OmniServer Universal Device Server

Universal Data Acquisition When No Off-the-Shelf Driver Is Available

  • Custom OPC drivers with NO CUSTOM CODE
  • Advanced visual protocol configuration supporting drag-and-drop and more time-saving functionality
  • Common devices integrated include:
    • Barcode scanners
    • Weigh scales/bridges
    • Barcode printers
    • Message displays
    • Measuring systems
    • Gas analyzers
    • RFID systems
    • More
  • Proven in thousands of field installs since 1995
  • Standards-based interfaces for HMI, SCADA, MES, historian and other clients including OPC and AVEVA  SuiteLink (formerly Wonderware).
  • Available advanced plug-ins for further flexibility to get your non-standard device data to the cloud via MQTT, into text files, databases and more.

BENEFITS & FEATURES

  • WHY YOU NEED OMNISERVER
  • DATA EXCHANGE INTERFACES
  • DEVICE INTERFACES
  • HOW OMNISERVER WORKS
  • VISUAL PROTOCOL EDITOR
  • EASE-OF-USE FEATURES
  • ADVANCED PROTOCOL FEATURES
  • STANDARD & CUSTOM ERROR DETECTION
  • FLEXIBLE LICENSING EDITIONS

The Power of a Custom Driver without the Cost, Maintenance and Reliability Issues of Custom Code Solutions

OmniServer Get You Connected with No CustomCode

OmniServer gives you the ability to access data from non-standard devices that would likely otherwise be unavailable to your process and business systems.  OmniServer does this by taking care of all the polling and data parsing from those devices for you without the use of a programming language.

You need OmniServer because it gives you access to more of your process data, helping you make better and more informed decisions with the potential to lower costs and downtime while increasing efficiency and profitability.

Click to Learn More

OmniServer Can Exchange Data with Many Software Applications

OmniServer is OPC Foundation Lab CertifiedFor connecting client applications such as HMI, SCADA, MES or historians, the following standard interfaces are supported:

In addition to those, the MQTT plug-in (formerly called a wedge) in OmniServer Professional Edition enables publishing data to brokers such as Cogent DataHub, HiveMQ, and others. 

All of these interfaces can be used at the same time if desired. 

Click to Learn More

OmniServer Device Connectivity Support

For connecting devices, serial port, Ethernet, LPT printer port and USB (via virtual COM port, where available) are supported for connecting to:

  • Diagram - OmniServer Device ConnectivityBarcode scanners
  • Weigh scales/bridges
  • Barcode printers
  • Message displays
  • Measuring systems
  • RFID systems
  • More

Click to Learn More

OmniServer's Easy-to-Use Interface Makes Custom Code Obsolete

Use Your Protocol Docs with OmniServerUnlike most OPC servers that can communicate with specific devices and no others, OmniServer can be configured to communicate with virtually any one device or multiple devices.

OmniServer's easy-to-use visual protocol editor lets you build a description of the data stream used to communicate with the device (referred to as a "Protocol") using documentation from your device manufacturer for the details of the communication protocol.

Once the protocol is configured, OmniServer takes care of the communications with the device and the delivery of the data to your client application.

Click to Learn More

OmniServer Support Drag-and-Drop and More

Drag-and-Drop Custom Protocol Creation

OmniServer's Visual Protocol Editor is so much easier than learning how to write custom code - With drag-and-drop support for building protocol messages, table-based configuration for items and other protocol components, configurable "favorite" protocol message sequences and more.

Watch Introduction Video

Intuitive User Interface Features for Easier and More Efficient Configuration

Through our continuous improvements process, OmniServer gets better and easier to use each year.  Ease-of-use features to enabling you to configure OmniServer as efficiently as possible include:

  • OmniServer Unified Tree ViewTopic Wizard - steps you through the configuration of an OmniServer topic, used by your client applications to access a specific device. Click Here to Watch the How-To Video
  • CSV Import/Export - allows easy mass configuration and transfer of topics, devices and protocol items, registers, topic variables and command/response messages - Click Here to Read the How-To Blog Post
  • Unified Tree View - easy configuration of OmniServer devices and topics without having to launch separate configuration windows.

Features That Make Your Protocols Re-Usable and More Efficient

These features make configuration easier so you can focus on the other items on your to-do list:

  • Topic Variables - Useful for protocols that have variables like a "Device ID", these allow you to configure one protocol that is re-usable across devices - variables are configured at the Topic-level instead of the protocol! Watch How-To Video
  • Register Numbers - Useful for protocols similar to Modbus where pieces of data are organized in a "register-like" architecture, these allow you to configure one item instead of hundreds. Watch How-To Video
  • Character Translations - Useful for converting specific characters/bytes or sequences of characters/bytes to alternate characters. Watch How-To Video
  • Chaining Messages - Useful for protocols that require handshaking and/or a sequence of sends and/or receives. Watch How-To Video
  • Strict Message Parsing - Useful for protocols where data from the device does not begin with a leading character.

Includes Common Error Detection Codes and a Custom Builder for Everything Else!

Drag-and-drop Standard and Custom Error Detection CodesError Detection Codes (EDC) are sequences sometimes included in a message that perform some calculation on the bytes of the message to ensure that it has arrived complete, correct and hasn't been altered or tampered with in any way.

An EDC can include Checksums, CRCs and LRCs.  OmniServer includes a large selection of the most common EDCs.  And there is a custom EDC builder for EDCs that aren't covered by those common ones.

Click Here to Read More About Error Detection Codes in OmniServer

OmniServer Editions Bundle Features Based On Your Needs

  • Wedge Edition - Pass Non-Standard Device Data as Keystrokes to Most Other Windows Applications
  • Server Edition - Make Your Non-Standard Device Data Available to HMI, SCADA, MES, Historian and Other Clients
  • Professional Edition - Makes Your Data Available to More Than Just Client Applications
    • The most powerful OmniServer edition. It includes all of the features of our OmniServer Server Edition plus advanced plug-ins for text/database logging, publishing to MQTT Brokers, and email notifications. Click Here for Full Details

Optional hardware key dongle support is also available for all editions (for new and existing licenses).

Already Know What Edition You Need or Need a Hardware Key?  Order Here!

RESOURCES

  • OPERATING SYSTEMS
  • MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS
  • VIRTUALIZATION SUPPORT
  • DOCUMENTATION & RELEASE NOTES
  • TECHNICAL BLOG
  • VIDEOS
  • TROUBLESHOOTING
  • OPC TEST CLIENT
  • PROTOCOL SAMPLES
  • USER STORIES

32-Bit (x86) Operating Systems (including Service Packs)

  • Windows Server 2008 Families (including R2 Editions)
  • Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate
  • Windows 8
  • Windows 10

64-Bit (x64) Operating Systems (including Service Packs)

  • Windows Server 2022 / 2019 / 2016 / 2012 / 2008 Families (Including R2 Editions)
  • Windows 7 Professional and Ultimate
  • Windows 8
  • Windows 10
  • Windows 11

***Windows XP and Server 2003 are no longer supported as of V3.1.0.7***

Contact us if you require support for Windows XP, Vista, or Server 2003.

 

OmniServer guidelines are that hardware should meet the recommended requirements for the Operating System to be used.

In general, the machine should have the following at a minimum:

  • 2.0 Ghz CPU/Processor (defer to the recommendation for the OS)
  • 1 Gb Installed Memory/RAM (defer to the recommendation for the OS)
  • 150 MB Available Hard Disk Space
  • Ethernet Card supported by Windows
OmniServer is supported on the following virtualization platforms:
  • VMWare
  • Virtual PC
  • Hyper-V
***License required for each virtual instance***

OmniServer online documentation covers release history, how to get started, details on menus and settings, best practices, troubleshooting tools, and more.

Click for OmniServer Brochure

Click for PDF Help File

Click for Application Notes / Guides

Click for Current / Past Release Notes

Click for End User License Agreement (EULA)

Screenshot - Online OmniServer Documentation Resources

From real-world use cases and step-by-step how-to's to video tutorials, our blog contains useful resources and information to help you get connected to all of your process automation systems.

OmniServer Specific Blog Posts

Overall Software Toolbox Blog Posts

Subscribe to Blog

Screenshot - OmniServer Blog Resources

We know that sometimes it helps to see someone showing you how to do things. We have a wide range of videos available for OmniServer from short how-to videos to detailed on-demand webinars. Click to view the videos list

OmniServer Videos Resources

OmniServer includes several built-in tools for debugging protocol messages and troubleshooting issues.

The OmniServer Troubleshooting Brief covers the basics of those troubleshooting tools and how to use them.

Additionally, our online troubleshooting flowchart is a good way to step through what might be causing an issue.

OmniServer Troubleshooting Guide

OmniServer is a true server application - a client connection requesting at least one piece of data from at least one device is required.  To that end, a flexible and powerful OPC Test Client installs with OmniServer for getting up and running with your non-standard devices.  This is especially useful if your final client application is not yet available.

OPC Test Client Video Tutorial

Free OPC Testing Client Application Included

OmniServer installs with a selection of sample protocols ranging from barcode scanners to weigh scales.  These free samples are a good examples if you're connecting to a similar device type.

Also, we have accumulated a number of other samples for protocols created for various devices in OmniServer.

Click Here to Request Sample Protocols

Don't see your protocol/device listed?  Contact our technical support team with the make/model of your device and any protocol information you may have and we can assist you.

Free Sample Protocols Help You Get Started

One of the trickiest questions to answer when a user asks it is "What specific devices does OmniServer connect to?".  It's tricky because OmniServer is so versatile that it connects to hundreds of device types - barcode scanners, weigh scales and bridges, RFID systems, intercom system and so many more.

So one of the best ways to explain what OmniServer connects to is with some real-world examples.

Click to Learn More

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REVIEWS

Micron - Leading Memory and Storage Solutions

It’s always great working with your team and you have the best product support ever.

- Al Wheeler, SCADA Systems IT, Micron Technology

HMI_SCADA_Integration

I just wanted to say thanks for the great work on our OmniServer project.  I spoke with the end-user and he was very happy to work with you and they are happy with the work you accomplished - so that makes me happy as well.

- Michael Black, System Integrator

Consumer Package Goods

Your support team has been EXTREMELY helpful, some of the best technical assistance that I have ever received. Thanks for the knowledge sharing – and this great protocol!

- Randy Buckley, Solution Architect

DCI Technologies

The ease and flexibility with which OmniServer provides actionable information to be easily integrated into existing SCADA host systems is extremely valuable to our users in industries where downtime can be extremely expensive.

- Ted Skinner, President

Oil & Gas Sub-sea Drilling

Just a note to let you know OmniServer is awesome!

- Tony Pinto, Subsea Engineering

Get Started Now

The demo is the full product once licensed. Once a client application connects to the OmniServer, the OmniServer runtime will operate for 2 hours at a time. At the end of the 2 hour demo period, the demo timer must be reset by restarting the OmniServer runtime.

Connect with Us

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+1-704-849-2773 (Global)
support.softwaretoolbox.com