SCADA

(Supervisory Control & Data Acquisition)

by
Dr. Abdul Rehman Abbasi
 SCADA-Agenda Points
1. Origin & Definition
2. Industrial Applications
3. Architecture
4. Functionality
5. Application Development
6. Progress & Evolution
7. Engineering
 Agenda Point 1: Origin
Evolution of Control Technologies

3
Primitive Form of SCADA
Panel to Sensor Connection
 Primitive Form of SCADA-Pros
• It is simple, no CPUs, RAM, ROM or software
programming needed
• The sensors are connected directly to the
meters, switches and lights on the panel
• It could be (in most circumstances) easy and
cheap to add a simple device like a switch or
indicator
 Primitive Form of SCADA-Cons
• The amount of wire becomes unmanageable after the
installation of hundreds of sensors
• The quantity and type of data are minimal and rudimentary
(primitive type)
• Installation of additional sensors becomes progressively harder
as the system grows
• Re-configuration of the system becomes extremely difficult
• Simulation using real data is not possible
• Storage of data is minimal and difficult to manage
• No off site monitoring of data or alarms
• Someone has to watch the dials and meters 24 hours a day
 One Step Ahead
PC to PLC or DCS with a fieldbus and sensor
 PC to PLC or DCS with a fieldbus and sensor-Pros

• The computer can record and store a very large amount

of data
• The data can be displayed in any way the user requires
• Thousands of sensors over a wide area can be
connected to the system
• The operator can incorporate real data simulations into
the system
• Many types of data can be collected from the RTUs
• The data can be viewed from anywhere, not just on site
PC to PLC or DCS with a fieldbus and sensor-Cons

• The system is more complicated than the

sensor to panel type
• Different operating skills are required, such as
system analysts and programmer
• With thousands of sensors there is still a lot of
wire to deal with
• The operator can see only as far as the PLC
 Another Step Ahead
PC to IED through Fieldbus
 PC to IED through Fieldbus-Pros
• Minimal wiring is needed
• The operator can see down to the sensor level
• The data received from the device can include
information such as serial numbers, model numbers,
when it was installed and by whom
• All devices are plug and play, so installation and
replacement is easy
• Smaller devices means less physical space for the
data acquisition system
 PC to IED through Fieldbus-Cons
• More sophisticated system requires better
trained employees
• Sensor prices are higher (but this is offset
somewhat by the lack of PLCs)
• The IEDs rely more on the
communication system
Typical SCADA Layout-1
Typical SCADA Layout-2
 Typical
SCADA
Layout-3
 Supervisory Control And Data
Acquisition (SCADA)-Definition

• SCADA stands for Supervisory Control

And Data Acquisition
• Software package that is positioned on
top of hardware to which it is interfaced,
– in general via Programmable Logic
Controllers (PLC's), or other commercial
hardware modules.
SCADA-Definition
 Agenda Point 2:
SCADA-Industrial Applications
Applications (Process, Manufacturing Industries and other industrial control)
– Steel making,
– power generation (conventional and nuclear) and distribution,
– chemistry,
– experimental facilities such as nuclear fusion.
 Size of such plants range from a few 1000 to several 10 thousands
input/output (I/O) channels.
 However, SCADA systems evolve rapidly and are now penetrating the
market of plants with a number of I/O channels of several 100 thousands
I/O's.
 SCADA systems used to run on DOS, VMS and UNIX; in recent years all
SCADA vendors have moved to NT, Windows XP, Windows Server 2003
and some also to Linux.
Example: Industrial Case Scenario
SCADA-Service
Level
 Agenda Point 3:SCADA Architecture

• Hardware Architecture
• Software Architecture
• Communication
• Interfacing
• Scalability
• Redundancy
 Hardware Architecture
Two Layered
• client layer: caters for the man machine interaction and
• data server layer: handles most of the process data control
activities.
– Data servers communicate with devices in the field through
process controllers.
– Process controllers, e.g. PLC's, are connected to the data
servers either directly or via networks or fieldbuses that are
proprietary (e.g. Siemens H1), or nonproprietary (e.g.
Profibus).
– Data servers are connected to each other and to client
stations via an Ethernet LAN.
SCADA-Hardware Architecture
 SCADA-Software Architecture
• Multitasking feature
• Based upon a real-time database (RTDB) located
in one or more servers.
• Servers are responsible for data acquisition and
handling
– e.g. polling controllers, alarm checking, calculations,
logging and archiving on a set of parameters, typically
those they are connected to.
• However, it is possible to have dedicated servers
for particular tasks, e.g. historian, data-logger,
alarm handler.
SCADA Architecture-Communications
Internal Communication:
Server-client and server-server communication uses a TCP/IP protocol, i.e., a client application
subscribes to a parameter which is owned by a particular server application and only changes to
that parameter are then communicated to the client application.
SCADA Architecture-Communications
Access to Devices
• The data servers poll the controllers at a user defined polling rate.
• The polling rate may be different for different parameters.
• The controllers pass the requested parameters to the data servers.
• Time stamping of the process parameters is typically performed in the controllers and this
timestamp is taken over by the data server.
 SCADA Architecture-Interfacing
Application Interfaces / Openness:
• The provision of OPC client functionality for SCADA to access devices in an open
and standard manner is developing. There still seems to be a lack of
devices/controllers, which provide OPC server software, but this improves rapidly
as most of the producers of controllers are actively involved in the development of
this standard.
• The products also provide an Open Data Base Connectivity (ODBC) interface to
the data in the archive/logs, but not to the configuration database, an ASCII
import/export facility for configuration data, a library of APIs supporting C, C++,
and Visual Basic (VB) to access data in the RTDB, logs and archive. The API often
does not provide access to the product's internal features such as alarm handling,
reporting, trending, etc.
• The PC products provide support for the Microsoft standards such as Dynamic Data
Exchange (DDE) which allows e.g. to visualize data dynamically in an EXCEL
spreadsheet, Dynamic Link Library (DLL) and Object Linking and Embedding
(OLE).
 SCADA Architecture-Interfacing
Database
• The configuration data are stored in a database that is logically
centralized but physically distributed and that is generally of a
proprietary format.
• For performance reasons, the RTDB resides in the memory of
the servers and is also of proprietary format.
• The archive and logging format is usually also proprietary for
performance reasons, but some products do support logging to
a Relational Data Base Management System (RDBMS) at a
slower rate either directly or via an ODBC interface.
 SCADA Architecture-Scalability
• Scalability is understood as the possibility to extend
the SCADA based control system by adding
– more process variables,
– more specialized servers (e.g. for alarm handling) or
– more clients.
• Achieve scalability by having multiple data servers
connected to multiple controllers.
• Each data server has its own configuration database
and RTDB and is responsible for the handling of a
subset of the process variables (acquisition, alarm
handling, archiving).
SCADA Architecture-Redundancy
Built-in software redundancy at a server
level, which is normally transparent to the
user.
Dual Server Redundancy
Dual LANS & PLCs Redundancy
Lecture 4
Advanced Instrumentation
 Agenda Point 4: SCADA Functionality

• Access Control
• MMI
• Trending
• Alarm Handling
• Logging/Archiving
• Report Generation
• Automation level
 Functionality-Access Control
• Users are allocated to groups,
• Users have defined read/write access
privileges to the process parameters in the
system and often also to specific product
functionality.
 Functionality-MMI
• Support multiple screens, which can contain combinations of synoptic diagrams and
text.
• They also support the concept of a "generic" graphical object with links to process
variables. These objects can be "dragged and dropped" from a library and included
into a synoptic diagram.
Functionality-MMI
 Functionality-MMI
• SCADA products that were evaluated decompose the process
in "atomic" parameters (e.g. a power supply current, its
maximum value, its on/off status, etc.) to which a Tag-name is
associated.
 Functionality-MMI
• The Tag-names used to link graphical objects to
devices can be edited as required.
• Standard windows editing facilities are provided:
– zooming,
– resizing,
– Scrolling etc.
• Online configuration and customization of the MMI is
possible for users with the appropriate privileges.
Links can be created between display pages to
navigate from one view to another.
 Functionality-Trending
• the parameters to be trended in a specific chart can be predefined or defined
online
• a chart may contain more than 8 trended parameters or pens and an
unlimited number of charts can be displayed (restricted only by the
readability)
• Real-time and historical trending are possible, although generally not in the
same chart
• historical trending is possible for any archived parameter
• zooming and scrolling functions are provided
• parameter values at the cursor position can be displayed
• The trending feature is either provided as a separate module or as a
graphical object (ActiveX), which can then be embedded into a synoptic
display.
• XY and other statistical analysis plots are generally not provided.
 Functionality-Alarm Handling
• Alarm handling is based on limit and status checking and performed in the
data servers.
• More complicated expressions (using arithmetic or logical expressions) can
be developed by creating derived parameters on which status or limit
checking is then performed.
• The alarms are logically handled centrally, i.e., the information only exists
in one place and all users see the same status (e.g., the
acknowledgement), and multiple alarm priority levels (in general many
more than 3 such levels) are supported.
Functionality-Alarm Handling
 Functionality-Alarm Handling
– Group alarms and to handle these as an entity (typically filtering on
group or acknowledgement of all alarms in a group).
– Furthermore, it is possible to suppress alarms either individually or as
a complete group.
– The filtering of alarms seen on the alarm page or when viewing the
alarm log is also possible at least on priority, time and group. However,
relationships between alarms cannot generally be defined in a
straightforward manner.
– Emails can be generated or predefined actions automatically executed
in response to alarm conditions.
Functionality-Alarm Handling
Functionality-Alarm Handling
 Functionality-Logging/Archiving
• Logging and archiving are often used to describe the same facility.
• However, logging can be thought of as medium-term storage of data on
disk, whereas archiving is long-term storage of data either on disk or on
another permanent storage medium.
• Logging is typically performed on a cyclic basis, i.e., once a certain file
size, time period or number of points is reached the data is overwritten.
• Logging of data can be performed at a set frequency, or only initiated if the
value changes or when a specific predefined event occurs.
• Logged data can be transferred to an archive once the log is full.
• The logged data is time-stamped and can be filtered when viewed by a user.
• The logging of user actions is in general performed together with either a
user ID or station ID. There is often also a VCR facility to play back
archived data.
 Functionality-Report Generation
One can produce reports using SQL type queries to the archive,
RTDB or logs. Facilities exist to be able to automatically
generate, print and archive reports.
 Functionality-Automation
• The majority of the products allow actions to be
automatically triggered by events.
• A scripting language provided by the SCADA
products allows these actions to be defined.
• In general, one can load a particular display, send an
Email, run a user defined application or script and
write to the RTDB.
• Sequencing is also supported whereby, as the name
indicates, it is possible to execute a more complex
sequence of actions on one or more devices.
Sequences may also react to external events.
Agenda Point 5: Application Development

–Process Parameter Definition

–Graphics Development
 Agenda Point 5: Application Development
Configuration
• The development of the applications is typically done in two stages.
• First the process parameters and associated information (e.g. relating to
alarm conditions) are defined through some sort of parameter definition
template and
• then the graphics, including trending and alarm displays are developed, and
linked where appropriate to the process parameters.
• Many of the PC tools now have a Windows Explorer type development
studio. The developer then works with a number of folders, which each
contains a different aspect of the configuration, including the graphics.
• Online modifications to the configuration database and the graphics are
generally possible with the appropriate level of privileges.
 SCADA Application Development- Tools
• Graphics Editor, with standard drawing facilities including freehand,
lines, squares circles, etc.
– It is possible to import pictures in many formats as well as using predefined symbols
including e.g. trending charts, etc.
– A library of generic symbols is provided that can be linked dynamically to variables and
animated as they change.
– It is also possible to create links between views so as to ease navigation at runtime.
• Database Configuration Tool (usually through parameter templates).
– It is in general possible to export data in ASCII files so as to be edited through an ASCII
editor or Excel.
• Scripting Language
• Application Program Interface (API) supporting C, C++, VB
• Driver Development Toolkit to develop drivers for hardware that is not
supported by the SCADA product.
 SCADA Application Development-
Object Handling
• The products in general have the concept of graphical
object classes, which support inheritance.
• In addition, some of the products have the concept of
an object within the configuration database.
• In general the products do not handle objects, but
rather handle individual parameters, e.g., alarms are
defined for parameters, logging is performed on
parameters, and control actions are performed on
parameters.
 Agenda Point 6: Progress & Evolution
• SCADA vendors release one major version and one to two additional minor
versions once per year. These products evolve thus very rapidly so as to
take advantage of new market opportunities, to meet new requirements of
their customers and to take advantage of new technologies.
• As was already mentioned, most of the SCADA products that were
evaluated decompose the process in "atomic" parameters to which a Tag
name is associated. This is impractical in the case of very large processes
when very large sets of Tags need to be configured. As the industrial
applications are increasing in size, new SCADA versions are now being
designed to handle devices and even entire systems as full entities (classes)
that encapsulate all their specific attributes and functionality. In addition,
they will also support multi-team development.
• As far as new technologies are concerned, the SCADA products are now
adopting:
– Web technology, ActiveX, Java, etc.
– OPC as a means for communicating internally between the client and server modules. It
should thus be possible to connect OPC compliant third party modules to that SCADA
product.
 Agenda Point 7: Engineering
• One should rightly anticipate significant development and maintenance
savings by adopting a SCADA product for the implementation of a control
system, it does not mean a "no effort" operation.
• The need for proper engineering can not be sufficiently emphasized to
reduce development effort and to reach a system that complies with the
requirements, that is economical in development and maintenance and
that is reliable and robust.
• Examples of engineering activities specific to the use of a SCADA system
are the definition of:
– A library of objects (PLC, device, subsystem) complete with standard object behavior
(script, sequences, ...), graphical interface and associated scripts for animation
– Templates for different types of "panels", e.g. alarms
– Instructions on how to control e.g. a device ...
– A mechanism to prevent conflicting controls (if not provided with the SCADA)
– Alarm levels, behavior to be adopted in case of specific alarms, …
 SCADA-Application Considerations
• Overall control requirements
• Sequence logic
• Analog loop control
• Ratio and number of analog to digital points
• Speed of control and data acquisition
• Master/operator control stations
• Type of displays required
• Historical archiving requirements
• System consideration
• Reliability/availability
• Speed of communications/update time/system scan rates
• System redundancy
• Expansion capability
• Application software and modeling
 SCADA-Reasons for
Implementation
• Improved operation of the plant or process resulting in savings due to
optimization of the system
• Increased productivity of the personnel
• Improved safety of the system due to better information and improved
control
• Protection of the plant equipment
• Safeguarding the environment from a failure of the system
• Improved energy savings due to optimization of the plant
• Improved and quicker receipt of data so that clients can be invoiced more
quickly and accurately
• Government regulations for safety and metering of gas (for royalties & tax
etc.)
 Ivensys Wonderware / Intouch
InTouch® 9.0 software with SmartSymbols and the IOSetRemoteReferences script function enables users to
quickly and easily create and deploy graphical representations of realtime industrial process applications that
connect to InTouch tag servers, ArchestrA® Object Templates in Wonderware's Industrial Application Server
and I/O Servers.
With SmartSymbols, users can very easily create graphic templates that can be used throughout the entire
application. Users can create a graphical object once, attach animations and then save that object as a
SmartSymbol. Users can also create standard libraries of SmartSymbols that adhere to their company's standards
for color and animation, resulting in graphics that conform to existing practices without requiring a great deal of
administration and management. These libraries of SmartSymbols can be exported and imported into other
InTouch applications resulting in standards for graphics that can be easily implemented throughout an entire
organization. Developing entire InTouch HMI applications becomes as simple as choosing the SmartSymbol
graphic from the library manager, selecting the instance reference and dropping it into a window.
When testing applications or modifying graphical objects, users only need to edit the SmartSymbol graphic
template and all instances throughout the application will be automatically updated with the new information,
resulting in tremendous time savings and a significant reduction in potential errors.
In addition, the IOSetRemoteReferences script function enables users to create graphical faceplates, which can
be quickly modified at runtime. Faceplates can be created to model devices and their controls used throughout
the application such as valves, pumps and motors. To leverage the IOSetRemoteReferences script function, a
user would first create a SmartSymbol graphic template and then associate it with tags using a remote style
reference. At runtime, whenever a particular condition occurs or a device such as a push of a button is activated,
the IOSetRemoteReferences function updates all of the data references. This update is very fast because all of
the data sources in the window are updated using one line of script.
 GE Fanuc Intellution / iFIX
Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX is a powerful Client/Server based HMI/SCADA solution that provides process
visualization, data acquisition and supervisory control over manufacturing and production processes. Proficy
HMI/SCADA iFIX gives Operators and Process Engineers the power and security to precisely monitor and
control every aspect of their process, equipment and resources. The result is a faster response to production
issues, with improved quality, reduced waste, faster timetomarket and increased profitability.
Powerful Distributed Client/Server Architecture Collects, processes and distributes realtime data with
unparalleled flexibility and scalability. The Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX architecture enables users to leverage
multiple clients,including iClient TS a solution that leverages Microsoft Terminal Server technology to
seamlessly extend the reach of your HMI/SCADA applications.
Faster system development and deployment
The Intellution WorkSpace delivers pointandclick simplicity to application development. Through the use of
powerful yet easytouse Wizards, Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX dramatically accelerates the development process.
In addition, Intellution's Animation Experts drive internal thirdparty ActiveX control without VBA
Programming.
Simplified application integration
Through Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX's patented Secure Containment technology, you can fully leverage
thirdparty
applications within the Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX environment... and do so without compromising your
system's reliability.
Enhanced security and accountability
Proficy HMI/SCADA iFIX boasts powerful new security and eSignature capabilities, designed to enable access
restriction at a very granular level, as well as deliver a vehicle for capturing complete audit trail information
outstanding functionality for businesses in the regulated industries or for any company who simply wants to
enhance security.
 Reference(s) for further readings
• Practical SCADA for Industry by David Bailey & Edwin
Wright, Newnes, Elsevier (2003)
• www.pacontrol.com
• http://www.emerson.com/en-
us/automation/measurement-instrumentation
• www.myscada.org
• https://www.citect.schneider-electric.com/
• https://www.ge.com/digital/
• https://www.wonderware.com/hmi-scada/intouch/
 Group Activity

• Task:
– Equipment List
– Alarm List
– Architecture
– MMI

• Example Cases:
– Group A: Waster Water Treatment Plant
– Group B: Wind Farm Management
– Group C: Area/City CCTV
– Group D: Power Plant (4 Units)
– Group E: Drinking Water Supply System for Islamabad
– Group F: Oil Refinery
Architecture
Architecture