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Installation & Licensing

The OPC Router can be installed in three ways: using the Windows setup, as a Docker container, or via an edge management platform. In all three cases, it initially runs in demo mode with all plug-ins for a 2-hour runtime; the licensed plug-ins can only be used indefinitely after entering the license key.

None of these methods includes connected systems—neither a database system nor an OPC server for production use. You must install these environment components separately; they are connected to each other via the OPC Router configuration.

Which method is right for you?​

  • Windows Setup – for running on a Windows server: It installs the configuration environment, Windows services, and the internal database; it also installs WebView2, which requires an active internet connection.
  • Docker Container – for containerized environments and ARM hardware: The runtime image includes MongoDB, while the service image establishes a connection to an external MongoDB instance.
  • Edge Device Management – when multiple edge devices are deployed and updated centrally: Portainer, Siemens Industrial Edge, and Azure IoT Edge deploy the same container through their own management systems.

Check installation​

The three methods differ, but the verification process is the same: First, Web Management must respond; then, the runtime must be ready. Both steps, the addresses for each installation method, and the possible responses are listed under “Verify Installation.”

The pages in this chapter​

Before Installation

  • System Requirements – Hardware, supported operating systems and browsers, CET Stack protection, and minimum MongoDB versions, listed separately for Windows and Docker.

  • Network Ports – which ports the OPC Router uses in Windows and container installations, which of these must be opened in the firewall, and which commonly mentioned ports it does not use.

  • Network Requirements for Firewall and Proxy – the Internet destinations that the OPC Router accesses on its own, including port and purpose, as well as proxy behavior and requirements for TLS inspection. Installation Methods

  • Windows Installation – the setup flow, including backup, antivirus scanner exceptions, and creating a remote user.

  • Docker Container Installation – from installing Docker and setting up a quick test container to a production deployment with volumes and ports.

  • Kubernetes and Container Orchestration – Deployment in a cluster using Helm, with environment variables and a MongoDB replica set.

  • Edge Device Management – Deployment via Portainer, Siemens Industrial Edge, or Azure IoT Edge. After Installation

  • Verifying the installation—the two steps to take after every installation: Is the Web Management interface accessible, and is the runtime ready?

  • First login and initial user—how the first user is created, what happens without it, and what other login methods are available. Network & Security

  • HTTPS & Certificates: Creating SSL certificates is a prerequisite for both HTTPS methods—when a certificate from a certification authority is required, how to generate a self-signed certificate using the container alpine/openssl, and when a Subject Alternate Name is needed; “Using HTTPS (Windows)” and “Using HTTPS (Docker)” document this in their respective installation guides.

  • Network settings—service account, firewall rules, and DCOM configuration for distributed OPC servers, databases, and mail servers.

  • Login & Authentication: Establishing the connection between Microsoft Entra ID/Azure AD logs users into Web Management via Entra ID; additional settings for logging in as a Windows user via the Windows user account. Licensing and Keeping the Software Up to Date

  • Licensing—the Perpetual and Subscription licensing models and the three activation methods: online, offline, and via environment variables.

  • Update – Backing up before the update, update methods for Windows and Docker, and upgrading from OPC Router 3/4.

  • Uninstallation – de-licensing beforehand, the uninstallation process on Windows, and what data remains afterward.