Feature stability
To protect your investments, features are maintained over time and ARC Informatique applies the principle of backward compatibility to its software products.
The general rules are:
- A project designed with a given release runs with newer releases without significant changes.
- Configuration data defined with a given release are correctly interpreted and lead to a similar run time behavior with newer releases.
- Archives and other forms of run time persistent data stored with a given release can be loaded with newer releases.
Features are maintained for as long as possible on a best-effort basis. Obsolescence occurs when a functionality within the product becomes outdated, redundant, or no longer aligned with user needs, product intended purpose, good practices, or standards. This can result from technological advances, market changes, or the introduction of superior alternatives. Managing obsolescence is essential to maintain product relevance, reduce complexity, and optimize resources. Key criteria include user impact, feature benefits, maintenance cost, safety, and security risks.
For example, a legacy data acquisition driver may be deprecated in favor of a new one that provides enhanced security, is actively supported by the PLC manufacturer and complies with modern standards.
The following terms are used to designate features with regards to their stability and maintenance:
- Legacy: A legacy feature is still supported but no longer maintained actively. It may or may not have a direct replacement. It should not be used for a new project and should be replaced for existing projects as part of a planned system upgrade. Such a feature is on track to be removed from the product in a future version.
- Obsolete: An obsolete feature is no longer available in the product, or at least it is no longer usable nor supported and should no longer be used.
In addition to the general rules, users shall be aware of 3 specific considerations:
- A feature may be deprecated because replaced by a more recent component. The deprecated feature may be maintained so that the run time behavior remains the same, but the associated configuration user interface and documentation may be removed from the product.
- A feature may be deprecated and no longer be maintainable due to the evolution of execution platforms, or because of a dependency on a third-party component that is itself no longer maintained. In such cases, ARC Informatique may review the design and implementation of the affected feature and require adaptations of the project before deployment of the newer version.
- Legacy and obsolete features can bring risks, including security weaknesses. From version to version ARC Informatique may need to reconsider the installation and usage of such components and features.
ARC Informatique is strongly committed to making system update as easy as possible for end-users. In this context, we keep on top of our minds a list of features that are pivotal to keeping transitional phases under control, in particular the situations when you will temporarily operate your system with different versions of our products:
- Networking and the ability to run client and server stations with different product versions
- Central project management
- Import formats
- Database migration tools
- Deployment tools
Assisting you in establishing a migration path that works in your specific situation is an integral part of our professional services offer.
Legacy features
The following features are still supported but no longer maintained actively. They should not be used on a new project and should be replaced on existing projects as part of the next planned system upgrade.
| Feature | Replaced by | Replacement available since |
| Equipment driver - Applicom Access | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Cegelec LN3 | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Cegelec NBUS RTU | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Cegelec NBUS Ascii | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Johnson Control Optomux | Equipment driver - Johnson Control Optomux N2 | Version 16 |
| Equipment driver - Jumo Ness | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Matrix Controls Pup | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Matsushita Mewtocol-Com serial | Equipment driver - Matsushita Mewtocol-Com Ip | Version 16 |
| Equipment driver - Simulation v1 | / | N/A |
| Equipment driver - Sofrel Sofbus-PC | Sofrel OPC Server | Version 16 |
| Equipment driver - Jumo Ascii | / | N/A |
| Client/Server networking based on NetBIOS | TCP/IP and TLS | Version 8.0 |
|
SCADA Basic instruction SYSTEM modes SETDATE, SETTIME and SETDATETIME |
A global clock shall be used for time distribution | N/A |
| SCADA Basic instruction SVTREND and SVLOG | Instructions EXPORT, EXPORT_LOG and EXPORT_TREND | Version 11.0 |
| SCADA Basic instruction SVSQL | Instructions SQL_CONNECTION, SQL_COMMAND and SQL_QUERY | Version 12 |
| SCADA Basic instruction TEMPORARY_DB | HMI variables | Version 12 |
| SCADA Basic instruction M104 | Instruction M60870_5 | Version 15.1 |
| DDE Client and DDE Server, including the SCADA Basic instructions DDE and DDECONV | / | N/A |
| DirectX-based 3D graphics | / | N/A |
| Cypress Enable scripting | / | N/A |
| VBA scripting | / | N/A |
Obsolete features
The following features are no longer available in the product, or at least they are no longer usable nor supported and can no longer be used.
| Feature | Replaced by | Obsolete since |
|
SCADA Basic instruction LAN mode CONNECT |
mode START_CONNECTION | 7.20a |
| SCADA Basic instruction LAN mode PRODUCT_MODE | mode SET_SERVER_MODE | 7.20a |
| Property Role on a User | Property Title (Role property moved to Profile) | Version 9.0 |
| Equipment driver - Applicom Cerloop | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Alstom ESP serial | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Eliop Elinet | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Idec FA2J-FA3S | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Idec Micro3 | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Klockner Moeller K | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Klockner Moeller SucomA | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Perax | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Schneider Electric Ethway | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Siemens 3964R | / | Version 10 |
| Equipment driver - Mitsubishi FX | / | Version 10 |
| Service svTS.exe | Service SV Core Session Host | Version 11.2 |
| WebVue built-in Security Mode for Login and Password | Third-party credential manager | Version 12 |
| WebVue built-in Automatic Login | Third-party credential manager | Version 12 |
| Equipment driver - Rockwell Automation RSLinx | EtherNet/IP Add-on | Version 12 |
| Equipment driver - Mitsubishi Melsec serial | Equipment driver - Mitsubishi Melsec Ip | Version 16 |
| Equipment driver - Omron Sysmac-Way | Equipment driver - Omron FINS Ip | Version 16 |
| Equipment driver - Schneider Electric Modbus Plus | / | Version 16 |
| -b command line argument | The Host Deployment Console and the svcmd app data-folder CLI |
Version 17 |