OCPP Redundancy

Redundancy Limitations

The OCPP Protocol does not support a redundant Central Station. This is a fundamental limitation of the OCPP specification itself, not a limitation of the WinCC OA implementation.

Workaround Solution

To work around this limitation, the OCPP manager must be started using the -connectToRedundantHosts parameter on a remote machine.

This approach provides the following benefits:

• Separates the OCPP manager from the main WinCC OA system
• Allows the OCPP functionality to continue operating even if the main system experiences issues
• Provides a level of fault tolerance for OCPP operations

Implementation Considerations

When implementing the redundancy workaround, consider the following:

Network Connectivity

Ensure reliable network connectivity between the remote OCPP manager and the main WinCC OA system.

Data Synchronization

Implement proper data synchronization mechanisms to ensure consistency between the remote OCPP manager and the main system.

Monitoring

Set up monitoring to detect when the remote OCPP manager becomes unavailable and implement appropriate alerting mechanisms.

Failover Procedures

Develop clear procedures for handling failover scenarios and recovery operations.

Best Practices

• Use dedicated hardware for the remote OCPP manager to minimize single points of failure
• Implement regular health checks and monitoring of the OCPP manager
• Maintain synchronized configuration between the main system and the remote OCPP manager
• Document the redundancy setup and recovery procedures thoroughly
• Test failover scenarios regularly to ensure the setup works as expected