# About OLE for Process Control

OLE for Process Control (OPC®) is an open and inter-operable interface standard, based on the functional requirements of Microsoft’s OLE/COM technology that fosters inter-operability between automation/control applications and box systems/devices.

OPC offers advantages for connecting to non-Allen-Bradley devices, because OPC is

- Highly efficient
- Reliable (particularly over network)
- Actively supported by Microsoft

  Tip: | For applications running on PanelView Plus 7, PanelView Plus 6, PanelView Plus, PanelView Plus Compact, or PanelView Plus CE terminals, the OPC server must be local. Applications based on Windows 7 SP1, Windows 10, Windows Server 2008 R2 SP1, Windows Server 2012, and Windows Server 2016 operating systems.

## To set up the application as an OPC client

1. Set up an OPC data server, specifying the OPC server name (ProgID), host computer name (if the server is remote) and a local name and, optionally, a description.
2. In the tag database, define a tag with Device as its data source.
3. In the Address box, specify the OPC item that will provide values for the tag.

   Tip: | Please refer to your server documentation for information on deploying OPC servers on a PanelView Plus 7, PanelView Plus 6, PanelView Plus, PanelView Plus Compact, or PanelView Plus CE terminal.

## See also

Set up OPC communications

Communicate with programmable logic controllers

Keywords: OPC