Working with a Server

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Working with a Server

This chapter describes the common end-to-end scenarios that combine the client and the server halves of the application.

Design, run, and test a server locally

1. In Server Studio, design an address space and set an endpoint and security (see OPC UA Server).
2. Start the server. The runtime process starts and reports its endpoint.
3. Use Open in Client to connect the built-in client to the running server; the client connects to the local endpoint anonymously.
4. Browse the server, read and write variables, and subscribe to values (see OPC UA Client).

Because the server runs in its own process, you can stop, restart, or kill it while the client stays open — a realistic way to test client reconnect behavior.

Test security and identities

Configure the server with signing and encryption and with username/password users, then connect the client using the matching security policy and identity. This exercises certificate exchange (using each side's PKI store) and access control end to end.

Simulate live data

Attach simulations to variables (counter, sine, ramp, and so on) so the server emits changing values. Subscribe to those variables in the client and watch the Data Access view and trend panel update from real data-change notifications.

Clone an existing server

Connect the client to a third-party server, browse the part of the address space you care about, and clone it into a new server project. You then have an editable .uaserver reproduction you can run locally, secure, and simulate.

Exchange address spaces

Use NodeSet2 import/export to move an address space between this tool and other OPC UA tooling, or to keep a versioned copy of a designed model.

Emulate PLC request/response handshakes

Add behavior rules to a designed server so that a client write triggers a server-side response — for example PageRequest → PageResponse (see OPC UA Server). This emulates the handshakes an HMI expects from a PLC, letting you exercise an HMI or client against realistic request/response behavior that a static address space cannot provide.