This driver is an advanced driver. It provides additional functionality to enable Geo SCADA Expert 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 Advanced Modbus items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
The guide also contains information for:
- Operators and engineers who use the Advanced Modbus driver to monitor and control plant
- Maintenance engineers.
Document Scope
This guide explains the configuration, features and database items that are specific to Geo SCADA Expert’s Advanced Modbus driver. The Advanced Modbus driver enables Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with Modbus controllers using the Modbus protocol suite.
Prerequisite Reading
This guide contains technical information that is intended for users that are sufficiently familiar with Geo SCADA Expert configuration and operation. Before reading this driver guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- Geo SCADA Expert configuration practices, procedures, and the configuration of properties that are common to many database items. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Core Configuration, and the Geo SCADA Expert 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 Geo SCADA Expert 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 Geo SCADA Expert Guide to Advanced Drivers.
The Advanced Modbus driver provides functionality that enables Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with Modbus® controllers, using the Modbus® protocol suite
- Modbus RTU serial, Modbus ASCII serial
- Modbus RTU over TCP, Modbus ASCII over TCP
- Modbus RTU over UDP, Modbus ASCII over UDP
- Open Modbus/TCP.
Geo SCADA Expert can communicate with Modbus controllers directly, using direct or PSTN communications. Function codes supported by the Advanced Modbus driver determine how it reads or writes to data on the controllers
Geo SCADA Expert can also provide a communications ‘gateway’ to allow applications such as ISaGRAF®, to communicate with Modbus controllers remotely, via the same communications link (for example, in situations where a controller has only one radio link). With the latter set-up, a Remote Connection database item provides a TCP/IP socket connection between Geo SCADA Expert and the remote application.
The Advanced Modbus driver documentation:
- Summarizes the Terminology of which you need to be aware
- Explains how to:
- Configure Generic Modbus specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (
- Configure Generic Modbus specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (
The documentation also explains:
- Driver-specific aspects that are of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected behavior relating to the Advanced Modbus driver. For information, see:
Some controllers with which Geo SCADA Expert can communicate using the Advanced Modbus driver, support additional features that do not apply to other Modbus controllers. Where Geo SCADA Expert uses an Advanced Modbus Extension Driver to support such features, use the guide to that extension driver in conjunction with this guide.