Send Data to Alibaba Cloud

Before you begin

Generate a password using the utility. While generating the password, use the same algorithm that you will use to connect to Alibaba Cloud.

About this task

To send data to Alibaba Cloud, you can choose any of the following collectors:
  • The iFIX collector
  • The MQTT collector
  • The ODBC collector
  • The OPC Classic DA collector
  • The OPC Classic HDA collector
  • The OPC UA DA collector
  • The OSI PI collector
  • The Python Collector
  • The Server-to-Server collector
  • The Simulation collector
  • The Windows Performance collector
  • The Wonderware collector

Procedure

  1. Access Alibaba IoT Platform console.
  2. Create a product. When you do so:
    • In the Node Type field, select Directly Connected Device.
    • In the Network Connection Method field, select Wi-Fi.
    • In the Data Type field, select ICA Standard Data Format.
  3. Note down the region ID for the region you have selected. For a list of region IDs, refer to https://www.alibabacloud.com/help/doc-detail/40654.htm.
  4. Access the product certificate, and note down the product secret and product key values.
  5. Create a device.
  6. Access Configuration Hub.
  7. In the NAVIGATION section, under the Configuration Hub plugin for Historian, select Collectors.
    A list of collectors in the system appears.
  8. If needed, select the system in which you want to add a collector instance.
  9. In the upper-right corner of the main section, select .
    The Add Collector Instance: <system name> window appears, displaying the Collector Selection section. The MACHINE NAME field contains a list of machines on which you have installed collectors.
  10. In the COLLECTOR TYPE field, select a collector type, and then select Get Details.
    The INSTALLATION DRIVE and DATA DIRECTORY fields are disabled and populated.
  11. Select Next.
    The Source Configuration section appears, populating the hostname of the collector machine.
  12. As needed, enter values in the available fields, and then select Next.
    The Destination Configuration section appears.
  13. In the CHOOSE DESTINATION field, select MQTT, and then provide values as described in the following table.
    Field Description
    HOST ADDRESS Enter a value in the following format: <product name>.iot-as-mqtt.<region ID>.aliyuncs.com. A value is required.

    For example: a23dr53dwrt.iot-as-mqtt.cn-shanghai.aliyuncs.com
    PORT Enter 1883. A value is required.
    CLIENT ID Enter a value in the following format: <device name>|securemode=<value>,signmethod=<algorithm name>. A value is required.
    • For securemode, enter 2 for direct TLS connection, or enter 3 for direct TCP connection.
    • For signmethod, specify the signature algorithm that you want to use. Valid values are hmacmd5, hmacsha1, hmacsha256, and sha256. You must use the same algorithm to generate the password.

    For example: MyDevice|securemode=3,signmethod=hmacsha1
    TOPIC Enter a value in the following format: /sys/<product name>/<device name>/thing/event/property/post. A value is required.

    For example: /sys/a23dr53dwrt/MyDevice/thing/event/property/post
    USERNAME Enter a value in the following format: <device name><product name>. A value is required.

    For example: MyDevicea23dr53dwrt
    PASSWORD Enter the password that you have generated. A value is required.
    CHOOSE CONFIGURATION Select the type of the configuration to specify the tags whose data you want to collect. Select one of the following options:
    • Historian Configuration: Select this option if you want to add the tags manually using Historian Administrator. If you select this option, the CONFIGURATION HISTORIAN SERVER field appears.
    • Offline Configuration: Select this option if you want to provide the tag names using the offline configuration file instead of adding tags manually. By default, this file is located in the following location: <installation folder of Historian>\GE Digital\<collector name>
  14. Select Next.
    The Collector Initiation section appears.
  15. Enter a collector name.
    The value that you enter:
    • Must be unique.
    • Must not exceed 15 characters.
    • Must not contain a space.
    • Must not contain special characters except a hyphen, period, and an underscore.
  16. In the RUNNING MODE field, select one of the following options.
    • Service - Local System Account: Select this option if you want to run the collector as a Windows service using the credentials of the local user (that is, the currently logged-in user). If you select this option, the USERNAME and PASSWORD fields are disabled.
    • Service Under Specific User Account: Select this option if you want to run the collector as a Windows service using a specific user account. If you select this option, you must enter values in the USERNAME and PASSWORD fields. If you have enabled the Enforce Strict Collector Authentication option in Historian Administrator, you must provide the credentials of a user who is added to at least one of the following security groups:
      • iH Security Admins
      • iH Collector Admins
      • iH Tag Admins

    If you choose the first option, you can also configure the collector to start automatically when you start the computer, or, in the case of iFIX collectors, whenever you start iFIX.

  17. Select Add.
    The collector instance is created.
  18. Specify the tags for which you want to collect data.
    The collector begins sending Historian data to the device that you have created.