Skip to main content
InSource Solutions

TN DAS147 Wonderware OI Servers: Standard versus Professional features

InSource_Logo_Transparent.png

Description

 

This article from InSource shows a listing of some of the main differences between the Wonderware OI Server's Standard and Professional licensing options.  These features apply to all of the OI Server family of servers.

  • Author: Dillon Perera
  • Published: 12/27/2016
  • Applies to: Wonderware OI Servers

Details

Feature Standard License Professional License Benefit
OI Servers can be used in Runtime

Enabled

Enabled

With a license the OI Servers are usable in production.  Without a license the OI Servers will run, but in a limited Demo mode.

IO/DA Server licenses can be used

Can use existing IO licenses for 2014 R2 and higher (Archestra.lic)

Requires additional licensing to enable Professional features, which did not exist in older licenses.

If you've never used an OI Server before, you don't need to purchase additional licensing to use the OI Server's Standard capaabilities if you already own IO licensing that is on support and upgraded to at least 2014R2 version.

Can run one configuration set, connecting to multiple data sources

Similar to DA Servers, a single OI Server instance can connect to multiple data sources.  For example the ABCIP OI Server can connect to multiple ControlLogix, CompactLogix, etc..

Similar to DA Servers, a single OI Server instance can connect to multiple data sources.  For example the ABCIP OI Server can connect to multiple ControlLogix, CompactLogix, etc..

The OI Servers when used with a single instance behave the same as the DA Servers you have been familiar with for the last 10 years.

Can have multiple instances on the same PC, allowing multiple Configuration Sets to be created.

Not Possible

Can easily create multiple instances of the OI Server, allowing each to have its own Configuration Set.  

The ability to have multiple instances has a number of benefits which allow for easier maintenance and better performance of your communications:

- With a single instance, all your eggs are in one basket.  If the need comes up to restart the OI Server, this means disconnecting and reconnecting to all data sources momentarily.  With multiple instances, we can easily isolate our configurations from one another, so that if a restart is required we can simply restart the problem instance while all the other data sources remain untouched.

- With multiple instances, each instance represents a Process in Windows.  This means that in today's world of multi-core processors, the OI Servers can be automatically distributed amongst the cores, providing better CPU utilization and responsiveness.

Ability to run multiple versions of an OI Server on same computer

Not Possible

Can have multiple versions of the same OI Server installed on one computer, and have instances of each running at the same time.

When it comes time to upgrade to a new version, there is no longer a need to move all communication over to a new OI Server immediately.  Because multiple versions can run side by side, you are now able to test the new version along side the existing, allowing for an easier migration and a simpler recovery plan in the event of problems.