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How
did you pack so many powerful features into such a small package and at
such a low price?
We started with
the rugged SIXNET industrial
modem, and combined it with the RISC processor and advanced manufacturing
technology of EtherTRAK I/O.
Then we programmed it with 25 years of RTU experience and features
from our powerful VersaTRAK
RTU. But at the top of most customer’s wish list is the pre-configured
application software and remarkable ease-of-use that only SIXNET
I/O Tool Kit configuration software can give you. Most of the
benefits of RemoteLog and certainly its greatest value is in its firmware.
Software doesn’t take up much space and although we have spent man-years
creating it, we’ve given
RemoteLog a low price to make it attractive for volume applications.
Can
I add additional I/O channels to RemoteLog?
Yes. There is
a RS485 port that is pre-configured to talk to one
RemoteTRAK I/O module (or
EtherTRAK I/O module using its RS485 port). You can add thermocouple
channels with a RM-8INS, or RTDs
(PT100) with a ET-4RTD-4DI2. In total you can have up to 22
analog or 20 discrete inputs on a
RemoteLog using a standard SIXNET I/O module for expansion. Outputs
can also be added to a standard RemoteLog. For the record, the architecture
of RemoteLog is expansion-ready up to a total of 32 analog and 32 discrete
inputs, and 32 analog and 32 discrete outputs.
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We
may not be able to get a phone line at each RemoteLog remote site. What
are our alternatives?
RemoteLog
offers many alternatives. If an Ethernet connection is available,
that’s probably your best choice – its fast, reliable, and has no
cost per transaction. RemoteLog has the full suite of
VersaTRAK communications tools, so you can connect a cell modem,
spread-spectrum radio, or virtually any type of media with an RS232
port. RemoteLog uses packet communications to insure reliable communications.
Just specify the –S (for serial port) option for those applications
and then connect the RemoteLog to any modem you choose.
It
says in the RemoteLog literature that it is a “client”? What does that
really mean and why is that an advantage to me?
A “client” is
any device that makes requests or issues commands to a “server”. A
client is the master. The server is the slave. When a SCADA system
or PLC polls its network, it is the client requesting information
from the I/O modules, which are the slaves or servers. This classic
arrangement has many disadvantages in distributed systems. If the
remote devices (RemoteLog
units) become the clients,
they can report on exception, easily talk through firewalls, and use
shared IP addresses for low cost Internet connections. More details
on these subjects is provided in the RemoteLog
Usage Tips in the SIXNET
Product catalog.
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Can
I run a RemoteLog on solar or battery power?
Yes,
RemoteLog can be powered from any 10 –30 volt DC source (typically
12 or 24 volt systems) that need not be well regulated. A standard
RemoteLog typically draws only ½ watt of power with its modem in standby
mode (even less on the –S model). The -SL model is a low power version
of the -S model. It draws around 100 mW typically and is ideally suited
for applications requiring the lowest power.
How
can I be assured that a RemoteLog, connected to my Ethernet system, cannot
or will not be a potential security leak by posing as a gateway into
my system?
RemoteLog
is deliberately designed not to forward messages and to not function
as a gateway. It does not support ftp or telnet and does not perform
protocol conversions. It does not contain any Windows software. In
summary, it cannot serve as a bridge into your network.
How
can we easily and safely connect a RemoteLog through the firewall that
protects each of our remote facilities?
Configure
RemoteLog as a client that initiates the conversation, in the same
manner as a user addressing a web site from a standard web browser.
The client RemoteLog within the plant sends a message out through the
firewall. The firewall software, monitoring the IP address in the
outgoing message then allows that address to respond back to the same
client. (For your interest, this standard security technique is similar
in principal to a dial back system that only allows data to be transferred
after the source of the request has been confirmed.)
Can
I do control logic in a RemoteLog? Does it contain an ISaGRAF run time
like the larger VersaTRAK RTUs?
No,
RemoteLog is designed
for monitoring applications. It does not contain an
ISaGRAF run-time because it is not needed. Flexible alarm detection,
datalogging (optional), and report scheduling are already programmed
into each RemoteLog to save you time and make your job easier. (Please
note that custom calculations can be added to a RemoteLog for OEM applications.)
Another cost and time saving idea is to program any necessary logic
into the Master Terminal Unit (MTU) that acts as a server for your
network of RemoteLog clients. Often, a powerful VersaTRAK is used for
this purpose. If you need intelligence at each client site, may we
suggest that you use a
VersaTRAK RTU for those applications.
How
do I configure the datalogging, alarm logic and alarm levels, and communications
for each RemoteLog remote site?
Use
the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit
software to configure your application details into
RemoteLog stations. A Windows setup wizard guides you through the
simple setup of communications, alarm detecting, datalogging
and report scheduling. This easy-to-use system requires no
user programming. (Note: The Sixlog option of the SIXNET I/O Tool
Kit is required for datalogging.)
Will
SIXNET private label RemoteLog and add special features for OEMs?
Yes of course
– OEMs love SIXNET. We will create
private labels, manufacture custom I/O configurations, add special
calculations, support a proprietary protocol, and design custom packaged
systems (complete installation ready enclosures.) or we will supply
RemoteLog as an
open circuit board so you can embed this small data enabler into your
own product. We will even supply a customized version of the I/O Tool
Kit software that will look like you wrote it yourself – just for
your product.
I
just got my RemoteLog. What should I do first?
First,
install the SIXNET
I/O Tool Kit software. Refer to the appropriate user
manual to power-up and connect your SIXNET hardware. Then make a
serial connection between your hardware and your PC in order to configure
it. Refer to the getting started section in the SIXNET I/O Tool Kit
help system. Follow the prescribed steps to configure and use your SIXNET
RemoteLog.
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