Communication 
  3.3 S7 connections 
CPU 31xC and CPU 31x, Technical Data 
Manual, 01/2006 Edition, A5E00105475-06 
3-29 
Assigning connections in the program 
In S7 basic communication, and in open Industrial Ethernet communication with TCP/IP, the 
user program establishes the connection. The CPU operating system initiates the 
connection. S7 basic communication uses the corresponding S7 connections. The open  
IE communication does not use any S7 connections. The maximum number of eight 
connections also applies to this type of communication. 
Using connections for commissioning, testing and diagnostics 
An active online function on the engineering station (PG/PC with STEP 7) occupies  
S7 connections for PG communication: 
•  An S7 connection resource for PG communication which was reserved in your CPU 
hardware configuration is assigned to the engineering station, that is, it only needs to be 
allocated. 
•  If all reserved S7 connection resources for PG communication are allocated, the 
operating system automatically assigns a free S7 connection resource which has not yet 
been reserved. If no more connection resources are available, the engineering station 
cannot go online to the CPU. 
Allocating connection resources to HMI services 
An online function on the HMI station (OP/TP/... with 
WinCC
) is used for assigning S7 
connection resources for the OP communication: 
•  An S7 connection resource for OP communication you have reserved in your CPU 
hardware configuration is therefore assigned to the OCM station engineering station, that 
is, it only needs to be allocated. 
•  If all reserved S7 connection resources for OP communication are allocated, the 
operating system automatically assigns a free S7 connection resource which has not yet 
been reserved. If no more connection resources are available, the OCM station cannot go 
online to the CPU. 
Time sequence for allocation of S7 connection resources 
When you program your project in STEP 7, the system generates parameter assignment 
blocks which are read by the modules in the startup phase. This allows the module's 
operating system to reserve or allocate the relevant S7 connection resources. That is, for 
instance, OPs cannot access a reserved S7 connection resource for PG communication. 
The CPU's S7 connection resources which were not reserved can be used freely. These S7 
connection resources are allocated in the order they are requested.  
Example 
If there is only one free S7 connection left on the CPU, you can still connect a PG to the bus. 
The PG can then communicate with the CPU. The S7 connection is only used, however, 
when the PG is communicating with the CPU. If you connect an OP to the bus while the PG 
is not communicating, the OP can establish a connection to the CPU. Since an OP maintains 
its communication link at all times, in contrast to the PG, you cannot subsequently establish 
another connection via the PG.