About the virtual backplane

The virtual backplane is a driver service that provides connectivity between

FactoryTalk Linx

and various device drivers and other applications within the

FactoryTalk Linx

server using the CIP protocol. It allows the software modules and communications resources contained in the server to be configured and visualized in a manner similar to the devices in a

ControlLogix

system. Once USB CIP devices are added to the virtual backplane, FactoryTalk Linx will automatically mirror the devices into the USB branch in the topology tree.

For example, both the PCICS and PKTCS device drivers plug into the virtual backplane. Packets received by one of these communications interface cards can be routed across the virtual backplane to (or through) any other interface card whose driver plugs into the virtual backplane, or to any application that plugs into the virtual backplane, such as the

SoftLogix

5xxx controller.

This is similar to having a 1756-CNB and a 1756-ENBT module plugged into a

ControlLogix

chassis: packets received across the ENBT can be routed across the backplane out the CNB module, or to a controller sitting in the backplane.

Note that

RSLinx Classic

occupies slot 0 and that

FactoryTalk Linx

occupies slot 1 in the virtual backplane, which means that they are able to be both a source and a destination for packets sent over the backplane.

This chassis-like model is carried over to the

PanelView Plus

platforms in a minimalist fashion. For ControlNet support, those platforms implement two-slot virtual backplanes, where

FactoryTalk Linx

sits in one slot and the 2711P-RN15S ControlNet Scanner card sits in the other.