OPC UA PubSub Filtering in Virtual Process Control Networks
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Solution Overview
Problem
Integrating control applications based on OPC UA PubSub into virtualization environments like Docker, Kubernetes, or VMware poses challenges, especially when using automatically managed virtual networks, leading to increased resource loads due to the widespread transmission of publisher information, which is often irrelevant to control applications.
Innovation Solution
A method for transmitting data to receivers within a process control environment that allows efficient use of network and host resources by enabling selective registration of process control components in participant groups and using a filter component to forward or reject messages based on configuration data, with the host's network adapter forwarding messages directly via an XDP socket without operating system processing.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If publisher-subscriber models transmit data to all subscribers, then all receivers can receive the data, but network and host resources are overloaded due to widespread transmission of often irrelevant publisher information
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and removes irrelevant data from the transmission stream by implementing a filter component that selectively filters out unwanted publisher information before it reaches subscribers. This extraction principle allows the system to maintain comprehensive data distribution capability while eliminating the waste of network and host resources on irrelevant information.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter component acts as an intermediary between the publisher and subscribers, intercepting the data stream and selectively passing only relevant information to each subscriber. This mediator approach resolves the contradiction by enabling comprehensive data reception while preventing resource overload through intelligent filtering at the intermediate stage.
2Reliability
If control applications run in virtual networks decoupled from external networks, then virtualization isolation is achieved, but simple port forwarding is no longer feasible and resource management becomes complex
Solution Approach 1:
The filter component serves as an intermediary that operates within the virtualized environment, enabling controlled data flow between isolated control applications and external sources. This mediator approach maintains virtualization isolation while providing sophisticated data filtering capabilities that simple port forwarding cannot achieve, thereby reducing configuration complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter of data transmission from simple port forwarding to filtered message passing. By transforming the transmission mechanism to use configuration-based filtering rules, the system maintains isolation while achieving more efficient and manageable resource control in virtualized networks.
3Adaptability or versatility
If messages are sent to all receivers in a publisher-subscriber model, then all potential receivers can process the data, but resource loads increase for control applications that do not need the information
Solution Approach 1:
The filter component extracts only the relevant portions of published data that each subscriber actually needs, removing unnecessary information before delivery. This extraction principle maintains the adaptability of the publisher-subscriber model while significantly improving resource efficiency by preventing control applications from processing irrelevant data.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of sending complete data to all subscribers (excessive action), the system implements partial action by sending only the specific data portions that each subscriber requires. This approach maintains universal reception capability while optimizing resource utilization by avoiding the waste of transmitting excessive information.
Data Source
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AI summary
For data transmission to receivers within a process control environment (210), messages containing payload data are sent cyclically or event-driven by a sender (200) to a multitude of receivers (201a, 201b) that are designed for continuous reception of the payload data. Each receiver (201a, 201b) comprises at least one process control component (202), which can be loaded into and executed in the process control environment (210) installed on a host (100) according to predefined configuration data. The process control environment comprises a virtual communication network within which the process control components are addressable. The host (100) makes resources of a network adapter (101) of the host available to the process control environment (210). The process control components (202) selectively register themselves as participants in at least one participant group to receive the payload data.A filter component (300) assigned to the network adapter (101) forwards the messages to the flow control components (202) based on the configuration data assigned to the respective flow control component (202).