UBIQUITY 4 Introduction The document describes the latest updates introduced in Ubiquity 4. Version Description Date 1 First release 30/04/2013 2 Added note about FTDI driver for Router systems 16/06/2014 Disclaimer The information given in the documentation could change without notice and doesn't represent any obligation for ASEM S.p.A.. ASEM S.p.A. is not responsible for technical mistakes or other omissions and declines every responsibility resulting from its use. ASEM S.p.A. will not be responsible for any loss of profits or damages, direct or not, of any kind (included loss or damages of data), deriving from the use of this documentation. Pagina 1 di 7
Table of contents 1 News in Ubiquity 4... 3 1.1 Support for Router with built-in modem... 3 1.2 Routing WAN/LAN... 4 1.3 Multiple sessions Remote Desktop... 4 1.4 Runtime update on running systems... 4 1.5 Serial passthrough improvements... 5 1.6 Proxy support improvement and network topology discovery... 5 1.6.1 Option to disable the P2P... 6 1.7 Server infrastructure... 6 1.8 USB port use on Router systems... 6 Pagina 2 di 7
1 News in Ubiquity 4 Ubiquity 4 introduces a number of new features that enrich the platform and make it even easier and more effective to use. 1.1 Support for Router with built-in modem The Ubiquity Router family grows up with new models that include a 3G/3G+ modem for Internet connection. Ubiquity 4 allows the configuration of the new systems including how the modem is used to connect to the network. The Routers can be configured to connect to the Ubiquity server infrastructure in different ways. You can still use the "Always on" and "Digital Input" mode to which is added now the connection request through the receipt of an SMS message. The Digital input mode and the SMS command mode can be also used combined together. Pagina 3 di 7
The systems can be configured to connect to the Internet through the exclusive use of the WAN interface, through the exclusive use of the built-in modem, or selecting the automatic mode which is giving priority to the WAN interface and it will automatically switch to the radio interface in the absence of connectivity. 1.2 Routing WAN/LAN With Ubiquity 4 the Router systems get support for the routing function. This feature allows you to configure static routing rules between the LAN and WAN interfaces in order to establish communication paths between devices belonging to the two sub-networks that would otherwise have no way to communicate each other. The typical use of this function is the implementation of mechanisms for data acquisition or monitoring by supervisors that are normally included in the subnet connected to the WAN port of the router, getting information from devices belonging to the automation subnets connected to the LAN interface. The function configuration is simple and straightforward with a graphical interface that follows the well-known procedure of programming the static routing rules in PC operating systems. The routing function is exclusively supported only by Ubiquity Router and it is not available for Ubiquity Runtime The Router firmware update is compatible with all existing systems. 1.3 Multiple sessions Remote Desktop When Ubiquity Runtime is installed on a Windows server system and this server is used by different users in concurrent sessions, from Control Center you can now easily select the specific session with which to start the remote desktop. This permits installation on the server system of a single instance of the Runtime Ubiquity instead of having to provide one for each user. 1.4 Runtime update on running systems The update procedure of Ubiquity Runtime for Win32/64 systems, becomes semi-automatic and gets aligned to that one already available for WinCE and Routers. Pagina 4 di 7
Upgrading a PC system is now easier and faster. The new Ubiquity 4 setup, once copied to the remote system and launched, automatically closes the running services, starts the installation of the new elements and restarts then all the services. All without any intervention of the operator. 1.5 Serial passthrough improvements Ubiquity 4 continues the process of refining and improving the virtual serial port function introducing some fixes to issues reported by customers and improving stability and reliability in a higher number of conditions especially in presence of low-quality Internet connections with significant and highly variable latencies. A new encapsulation mode has been added which is preferable for most of PLCs on the market and therefore it is set as default. This mode, called "Data + Port configuration", automatically configures the port but does not transfer control signals resulting in a much faster communication. If you need to manage the control signals (eg Hitachi PLC) it is still possible through the use of "Data Port configuration + Control signals" mode that corresponds to the old Telnet option. 1.6 Proxy support improvement and network topology discovery Ubiquity 4 extends the compatibility to further proxy servers allowing the use of the platform in an even higher number of situations and different network infrastructures. The heuristic algorithm for the network topology recognition on Control Center and Runtime (or router) side has been also improved and it is now featuring new algorithms to better identify the best method to connect to the Internet. This increases the percentage of successful connections of Ubiquity to its server infrastructure without any manual intervention by the operators. Pagina 5 di 7
1.6.1 Option to disable the P2P The connections between the Control Center and Runtime are always kind of end-to-end and in some situations it may also be really peer-to-peer links. At the time of the connection between the Control Center and Runtime the systems always try to create a peer-to-peer link. Ubiquity 4 provides a specific option available from Control Center settings which disables this mode and forces the use of the relay servers regardless of network topology. 1.7 Server infrastructure With the aim to provide high throughput and low latency in a greater number of regions in the world, the Ubiquity server infrastructure has been extended to a total of seven servers located in different farms geographically distributed around the globe. Two farms are in Europe (Monaco and Amsterdam), two are in the United States (east coast and west coast), two are in Asia (Singapore and Hong Kong ) and the last introduced in Brazil. The adoption of server located in South America will further improve the performance of the service if both witnessed and assistant, are in the South American region. The Ubiquity Server infrastructure supports connections between the Control Center and Runtime in cases where it is not possible to activate a true peer-to -peer link. Even through a support server the communication channel between the two systems is virtually always direct; the relay servers are simply forwarding packets and cannot enter into the meaning of the information exchanged which is always encrypted. The dimensioning of the entire infrastructure in terms of bandwidth is such to ensure for each domain any number of concurrent sessions assistance without any limitation on the traffic generated. 1.8 USB port use on Router systems With version 4 of Ubiquity the USB port of any system Router is only usable for device configuration and to update the firmware and software components. Pagina 6 di 7
Starting version 4 it is NOT supported anymore the FTDI driver that allowed you to use the port in combination with USB/Serial converter in order to add to the system a second serial port. All applications today using a USB/Serial converter must not be updated to version 4. Pagina 7 di 7