol; with the DNP3 SCADAPack E extension driver providing support for extended SCADAPack DNP3 functionality. For further information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to the DNP3 Driver, and the ClearSCADA Guide to the DNP3 SCADAPack E Driver. (ClearSCADA can also communicate with SCADAPack controllers other than SCADAPack E controllers and SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol. As SCADAPack controllers other than SCADAPack E controllers and SCADAPack x70 devices do not support extended SCADAPack DNP3 functionality, you need to use DNP3, rather than DNP3 SCADAPack E or SCADAPack x70, database items to enable ClearSCADA to communicate with such devices using the DNP3 protocol.)

For ClearSCADA to communicate with SCADAPack E controllers, or 386 eNET outstations, using the Modbus protocol, use either the ‘Generic’ Modbus database items with ClearSCADA’s Advanced Modbus driver, or the Simple Modbus driver. (SCADAPack E controllers and eNET outstations do not support the extended Modbus functionality of other ranges of SCADAPack controllers.) If both drivers provide the required functionality, consider using the Advanced Modbus driver rather than the Simple Modbus driver. Using the Advanced Modbus driver will give you more flexibility should your system requirements change in the future.

If ClearSCADA is to communicate with SCADAPack 50 devices, your system needs to run the SCADAPack 50 driver. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADAPack 50 Driver.

If ClearSCADA is to communicate with SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol, your system needs to run the DNP3 driver, along with the SCADAPack x70 extension driver. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to the DNP3 Driver, and see the ClearSCADA Guide to the SCADAPack x70 Driver.