Softdpac portainer weidmüller plc docker

[Oscrx]

Hello! So I was supposed to make softdpac run on a weidmüller plc via docker (portainer). However I have no clue on how I get this to work. Is there any guide out there like there is for Linux installation? 
I have made it work fine on my raspberry pi but there I can use a terminal and there are way more information online on how to make everything work.

I've tried a lot of different ways to make it work but no success yet. Any tips are welcome! 😄

extra question; how come I can only find my devices with usb - ethernet adapter but not straight ethernet-ethernet on automation expert? I can ping the devices with cmd with both ways but it doesnt show up on EAE when I only use ethernet.

[KarimBenameur]

Hello !

Portainer is not supposed to be used to create Soft dPAC controllers.

Please specify which version of Ecostruxure Automation Expert you are using.

Depending on your version, the only way to create a Soft dPAC controller is  from Ecostuxure Automation Expert / Physical Devices Editor.
It is for cyber security reasons as only authorized users can log to a Soft dPAC controller.

There was a python script that you can still  use but it will not be a secured Soft dPAC controller. 

Portainer can be used later to inspect or do some clean up if necessary.

As for you last question if you mean by "find" a discovery only the host can be discovered i.e.  your PI4 and not individual Soft dPAC unless they were created by script and that is not recommended.

[Oscrx]

Hello!
Thank you for the reply!

I am using EAE v22.0.22181.16. On my weidmuller plc (uc20-wl2000-ac) I cant really use a terminal since the config is webbased so docker (portainer that is the preinstalled app) is the only way I can configure it if I am not mistaken.

[KarimBenameur]

Hi again,

Only way to create  is in EAE on Physical Device View :

• add a server
• Select Server port & on property enter your iPC IP adress. Please check that you iPC is reachable
• select the server (not the port)
• On contextual menu Manage Soft dPAC / Activate services
  you will notice a docker logo on server
• On contextual menu Manage Soft dPAC / Activate services you will notice new items 
• On the tool bar click on start monitoring
• If you IPC is well configured you will be able to configure the security on the menu and a green shield will appears. Check the user manual for first user/password when required.
• Now you can create your Soft dPAC controllers on same menu.

... And then you have to configure your Soft dPAC controller.

Point of attention :
IP adress must be on same subnet or reachable. Beware of any firewall that block the communication. will prevent you to deploy your application.

Now the need you are expressing is not covered.

If you explain in detail what are your need I can create an enhancement i.e. for instance "have a web interface to manage  secured Soft dPAC without EAE "

[Oscrx]

Hmm I think I've explained my issue poorly 😄 

So to explain it more clearly, our entire setup is a Raspberry Pi 3b+ as the "master" in this config and then a weidmüller plc uc20-wl2000-ac and a m251 TM251MDESE as "slaves" and all will communicate via modbus to raspberry pi. So what I want to do is to create a softdpac on my weidmüller plc just like I did on my RasPi, 
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybzslvYVuZ8 - for reference on how I did it on Ras pi. Now I want to do this exact thing on my weidmüller plc also and I cant do it from the console since the only thing I can do is use weidmüllers webbased interface to configure.

I hope this makes it more clear. I might also be completely understanding it wrong 🙂

Sorry for being unclear

[KarimBenameur · Accepted solution]

Hi again, yes it is clearer now.

1. You are referring to an older version of EAE i.e. 21.1. This installation method is still possible but is obsolete as it results in cyber security potential  issues.
2. Soft dPAC pre-requisite is to have an open iPC with Linux (Debian/Ubuntu) / Docker / Docker compose / Python 3 where you can be admin.
   It seems that even if your iPC is running Linux it is a closed box and you are not able to install anything.
   I will suggest to use an IOT Box with an open OS instead.
3. Another possibility in the future is to port our IEC61499 Runtime to this PLC using Universal Automation Organization. 
   
   
   

[Oscrx]

Okay I understand now.

However there is an application on the OS already that is called "portainer" (docker) and from there I can run containers, however I suppose this doesnt work even tho I upload the correct images?

[KarimBenameur · Accepted solution]

As it is still possible to create unsecure Soft dPAC controllers using the python script...  I will say that you can do the same with Portainer by analyzing the script and reproducing each action with same parameters used in the script.

It is a long way to go &  it will not be officially supported. 

[Oscrx]

Okay thank you for all these answers! I understand it more clearly now. I presume that there is no document anywhere on how to do this "unofficial" way on portainer?

[KarimBenameur]

You are correct, there is no official document on how to do this "unofficial" way on portainer 🙂

You have to analyze mainly install.py & startSoftdPAC.sh.