TOPKAPI VISION versions

v5.0 [Jun 21, 2011]
The interface with DBMS in ADO.net is a turning point in technologies used in supervision ; extensive work was performed to replace the former OBDC technology and extend the functional coverage dramatically.
The other main evolutions concern:
Extensions of the graph module (bargraphs, calculation, and summary functions).
Active-Directory/LDAP interface for managing operators and access control
Connectivity with geographical information systems
Web server optimization
--DBMS
The ADO.net based SQL interface allows connecting TOPKAPI with all major DBMS products in the market: ORACLE, SQL Server, MySQL, Postgre SQL, etc.
Data logged in TOPKAPI can then be used directly by other production tools of the company MES, ERP, etc. (and tools such as CAMM, for which exchanges with TOPKAPI are facilitated).
Similarly, TOPKAPI can display views and graphs data issued from third party applications in its history: events or alarms, measurements reprocessed by a data validation application, etc.
--Graphs
Multiple variable calculation functions have been included: this allows direct display of ‘calculated’ graphs based on basic variables recorded, e.g. a sum of flow rates, maximum and average of different magnitudes recorded independently.
Summary functions have been integrated, allowing to display a summary calculation directly in the form of graphs, without creating a specific report.
Representation modes have been extended, i.e. by managing bargraphs and possible management of future objective graphs.
Finally, using scripts allows customizing interface control.
These evolutions have particularly allowed to simplify and reduce costs of energy control applications (see EMC Pack below).
--GIS interface
For all applications including geographical or town maps (geolocalization, distribution networks…), dynamic display of the map and information supplied by a geographical information system (GIS) or a service such as Google Maps is interesting. To achieve this result, TOPKAPI now integrates access to standard WMS (Web Map Services) ; hence correct information is available without requiring regular updates of static imagery in supervision. We have also particularly improved browsing in maps, zoom functions, and selection of elements to be displayed or not according to circumstances.
A detailed sheet summarizing all evolutions in version 5 will be available soon on our web site.
EMC pack: Energy control
Although the price of oil is the key factor in energy control trends, one thing remains sure: our planet will be able to breathe tomorrow only if we limit our energy consumption and emissions of greenhouse gas.
To work in a concrete way in this direction, AREAL has decided to develop and provide you with a set of components preprogrammed for TOPKAPI, named EMC PACK (Energy Monitoring & Control), designed to support control over your energy consumption.
These components include:
Database objects for processing and recording information, such as calculation of the UDD(1) for building heating.
Graphic objects showing consumption budgets.
This process is interesting because, based only on the records from consumption meters and for example, temperature, we obtain directly the energy budgets without any programming.
As the number of basic variables is very limited, cheap and lighter versions of TOPKAPI can be used.
The solutions remain customizable to meet particular cases or needs to refine the analyses.
Protocols
--Sharing modems / Mutualizing phone lines
Although rarely mentioned, TOPKAPI version 4 currently allows to share a modem and phone line between several protocols, hence use it to communicate with remote management stations from different makes and protocols.
When a modem is used for several incoming call protocols, the caller ID presentation function must be available.
With the single modem option, a station must be linked with a particular modem, although this modem can support different protocols.
With the multimodem option, a station can connect to several modems (using trunk lines or several call numbers), hence reducing the number of phone lines while improving availability.
The provisions are not applicable in the following cases:
For remote management stations not supporting the standard 8-bit no-parity format (more particularly older WIT equipment in TRSII protocol).
For data transmissions by SMS: currently (evolutions are planned) a GSM modem dedicated to SMS management is required (no data communication). However, we remind that this modem can be used for all equipment supported by TOPKAPI in SMS, regardless of their make and for SMS stand-by service.
For very large applications, it is also possible to have one or several computers dedicated to communication, acting as front-ends, and distributing data to several TOPKAPI servers with stand-alone or redundant applications.
--SNMP
An SNMP protocol pilot has recently become available for TOPKAPI, implementing the SNMP manager function, allowing it to monitor computer equipment and any SNMP agent connected to the network: hubs, routers, switches, PC/Servers, UPS, printers, etc.
This monitoring concerns alarms, such as the failure of a network switch, server temperature, low ink for a printer, UPS failure, etc. It also allows to display and analyze information on network traffic, which may be particularly useful for diagnostic in case of communication problems.
The SOFTLINK wizard considerably facilitates configuration, by allowing to browse the list of variables available in the MIB(2) of equipment, or browsing the list of elements of the SNMP agents connected. TOPKAPI supports versions V1, V2C and V3 of SNMP, the latter being necessary to guarantee a proper level of safety.