Configuring octoplant for BECKHOFF TwinCAT V3

To work with BECKHOFF TwinCAT V3 in a octoplant environment, the following requirements must be met:

• If you want to create a backup for each IPC without changing the AMS network configuration, you must install an agent on each of these IPCs. The IPC must be restarted after installation.
• You need full access rights to the device (IPC) to configure the AMS Net route of the upload.

TwinCAT V3 can be used with octoplant in two ways:

• TwinCAT V3 can be installed on the octoplant server. The octoplant server accesses the AMS network directly.
• A connection is established via agent to the IPC on which TwinCAT V3 is installed.

TwinCAT V3 on the octoplant server

You must assign an AMS Net-ID to the octoplant server so that it can communicate with the TwinCAT software.

Assigning an AMS Net-ID to your octoplant server

1. Create a new file with the name AgentStation.ini (if this file does not already exist) on the computer on which the octoplant server is running, in the folder: vdServerArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Upload .
2. In the file AgentStation.ini, create the [TwinCAT] section (if this section does not already exist) and add the 5370 key with your AMS Net-ID (e.g. 10.255.50.142.10.10). This value must be unique for your octoplant server or agent. It is recommended to use the AMS Net-ID of the IPC, but to replace the last two number blocks with .10.10. If this AMS Net-ID is already in use, select the next free AMS Net-ID.

Example:

[TwinCAT]
5370=10.255.50.142.10.10

Configuring TwinCAT V3 on the IPC from which an upload is to be performed

A requirement for this is a remote connection between the IPC and the octoplant server.

1. Right-click on the TwinCAT tray icon in the taskbar.
2. First select Change router/AMS Net-ID in the context menu and read the AMS Net-ID from the AMS Router dialog that opens. Make a note of the AMS Net-ID (This is required for the job configuration).
3. Open the TwinCAT Static Routes dialog in the Edit Router/Routes context menu.
4. Now click on Add... in TwinCAT Static Routes and the Add Route Dialog dialog opens.

5. Fill in the following fields:

   • Route Name: Select a meaningful name for the connection (for example: octoplant + device name).
   • AMS Net-ID: Enter the AMS Net-ID here that you entered in the AgentStation.ini file in step 2.
   • Address Info: Enter the IP address or hostname of the computer running the octoplant server or where the agent is installed.
   • Transport: Select TCP/IP from the dropdown menu, then click OK.
   • Remote Route: Select None.

6. Exit the application and restart the computer so that the changes are recognized by the TwinCAT runtime.

7. Repeat all steps for each TwinCAT device to be backed up.

Agent connection to an IPC

1. Install the Upload and Compare agents on the IPC.
2. Start the AdminClient, then name and configure the Upload and Compare agents.

TwinCAT uses AMS Net-IDs for communication between devices. You must therefore assign a virtual AMS Net-ID to your agent.

Assigning a virtual AMS Net-ID to your agent

1. Create an AgentStation.ini file (if this file does not already exist) on the computer, where the agent is also installed (usually the IPC), in the folder: D:\vdAgentArchive\VD$A\Configuration\Upload
2. In the AgentStation.ini file, create the [TwinCAT] section (if this section does not already exist) and add the 5370 key with your AMS Net-ID (e.g. 10.255.50.142.10.10). This value must be unique for your octoplant server or agent. It is recommended to use the AMS Net-ID of the IPC, but to replace the last two number blocks with .10.10. If this AMS Net-ID is already in use, select the next free AMS Net-ID.

Example:

[TwinCAT]
5370=10.255.50.142.10.10

Configure TwinCAT V3 on the IPC from which an upload is to be performed.

Related topics

• Upload and Compare agents