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 Kingfisher items and features in the Geo SCADA Expert database.
The guide also contains information for:
- Operators and engineers who use the Kingfisher 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 Kingfisher driver. The Kingfisher driver enables Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with Kingfisher RTUs using the Kingfisher protocol.
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.
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 Geo SCADA Expert. Before reading the operational sections in this guide, ensure that you are familiar with:
- The Geo SCADA Expert user interfaces (ViewX and Virtual ViewX), the various types of display, their navigation and operation. For more information, see the Geo SCADA Expert Guide to ViewX and Virtual ViewX Clients.
Kingfisher Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) or outstations are used to monitor data and provide operator interaction. They are used on systems in a variety of industries, including water distribution, waste water, oil and gas.
The Kingfisher Driver allows the Geo SCADA Expert system to communicate with Kingfisher outstations, either directly or remotely. It provides the server with extra functionality for interacting with the instruments and devices that are connected to each outstation.
You can configure Geo SCADA Expert to communicate directly with multiple Kingfisher outstations. Alternatively, you can set up Geo SCADA Expert to communicate with multiple Kingfisher outstations via a Kingfisher master outstation (a Master/Remote setup).
In a Master/Remote setup:
- The Master obtains its data from either a single Remote, or several Remotes that are multidropped together.
- A Remote transmits the contents of its database to its Master outstation, upon request or change of state.
The Kingfisher driver in Geo SCADA Expert allows you to configure Master/Remote scenarios that communicate using the Kingfisher protocol (see Typical Master/Remote Scenarios).
The Kingfisher protocol allows Kingfisher remote outstations to report event data independently of polling cycles. When communicating in this way, the remote outstation reports event data by transmitting unsolicited messages (also referred to as unsolicited responses). A user can program a remote outstation to send event data in these messages, at a specific time, or in response to a specific trigger.
To communicate with Kingfisher outstations via a Kingfisher Master outstation, Geo SCADA Expert uses:
- A Kingfisher Master database item to represent the master outstation. The data for this item is the local data for the master outstation, not the data reported by the remote outstations.
- A Kingfisher Remote database item for each remote device that transmits data to the Kingfisher Master. The data for the Kingfisher Remote items is the data that the remote devices transmit to the Kingfisher Master (and is stored on the Kingfisher Master).
The Kingfisher Driver documentation explains how to configure Kingfisher-specific features and items within the Geo SCADA Expert database (see Configuring Kingfisher Devices in Geo SCADA Expert).
It also explains:
- Kingfisher features that are of interest to operators (see Using Kingfisher Specific Actions)
- Kingfisher-specific aspects that may be of interest to system administrators and engineers when investigating unexpected system behavior: