System architecture

Within the
FactoryTalk Remote Access
 system architecture both hardware and software system components interact with each other, by means of a server infrastructure connection between
FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
 and the remote devices.
The system components are split in three main groups:
  1. FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
    : Web interface through which a support technician can connect to a remote device to provide assistance from their local computer.
  2. Server infrastructure
    : Connection hosting the user domains.
    • Access Servers
      : They consist of a distributed redundant set of servers that manage the authentication of remote devices and
      FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
      .
    • Relay Server
      : They consists of a distributed redundant set of servers that act as a relay for an end-to-end connection between
      FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
       and remote devices.
  3. Remote devices
    : They consist of industrial automation devices installed at a remote location, such as HMIs, IPCs and routers embedding the Runtime.
NOTE: See Client and server connectivity to learn more about this topic.
NOTE: See Client and server connectivity to learn more about the DNS to which servers shall connect.

Remote access process overview

The System components interact as follows:
  1. The user logs on to the
    FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
     on their local PC and authenticates to the domain to which they and other devices are registered, through the Access Servers.
  2. The user selects the remote device to which they wish to connect. A connection establishes through the Relay Server.
    NOTE: It is possible to establish a connection through the
    Interactive Access (Web Only)
     Tool or upon installation of the other
    FactoryTalk Remote Access Manager
     Tools on the local computer. See Interactive Access Tool and How to establish a VPN connection with a remote device for further information on these topics.
  3. Based on the
    entitlement
     type associated with the remote device, the user can access different features, such as: Remote Desktop, Task Manager, File Transfer and any sub-devices connected to the same LAN of the remote device.
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