CAI_Support said:
WebControl by its design does not do large scale management by itself.
WebControl's purpose is to handle IO, even when central management server is off line, it has ability to control its connected devices based on PLC program.
Its PLC engine takes care most critical timing requirement for hardware, so that user don't need to worry about hardware chip timing, only logic.
It will not replace main servers for data processing, data storage, report generation, or system communication, although it does provide method to report through email and WEBSET over network.
If your whole system is not huge, like a single machine, a home or small office, most those tasks can be done on a WC8 or WC32. However, once your system is larger than one board can handle, you will have a lot to consider, including fault tolerance and backup system. You can implement a lot of those by writing PLC programs, or writing programs on your main server.
RossW has done a lot of WEBSET encoding and communication between his sub systems and main servers. He can provide you consulting services, if you need help.
There are time related functions in WebControl PLC, simple PLC code can handle those easily.
As a general purpose programmable IO controller, its limitation a lot of times are the ability of the PLC code you pasted into the board.
If you see the WC as prototyping gear, I aggree. But we seek more distant pastures. Think about data and code management. Some ideas:
data management:
one WC, preferably the WC32 host variables (selectable) shared accross the network of WCs
The businsess modell does prevent may be offering JSON formattet transmission of all variables at once, but it would make a consistant system architecture with other hardware
checked variables are transmitted automatically to a server script
, which is produced by the IDE analoguous to the chosen variables
password management for the WCs
Variable browsers for all WC together, plotting utility for debugging
code management:
IDE, repository: code snipletts are held on a PC to be used when programming the WC
IDE code reuse: The code is either using real variable names or it is possible tho store a map on the programming PC translating the variable names for each of the WCs
one WC, preferably the WC32 host subroutines shared accross the network of WCs (RPC remote procedure calls may be the blueprint)
somje candidates (alarming in intervals, websetting data tuples, ...)
generally:
WC may acts as watchdog resetting others
Open questions before investing in IDE development:
will definitions of real variable names (names for inputs, outputs etc) be possible in PLC soon?
is there a plan using POST instead of GET?
Is https in sight for the WC32?
I'm not claiming excellence for the ideas, but would like them into discussion. At the end of the discussion a defined reference architecture might be of use for other hardware.