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The EC-32
system is now active for more than five years and has been
successfully installed in more than 100 installations. Flexibility and
stability have been proven over the years to the undivided
satisfaction of our customers.
Nevertheless, as time goes on also the techniques and tools of modern
software development are changing, the demands of the production
environments are raising and as responsible suppliers and partners of
our customers we have to cope with these circumstances.
I.C.S. has
considered this development and has started in 2002 the migration of
the currently existing EC-32 system platform into a new strategy.
We are
proud of being able to announce after less than one year the
availability of a new and more capable system platform, called RTC-32
(Real-Time-Communication 32 Bit).
What is new?
Let us first begin with "what is old" or what does still
exist.
What is old
- The system structure has not changed very much, since this has been a
proven and reliable technique.
- All tasks, which were available under EC32, like PMON, DBF (the FIFO
module), DBR (the index sequential database) have been ported based
upon the existing software modules.
- All drivers, like 3964R, Interbus-S, Profibus FMS, serial communication,
UDP-IP (VW), TCP-IP and others have been ported based upon the
existing software modules.
- Most of the configuration files are not changed, giving maintenance
personal the familiar touch.
- There will be no difference for the user in the production field. In fact
he will not realize the presence of a new system platform.
Now to the new features:
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EC-32 |
RTC-32 |
|
Not possible |
Windows 32 Bit API support |
|
Not possible |
Windows font support |
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1024x768 pixels 256 colors |
High resolution graphics support up 1280x1024 pixels 32768 colors |
|
Not possible |
Windows like GUI in C++ |
|
Limited |
Full PCI support for new PC hardware |
|
Limited |
Enhanced network tools and drivers |
|
Limited, some stopped |
Continued support for third party SW |
|
Not possible |
Web-Server support for Remote monitoring |
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Not possible |
POP3 and SMTP support for maintenance alert via e-mail and pager in case of device errors |
|
Not possible |
Interface for SNMP and station monitoring with applications like TIVOLI |
|
Requires DOS as a start platform |
Embedded solution running without any operating system |
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Limited |
Full DHCP support (client and server) |
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Not possible |
SNTP /Simple Network Time Protocol) |
|
Not possible |
SMB Server Message Block (Server) |
|
Not possible |
SMB Server Message Block (Client) |
We apologize for the size of the picture but otherwise
the characters are not readable.
A very powerful feature is the
SMTP interface, which allows an application to send error events to a
maintenance group by sending a mail message to a mail server and to
the pager of the maintenance personal.
Furthermore statistical data
regarding the production process can be sent to a selected mail
recipient.
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