Terminology

This topic mentions terminology that is specific to this driver guide.

alert

An alarm. An indication of an abnormal or unexpected condition. With SCADAPack x70 devices and associated documentation, alarms are referred to as alerts.

binary point

A point that can be in a one of two states, such as Open or Closed, On or Off. With the DNP3 protocol, such points are referred to as binary points; with other protocols with which ClearSCADA communicates, such points are referred to as digital points.

Throughout the ClearSCADA documentation, binary points are referred to as digital points. As such, much of the common functionality for these points can be found in the Digital Points section of the ClearSCADA Guide to Core Point Configuration.

object-pair

The pair of database items that together represent a point or outstation with which ClearSCADA is configured to communicate.

With each outstation or point on the SCADAPack x70 driver, you configure:

• a SCADAPack x70 Configuration database item
• a protocol-specific database item (that references the database item above)

Together the two interrelated database items make up an 'object-pair' that represents a particular SCADAPack x70 device, or an input or output on that device.

For more information, see Understand the SCADAPack x70 Driver.

SCADAPack x70 Configuration

The database item in an object-pair that contains the configuration that is specific to the SCADAPack x70 device. ClearSCADA uses the information stored in this type of database item to generate configuration for downloading to the SCADAPack x70 device.

For more information, see Understand the SCADAPack x70 Driver.

protocol-specific

The database item in an object-pair that contains the configuration that is specific to the protocol that ClearSCADA uses to communicate with a SCADAPack x70. ClearSCADA's SCADAPack x70 driver currently supports communications with SCADAPack x70 devices using the DNP3 protocol.

The information stored in this type of database item is used to control the operation of ClearSCADA; it does not affect the behavior of the SCADAPack x70 device. ClearSCADA uses the information stored in this type of database item to communicate with the SCADAPack x70 device using the required protocol. The settings specify how ClearSCADA is to retrieve data from the device, and process that data to raise alarms, generate events, and so on.

Throughout this guide, a protocol-specific database item is also referred to as a SCADAPack x70 database item, appended by the name of the communications protocol to which it relates. For example, a SCADAPack x70 DNP3 database item is associated with SCADAPack x70 devices that communicate using the DNP3 protocol.

For more information, see Understand the SCADAPack x70 Driver.

rPAC

Remote Programmable Automation Controller.

The SCADAPack x70 unit is an rPAC. Throughout the ClearSCADA documentation, the term 'outstation' is used to refer to any device such as an outstation, controller, or rPAC, from which ClearSCADA might be configured to obtain data from measuring instruments or sensors.

Within this guide, the term 'device' is used to distinguish between the physical device and the outstation item that represents a SCADAPack x70 rPAC in the ClearSCADA database.

Modbus RTU Slave or Modbus / TCP Server

Modbus RTU Slave and Modbus/TCP server are generally the same type of devices that a SCADAPack x70 communicates with and are referred to as the Modbus Slave throughout this guide.

Modbus RTU Master or Modbus / TCP Client

Modbus RTU Master or Modbus / TCP Client are generally considered to be a SCADAPack x70 device and are referred to as a SCADAPack x70 throughout this guide.