SCADA Systems - Looking Ahead

Overview:

This white paper provides insight into the evolution of the modern SCADA system and looks to the very near future by discussing such timely topics as:

• Improving system efficiency and security
• Managing field data and
• Open standards

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems are used in a wide range of applications to provide monitoring and control of remote equipment and assets. A SCADA system’s primary function is to transfer and present information to/from a range of sources and locations, while ensuring that data integrity and appropriate update rates are maintained.

SCADA System Evolution

SCADA systems have evolved from early telemetry systems that used tone-based modulation techniques to transfer analog and digital values at low data rates over telephone lines and radio links. Modern SCADA systems are able to provide 'near real-time' updates from thousands of Remote Terminal Units (RTUs) that are often spread over large geographical areas, using a range of secure communications media, to multiple 'users' that may also be remotely located.

Until recently SCADA systems were most often used in a reactive manner to identify system faults as they occurred and to record system data and events for later analysis. Present demands on all types of businesses for increased efficiencies and particularly on utility companies for increased security of their assets and products means SCADA systems must now be pro-active and include a lot of data management and security functionality that allows problems to be avoided - rather than just recorded.