Introduction to the Sofrel Driver
This driver is an advanced driver. It provides additional functionality to enable ClearSCADA to interface with specific supported devices using a particular protocol. To interact successfully with such devices, you need to:
- Install and run the driver
- Ensure that the driver is licensed
- Configure the required database items and settings on the driver
- Ensure that the database items (and any database items on which they depend) have valid, saved, configuration and are 'In Service'.
Intended Audience
This guide is primarily intended for engineers who are responsible for configuring Sofrel items and features in the ClearSCADA database.
The guide also contains information for:
- Operators and engineers who use the Sofrel driver to monitor and control plant
- Maintenance engineers.
Document Scope
This guide explains the configuration, features and database items that are specific to ClearSCADA's Sofrel driver.
The Sofrel driver supports two Modbus transport protocols:
- Modbus RTU (over serial, TCP or UDP)
- Modbus TCP
Sofrel outstations do not support Modbus RTU over TCP or UDP directly, so this would only be used when communicating via a 'Modbus gateway' device.
In addition the driver enables ClearSCADA to communicate with devices using two Sofrel protocols:
- LACBUS-RTU
- SOFBUS-PL
The driver supports the following Sofrel outstation models:
- S500 Remote Terminal Unit range that includes three products for installations of any size and any functional requirements.
- BOX range (Cellbox Data and Telbox), developed specifically for the remote monitoring of small isolated installations without any energy source.
- S50 range.
Prerequisite Reading
This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with ClearSCADA configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- ClearSCADA configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Configuration, and the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Point Configuration.
- Driver structure, components, and configuration properties, pick actions, and status attributes that are common to many drivers. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Drivers.
- Advanced driver configuration order, outstation types, and configuration properties and logging options that are common to many advanced drivers. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to Advanced Drivers.
Some sections of this guide are intended for operator-level users. These sections are intended for users that are familiar with the navigational and operational aspects of ClearSCADA. Before reading the operational sections in this guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- The ClearSCADA user interfaces (ViewX and WebX), the various types of display, their navigation and operation. For more information, see the ClearSCADA Guide to ViewX and WebX Clients.
The Sofrel driver allows interoperability between RTUs (Remote Terminal Units) and ClearSCADA. A Sofrel network typically consists of a single ClearSCADA master and multiple outstations.
Most Sofrel outstations can support up to four masters, refer to the Sofrel literature for more information.
The ClearSCADA master maintains a local database that holds a copy of the data stored in each outstation.
ClearSCADA processes the data received from the outstation and:
- Displays current values to operators.
- Generates alarms.
- Stores historic event data so that it may be trended and reported.
The data sent by an outstation may be:
- Values of physical inputs at the outstation.
- Values obtained from another device by the outstation.
- Values that are calculated by the outstation.
One of the fundamental concepts of Sofrel is that an outstation can buffer historic data. The outstation sends its buffered data to ClearSCADA when it sends a poll request to the outstation—these can be scheduled by ClearSCADA to optimize use of the communications network.
ClearSCADA supports 'report data' from the S50 range of outstations, which is a specialized form of historic data used for daily reporting.
Alternatively, the outstation can dial-in (PSTN/GSM) or make a connection (Network) to report alarms.
This guide explains how to configure Sofrel specific features and items within the ClearSCADA database.