Does OPC Expert’s Free Version Time Limit Apply to the Data Archiving Service?
The OPC Expert application can be downloaded and evaluated at no charge, and the archiving component within it can be configured to run as a standalone Windows service that operates independently of the main application window. Whether a time limit on free use of the application affects continuous archiving depends on the licensing terms in effect for your specific use case. For precise and current information about licensing tiers and any associated time restrictions, contact OPC Expert directly at opcexpert.com or review the licensing details provided at download.
How the Archiving Component Works Independently
When you set up OPC Expert to archive data, you have the option to install the archiving engine as a Windows service. Once installed as a service, the Archive OPC Data component runs in the background automatically, starts with Windows, and continues collecting data without requiring the main OPC Expert application window to remain open. This separation between the interactive application and the background service is important when evaluating how any licensing restrictions might apply: the two components can operate on different footprints, and usage terms may distinguish between interactive use of the GUI and continuous background archiving.
What the Archiving Service Does During Continuous Operation
The archiving service connects to OPC DA and OPC UA servers, captures values at configured intervals or on data change events, and writes that data to the destination you specify, whether that is a local CSV file, a SQL database such as Microsoft SQL Server, MySQL, or SQLite, or a cloud target such as Microsoft Azure or Amazon AWS. The store-and-forward capability ensures that if the connection to the destination is interrupted, data is held locally and forwarded once the connection is restored, preventing gaps in the historical record.
Running as a Windows service also means the archiving process continues through user logoffs and system restarts without manual intervention, which is the expected behavior for a production historian replacement.
Recommended Approach
To avoid ambiguity, download OPC Expert, configure archiving, and review the licensing dialog that appears within the application. The OPC Calculator module, for reference, is documented as free for four hours of continuous use with a license required beyond that, which illustrates that different modules within the OPC Expert platform can carry distinct licensing terms. Archiving should be evaluated under the same process: test the capability fully, then confirm the licensing requirement for continuous unattended operation with the OPC Expert team before deploying in production.
Relevant Tools
Archive OPC Data, part of the OPC Expert platform, is the module responsible for capturing and storing OPC data in CSV, SQL, and cloud formats. It supports event-based and time-based data capture, runs as a Windows service, and includes store-and-forward capability to prevent data loss during network disruptions.
Summary
The OPC Expert archiving component can be deployed as a Windows service that runs independently of the main application window. Whether free-use time limits apply to that service depends on the specific licensing terms associated with your download. Verify directly with OPC Expert before relying on unattended archiving in a production environment.