IBH Link UA:Startup operations

Mounting and Connection

The IBH Link UA is designed for DIN rail mount:

ATTENTION!

Use only supply voltage from 12V to 36V to operate the device. Higher voltage may destroy the device.

Power supply: 24VDC / 0,2A

Configuration of the IP addresses

The administration can be made with a recent web browser over the Ethernet port 1 by using the host name http://ibhlinkua_<serial number> (f.i. http://ibhlinkua_001180)

or over the ports 2-4 by entering the default IP Address 192.168.1.14

No other tools are required.

Default IP Address configuration:

Level	Port	Address
Management level	Port 1	Host name: ibhlinkua_<serial number>
Control level	Port 2 - 4	192.168.1.14

Default Login:

admin

admin

Network: Management Level

Network configuration for Port 1 (Management level respectively Supervision Level):

Network: Control Level

Network configuration for Port 2 - 4 (Control Level respectively Machine Level):

From both levels the Endpoint URL can be copied:

The Endpoint URL is provided by the IBH Link UA and is the destination URL for the OPC Client.

In our sample, the UA Expert diagnostic client from Unified Automation is shown:

Time Settings

Before creating certificates, the clock of the IBH Link UA must be set with the correct date and time!

Security

OPC UA can protect communication through authentication, message signing, encryption and application certificates.

Message Security Modes

Mode	Protection
None	Messages are neither signed nor encrypted.
Sign	Messages are signed so that manipulation can be detected.
SignAndEncrypt	Messages are signed and encrypted.

For normal operation, use SignAndEncrypt whenever all communication partners support it.

Security Policies

Security policy	Notes
Basic128Rsa15	Legacy policy; not recommended for new installations.
Basic256	Older policy for compatibility with existing clients.
Basic256Sha256	Modern policy using SHA-256.
Aes128_Sha256_RsaOaep	Modern AES-based policy.
Aes256_Sha256_RsaPss	Strong modern AES-based policy.

Prefer the strongest policy supported by every client. Enable None or legacy policies only when required for compatibility and protect such connections through network segmentation and firewall rules.

Certificates

Before creating certificates, the time of the IBH Link UA must be set

Exchange of Certificates is another important security level of OPC UA.

A communication is only possible, if both Server and Client have a valid certificate assigned by the respective partners.

After setting the time of the IBH Link UA, a new server certificate can be created:

To get the best reliability of the Server Certificate, all fields need to be completed in detail:

If an existing Server Certificate shall be used with the IBH Link UA, it can be uploaded via the button <Upload Server Certificate>.

Make the IBH Link UA Server Certificate visible for the Client:

OPC UA clients usually detect server certificates automatically, when the first connection is established

or they offer other options for the handling of certificates.

Make the Client Certificate visible for the IBH Link UA Server:

After the client has accepted the server certificate, it will send the client certificate.

Whether new certificates are existing, can be checked using the Refresh button or the key <F5>:

Once the certificate is trusted, the communication with the Client can be established:

For centralized management, automatic renewal and distribution of certificates and trust lists, the IBH Link UA can be connected to a Global Discovery Service (GDS).

Historical Data

While OPC Data Access allows the access to data in real time, supports OPC Historical Access, also called OPC HDA access, access to already stored data. From simple data logging systems to complex SCADA systems historical data can be queried on standardized manner. The activation of the Historical data is easily performed using the web browser.

System

System information like the temperature of the IBH Link UA can be found here: