Outstations, or RTUs, are enclosed units that usually contain a communication mechanism, input points and/or output points, and a battery. The input and output points (I/O) correspond to measuring instruments and control equipment at the plant.
For each outstation that exists on your system, you need to create and configure a corresponding Outstation database entry within the ClearSCADA databaseAdd a Driver-Specific Item to the Database.
Within the database, you group the outstations into Outstation Sets. With the exception of PSTN, the outstation set determines the communication Channels that each outstation uses (see Configuring an Outstation Set).
When configuring the database, you need to select the type(s) of outstation and communications that correspond to your system hardware. The types of outstation and the communication set-ups with which they are used vary per driver, but include representations for one or more of the following:
- Direct Outstations
(in either Direct or Switched outstation sets) - PSTN Outstations
(see PSTN Outstations and Communications) - Shared Outstations.
If required, a Queue feature can be enabled on your system to allow users to optionally queue certain pick action requests on PSTN and ‘On Demand’ outstations. For more information, see Define whether the Queue Parameter is Available, and see Optionally Queue Pick Action Requests on PSTN and ‘On Demand’Outstations.
For details of the outstation types supported by individual drivers, see the driver-specific documentation.