OPC-UA

OPC-UA is the successor to the dated OPC industrial protocol.

While OPC was a leap forward in interoperability and communication between data systems, the reliance on Windows (and in particular, Microsoft DCOM) meant that cross platform use of the system was impossible.

OPC-UA resolves many of the problems and complexities inherent with the older OPC standard and brings them into the modern age. It also removes the reliance on Windows, meaning that the data is available on more platforms and hardware.