Interoperability Testing: Ocean Data Systems Dream Report

The S4 Group and Ocean Data Systems recently conducted interoperability testing in the S4 test lab between the S4 Open: OPC-N2 Router and Ocean Data Systems – Dream Report package. Dream Report is a very popular solution for reports and dashboards in automation applications. The building automation market is one of the many addressed by Dream Report and a collaboration with S4 Group enables Dream Report to connect with a broad range of Johnson Controls Incorporated (JCI) Metasys® N2 network based systems. The S4 offering is quite unique, enabling the parallel operation of an existing Metasys® Supervisory Controller, and that of Dream Report, both communicating with N2 Field Devices. Dream Report offers the ability to log field device variables to its own database. In addition, Dream Report can communicate with other repositories of data that may be created by Metasys® or other on site automation solutions. The resulting data, from all data sources, can be integrated into reports and dashboards for the customer’s benefit.

Testing was done on a dedicated virtual machine running 64-bit Windows 7. Installation of Dream Report went without a hitch. The OPC data object discovery process in Dream Report immediately connected to the OPC Proxy Server instantiated in the test environment by the S4 Open Management Console. This S4 feature presents the OPC interface as a local OPC server hosted by the test machine eliminating all of the traditional security and networking hurdles posed by OPC DA.

Roy Kok of Ocean Data Systems then took over the testing and demonstrated how quickly very sophisticated reports could be defined and generated in real time or scheduled to run periodically. The capabilities of Dream Report were really amazing and have the potential to augment the native capabilities of most BAS installations.

Even through this testing was performed using OPC technology, Dream Report is equally capable of supporting BACnet/IP and working with the S4 Open: BACnet-N2 Router.
The following description is from the Dream Report product overview http://dreamreport.net/dream-report/product-overview/. The product was initially developed to support the industrial automation marketplace but is equally applicable to the building automation industry.

DREAM REPORT™ IS A REAL TIME REPORTING GENERATOR SOLUTION BASED ON A CONFIGURABLE END USER INTERFACE. ITS UNIQUE CONCEPT COMBINES 5 KEY FUNCTIONS, AND POSITIONS DREAM REPORT™ AS THE MOST CONVENIENT REPORTING SOLUTION FOR THE INDUSTRIAL AUTOMATION.

Built on modern technologies, Dream Report enables easy connectivity to automation systems and equipment (e.g. in buildings, factories, etc.), through over 70 different data interface drivers to both open and proprietary protocols. Dream Report collects and archives real-time information and accesses open or proprietary archives and databases, generating professional reports on schedule, on event, or manually, then publishing and e-distributing those reports. The solution delivers Web-based reports management over the internet and intranet via integrated web portal, enabling users to access generated reports, generate new reports and build web-based interactive dynamic dashboards in minutes. An intuitive and easy user interface allows fast project development and project maintenance with low engineering costs. Development is accomplished without a single line of code. A secure web portal enables access to important information for anyone at any place and any time.

Ocean Data Systems and The S4 Group, Inc. are committed to working together to support our mutual integration partners. The S4 technology acts as the on-site agent to publish legacy building automation system data to open interfaces without interfering with the normal operation of the BAS. Dream Report turns that data into actionable information from which critical business decisions can be made.

Proven Partners have chosen to work closely with Ocean Data Systems, committing to deliver joint services and long term support to our combined customers. Together, we’ve proven the interoperability of our products and we commit to working together as partners, delivering our customers the highest quality solutions today, and migration paths for tomorrow.

For more information on Ocean Data Systems and the Dream Report product contact:

Roy Kok
VP Sales and Marketing
Ocean Data Systems Ltd.
Cell USA 617-480-4989
Roy.Kok@dreamreport.net
Skype: RoyTKok

Or, visit their web site at www.dreamreport.net