Connect to external systems and bring data into the Unified Namespace.
Modules → Data Foundation → TagProvider Services | How-to | Reference
Overview
TagProvider Services enable FrameworX to connect to external data sources — PLCs, MQTT brokers, OPC UA servers, databases, and more. When configured, FrameworX acts as a client that reads and writes data from these external systems.
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FrameworX as Client vs Server
| Module | FrameworX Role | Direction | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| TagProvider Services | Client | FrameworX → External | Connect to a PLC, subscribe to MQTT broker |
| Data Servers | Server | External → FrameworX | OPC UA client reads your UNS data |
TagProvider Services: You connect TO external systems
Data Servers: External systems connect TO you
→ See Data Servers for exposing UNS to external clients
What You Can Connect To
| Category | Examples |
|---|---|
| PLCs & Controllers | Allen-Bradley, Siemens, Modbus, BACnet |
| OPC Servers | OPC UA, OPC DA |
| MQTT | Any MQTT broker, Sparkplug B |
| Databases | SQL Server, PostgreSQL, MySQL, SQLite |
| Cloud | AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub |
| Other | REST APIs, custom protocols via SDK |
→ See Connectors Library for the complete list of 100+ connectors
Key Concepts
| Concept | Description |
|---|---|
| TagProvider | A configured connection to an external data source |
| Local Tags | Tags defined in your solution, optionally linked to external sources |
| Linked Tags | Tags with structure defined locally but values from external source |
| Dynamic Tags | Tags created automatically at runtime from external discovery |
How Data Flows
External System TagProvider Service Unified Namespace
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? FrameworX connects ? ?
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? Read/Write data ? Tags updated ?
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? Subscribe to changes ? Events triggered ?
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Data from TagProviders appears in the UNS just like local tags — all modules (Displays, Alarms, Historian, Scripts) can use it uniformly.
Configuration Location
Designer: Unified Namespace → TagProvider Services
Each TagProvider is configured with:
- Connection settings (address, port, credentials)
- Tag mapping or discovery options
- Communication parameters (polling rate, timeout)
Common Use Cases
| Use Case | TagProvider Type |
|---|---|
| Read PLC data for HMI displays | Device connector (Modbus, EtherNet/IP, etc.) |
| Subscribe to MQTT sensor data | MQTT Client |
| Query database for recipe data | SQL Database |
| Connect to existing OPC server | OPC UA Client |
| Aggregate data from cloud IoT | AWS IoT, Azure IoT Hub |
TagProvider Services Links
Explanation - to understand concepts
→ TagProvider Services Technology — Deep dive into architecture and patterns
How-to Guides - to accomplish specific tasks
→ How to Configure TagProvider Services
→ Data Explorer Tool — Discover and import external data structures
Reference - technical details
→ TagProvider Services Reference
→ Connectors Library — All available connectors
See Also
- Data Servers — Expose UNS to external clients (FrameworX as server)
- Data Foundation — UNS overview
- Connectors Library — Browse available connectors