University of 20 August 1955 SKIKDA

Faculty of Technology

Department of Electrical Engineering

M2 Industrial Informatic

Cours industrial Supervisory

Architecture of SCADA system
Architecture of SCADA system

While performance and efficiency of the SCADA package with the

current plant is important, the package should be easily
upgradeable to handle future requirement. The system must be
easily modifiable as the requirement change and expandable as
the task grows, in other words the system must use a scalable
architecture.

There have been two main approaches to follow in designing the

SCADA system in the past. They are centralized and distributed.

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Centralized architecture

In a centralized SCADA system architecture, a single computer is doing

all of the work of polling RTUs, processing and alarming the incoming
data, generating and updating operational displays and reports,
performing calculations, and running application programs. Through all
of this, that single primary computer still had to allocate central
processing unit (CPU) resources and time to update the backup
computer with the newest data.

Invariably, the number of RTUs, I/O points, calculations, and other

functions grew beyond the initially implemented design capacity, and
the redundancy scheme would be taxed and degraded. With a
centralized design, the only way to add capacity to the system was to
replace the computers with newer, more powerful models. This is one of
the primary reasons why a popular replacement design eventually
supplanted centralized architecture.
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Centralized processing
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Distributed architecture

A distributed architecture was the next logical step from a centralized

design, because it increased overall computing power by spreading
the various SCADA functions into additional computers dedicated to
performing those specific functions. It also improved overall system
reliability by making it possible to lose only certain SCADA functions,
as a result of a fault or malfunction in one of the computers, rather
than losing the total system. This ability to suffer a partial functional
loss is usually described as graceful degradation.

An effective solution is to examine the type of data required for

each task and then to structure the system appropriately. A client
server approach also makes for a more effective system.

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Distributed SCADA system architecture 7
 A client server system

•A server node is a device that provides a service to other nodes on

the network. A common example of this is a database program. A
client on the other hand is a node that requests a service from a
server. The word client and server refer to the program executing on
a particular node.

•A good example is a display system requiring display data. The

display node (or client) requests the data from the control server.
The control server then searches the database and returns the data
requested, thus reducing the network overhead compared to the
alternative approach of the display node having to do the database
search itself.

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Client/server SCADA system architecture
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There are typically five tasks in any SCADA system. Each of these tasks
performs its own separate processing.

1. Input/output task
This program is the interface between the control and monitoring system and the
plant floor.
2. Alarm task
This manages all alarms by detecting digital alarm points and comparing the values
of analog alarm points to alarm thresholds.
3. Trends task
The trends task collects data to be monitored over time.
4. Reports task
Reports are produced from plant data. These reports can be periodic, event
triggered or activated by the operator.
5. Display task
This manages all data to be monitored by the operator and all control actions
requested by the operator.
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Computer Networks

A system of interconnected computers and computerized peripherals

or devices is called computer network. This interconnection among
computers facilitates information sharing among them. Computers
may connect to each other by either wired or wireless media.

A Node is a computer or other device in a network.

3 common topologies, or arrangements for networks, are

discussed below:

•Bus
•Star
•Ring
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The Bus topology
In case of Bus topology, all devices share single communication line
or cable. Bus topology may have problem while multiple hosts
sending data at the same time. Therefore, Bus topology either uses
CSMA-CD (carrier sense multiple access with collision detection)
technology or recognizes one host as Bus Master to solve the issue. It
is one of the simple forms of networking where a failure of a device
does not affect the other devices. But failure of the shared
communication line can make all other devices stop functioning.
Both ends of the shared channel have line terminator. The data is
sent in only one direction and as soon as it reaches the extreme end,
the terminator removes the data from the line.

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The Start topology
All hosts in Star topology are connected to a central device, known as hub
device, using a point-to-point connection. That is, there exists a point to point
connection between hosts and hub. The hub device can be any of the
following:
•Layer-1 device such as hub or repeater
•Layer-2 device such as switch or bridge
•Layer-3 device such as router or gateway
As in Bus topology, hub acts as single point of failure. If hub fails, connectivity
of all hosts to all other hosts fails. Every communication between hosts takes
place through only the hub. Star topology is not expensive as to connect one
more host, only one cable is required and configuration is simple.

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The Ring topology

In ring topology, each host machine connects to exactly two other machines,
creating a circular network structure. When one host tries to communicate or
send message to a host which is not adjacent to it, the data travels through all
intermediate hosts. To connect one more host in the existing structure, the
administrator may need only one more extra cable.
Failure of any host results in failure of the whole ring. Thus, every connection in
the ring is a point of failure. There are methods which employ one more backup
ring.

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Types of computer networks based on geographical span

Generally, networks are distinguished based on their geographical span. A

network can be as small as distance between your mobile phone and its
Bluetooth headphone and as large as the internet itself, covering the whole
geographical world.

Local Area Network

•A computer network spanned inside a building and operated under single

administrative system is generally termed as Local Area Network (LAN).
• Generally its length is at most 5 KMs .
•It mostly operates on private IP addresses and does not involve heavy
routing
•The flow rate may be go from some Mbits/s to 100 Mbits/s
•The station number less than or equal 1000
•LAN uses either Ethernet or Token-ring technology. Ethernet is most widely
employed LAN technology and uses Star topology, while Token-ring is rarely
seen.

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Metropolitan Area Network (MAN):

Metropolitan Area Network: A network that can span a geographic

area the size of a city.
•Generally its length is at most 200 KMs
•The flow rate is higher because is greater than 100 Mbits

Wide Area Network (WAN)

WAN – Wide Area Network: A network that can span a large

geographic area, e.g., multiple cities, countries or continents.
•WANs are often very expensive.

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 Hardware and Connecting Cables

Coaxial Cable
Coaxial cable has two wires of copper. The core wire lies in the center and it is
made of solid conductor. The core is enclosed in an insulating sheath. The second
wire is wrapped around over the sheath and that too in turn encased by insulator
sheath. This all is covered by plastic cover.

Because of its structure, the coax

cable is capable of carrying high
frequency signals than that of twisted
pair cable. The wrapped structure
provides it a good shield against noise
and cross talk. Coaxial cables provide
high bandwidth rates of up to 450
mbps.

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 Hardware and Connecting Cables

Twisted Pair Cable

A twisted pair cable is made of two plastic insulated copper wires twisted together
to form a single media. Out of these two wires, only one carries actual signal and
another is used for ground reference. The twists between wires are helpful in
reducing noise (electro-magnetic interference) and crosstalk.
There are two types of twisted pair cables:
•Shielded Twisted Pair (STP) Cable
•Unshielded Twisted Pair (UTP) Cable

STP cables comes with twisted wire pair covered in metal foil.
This makes it more indifferent to noise and crosstalk.
UTP has seven categories, each suitable for specific use. In
computer networks, Cat-5, Cat-5e, and Cat-6 cables are mostly
used. UTP cables are connected by RJ45 connectors.
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 Hardware and Connecting Cables

Fiber Optics
Fiber Optic works on the properties of light. When light ray hits at critical angle, it
tends to refracts at 90 degree. This property has been used in fiber optic. The core
of fiber optic cable is made of high quality glass or plastic. From one end of it light is
emitted, it travels through it and at the other end light detector detects light
stream and converts it to electric data.
Fiber Optic provides the highest mode of speed. It comes in two modes, one is
single mode fiber and second is multimode fiber. Single mode fiber can carry a
single ray of light whereas multimode is capable of carrying multiple beams of light.

Fiber Optic also comes in unidirectional and bidirectional

capabilities. To connect and access fiber optic special type
of connectors are used. These can be Subscriber Channel
(SC), Straight Tip (ST), or MT-RJ.

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 CIM pyramid
Computer Integrated Manufactring

Definition:
So what exactly is the automation pyramid? It is a pictorial
example of the different levels of automation in a factory or
industry. It also serves as a visual example of how technology
is being integrated into industry. So let’s take a closer look and
try to break the pyramid down.

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 Level 0: Field level

Beginning on the bottom of the pyramid is what we will refer to as the “field” level. These
are the devices, actuators, and sensors that you see in the field or on the production floor.

The field level is the production floor that does the physical work and monitoring. Electric
motors, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators to move machinery, proximity switches used
to detect that movement or certain materials, photoelectric switches that detect similar
things will all play a part in the field level.
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 Level 1: Control level

The next level is referred to as the control level. This is where the PLC’s and PID’s come in
to play.
The control level uses these devices to control and “run” the devices in the field level that
actually do the physical work. They take in information from all of the sensors, switches,
and other input devices to make decisions on what outputs to turn on to complete the
programmed task.
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A PID is usually integrated in to the PLC and stands for proportional–integral–
derivative. That is what can keep a variable within a set of parameters.

A common industrial PID controlled item is a heater. Many systems in manufacturing

plants have to be heated. We control this with a PID block within the PLC. When a set
point is entered, the PID will determine when the PLC needs to turn the heater on and off
to maintain a constant temperature. 23
 Level 2: Supervisory level
The third level of the automation pyramid is known as the supervisory level.
Where the previous level utilizes PLCs, this level utilizes SCADA.

SCADA is essentially the combination of the previous levels used to access data and
control systems from a single location. Plus it usually adds a graphical user interface, or
an HMI, to control functions remotely.
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 Level 3: Planing level
The fourth level of the automation pyramid is called the planning level. This
level utilizes a computer management system known as MES or manufacturing
execution system.

MES monitors the entire manufacturing process in a plant or factory from the raw
materials to the finished product.
This allows management to see exactly what is happening and allows them to make
decisions based on that information. They can adjust raw material orders or shipment
plans based on real data received from the systems we talked about earlier.
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 Level 4: Management level
The top of the pyramid is called the management level. This level uses the
companies integrated management system which is known as the ERP or
enterprise resource planning.

This is where a company’s top management can see and control their operations. ERP is
usually a suite of different computer applications that can see everything going on inside a
company. It utilizes all of the previous levels technology plus some more software to
accomplish this level of integration.
This allows the business to be able to monitor all levels of the business from manufacturing,
to sales, to purchasing, to finance and payroll, plus many others. The integration of the ERP
promotes efficiency and transparency within a company by keeping everyone in the same
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