ABTCP protocol - where can I find a spec for it?

  • Thread starter Robert Raesemann
  • Start date
R

Thread Starter

Robert Raesemann

I'm looking for a technical specification for the ABTCP protocol. Is this publicly available or is it an Allen Bradley secret? If it is available
does anyone know where I can find it?


Robert Raesemann
[email protected]
 
Barry:

I don't know if this will directly help you, but I thought I would throw it out there and see what happens...

AB uses 2 different (and incompatible) ethernet protocols - CSP and Ethernet/IP.

CSP - also known as Client Server Protocol is used by the PLC5 family, the SLC 5/05, and the Pyramid Integrator. CSP is basically the DF1
protocol wrapped in an Ethernet header. An open source implementation of CSP (in C) can be found at ftp://ftp.rongage.org/pub/abel

Ethernet/IP is an attempt by industry to create a common protocol for modern PLC's. Unfortunately, there are so many "vendor specific" holes in the protocols as to keep it from being the interoperable goal it tried to be. That said, Ethernet/IP is an object oriented protocol that
fits nicely into the ControlLogic PLC. It is also license encumbered in that you need a license (from the Open Devicenet Vendors Association) to legally develop software/products that talks Ethernet/IP. Software in this context means the actual communications library, not your actual application.

Fortunately, an "open source" implementation that is properly licensed by ODVA exists, called CELL. CELL stands for CIP/Ethernet Library for
Linux. If you would like to learn more about CELL, please contact me off-list.

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Ron Gage - Owner, Linux Network Services
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(989) 274-8088 Saginaw, Michigan
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