DNP3 Client Configuration

in
CallistoView version 5.0

This is a description of the unique DNP configuration dialogs and files in DAQ’s CallistoView configuration program.
It assumes the latest software, version 5.0 or higher.

The rectangular symbol ! drawn in the text below represents a Windows check box or edit control.

Selecting a device type to add

The bottom window shows devices that are pre-configured. If one of the available devices is acceptable, then it
can be selected, but chances are that the desired device is not available. In this situation, select the general
device. At the present time, creation of new devices is performed by DAQ – note that the Add to profiles button is
grayed out.

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For each DNP3 IED slave device that DAQ’s DNP3 client will communicate with, one device item must be added.
To add a device, make sure that the cylindrical IED icon is selected in the upper window, and a device type is
selected in the bottom window. Click on the Add button. Each added device is configured individually.

General Properties

General properties configure parameters that are common to all of the IEDs. In the upper window, select either the
IED icon or any one of the IED device icons. The general properties dialog is the same regardless of which icon is
selected. Click on the General properties button.

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Link group

DNP3 client address ! specifies which DNP3 address the DAQ equipment should use for itself. (This is the master
address to the IED.) Any address in the range 0 to 65529 is valid as long as it is unique among all DNP3 devices
including the DAQ client.

Retries ! specifies the number of times the link layer will retry to send a DNP3 frame (packet) to the IED if it does
not receive confirmation back that the frame just transmitted was received by the IED. This value is only used
when link layer confirmations are in use; ie, the link confirmation box is checked in the item properties dialog. If link
layer confirmations are not being used, this parameter has no effect.

Inter-frame period (ms) ! specifies the minimum time between sending two DNP3 frames. This allows a gap
between back-to-back messages to allow time for the IED to process the frame before a second frame arrives.
Some IEDs can accept back-to-back frames with no time gap, but others need a minimum amount of time. The
inter-frame time applies to all IEDs even if there are different types connected and some need a gap while others
do not.

Application group

Retries ! specifies the number of times the application layer will send a request to IEDs before an IED which does
not respond is declared off-line or unassociated.

Response timeout (10ms) ! is the number of 10 millisecond periods permitted from when the application layer
requests the link layer to send a message until when the link layer responds back saying that it accomplished, or
failed to accomplish the request. The DNP client is structured in layers like the DNP protocol, and when the
application layer wants to send a request to the IED, it submits this request to the link layer. The link layer then
attempts to send that message to the IED. The link layer then notifies the application layer whether or not it
succeeded. This parameter indicates how much time is allowed to receive the notification back after submitting the
request. This time depends upon whether or not link layer confirms are requested.
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If link layer confirms are not checked on the item properties dialog, the time should include at least 60 mS
processing time, plus RTS-CTS timing, plus the time to transmit a single frame at the configured baud rate, plus
some spare time.

If link layer confirms are turned on in the item properties dialog, the time includes at least 60 mS processing time
plus the number of link layer retries configured times the sum of server’s RTS-CTS timing, single frame transit time,
IED processing time, IED’s RTS-CTS timing and the transit time for an acknowledgement frame back from the IED.

Association period (sec) ! is the number of seconds between tries to form an association (establish
communications) with an IED. If an IED is declared off-line or unassociated because it failed to respond to the DNP
client, the client will omit the IED from its normal polling rotation and only attempt to communicate with the IED
infrequently at a period specified by this parameter. This feature prevents the client from wasting time trying to poll
a device that has failed or was taken out of service.
Default control aperture (sec) ! is the number of seconds the client will wait for the operate half of a select-before-
operate control request from the requestor before it de-selects the point. This does not apply to control
transactions between the client and the IED, rather it is related to transactions between a master station and the
DNP client. Some master stations and some of DAQ’s master station servers are not able to specify the control
aperture time. If they cannot, then this parameter specifies what timing should be used. On the other hand, if a
master station is able to specify the control aperture time, then that is the time that will be used.

Blink when receive is Ο bad Ο good tells the DNP client software when to blink the message received LED (light
emitting Diode). If bad is chosen, then the LED is blinked when no response is received, otherwise, if good is
picked, the LED blinks when a response is received.

RTU program for DNP ! specifies which DNP client software program to use. If this box is not checked, the client
software polls IEDs one-at-time regardless of which communication port each is connected. But if the box is
checked, the IED client polls one IED per port, but communicates over the different ports simultaneously.

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Item properties

Item properties configure parameters that are specific to a single IED. In the upper window, select the desired IED
device icon. Click on the Item properties button.

Link group

Address ! specifies the DNP address assigned to the IED. Any address in the range 0 to 65529 is valid as long as
it is unique among all DNP3 devices including the DAQ client.

Comm port ! specifies which of the four communications ports the IED is connected to.

Response time (x10ms) ! is the number of 10 millisecond periods the link layer in the IED has to return a
confirmation. This value is only used when link layer confirmations are checked in the application group. This time
includes the link layer processing time in the IED, the RTS-CTS time in the IED and the transit time for the
confirmation message based upon the port’s baud rate.

Application group

Polling enabled ! is a check box that enables and disables polling the IED. When enabled the DNP client will
periodically poll the IED for data. Uncheck, or disable polling, when the IED is not yet installed, down for
maintenance or replacement or if data is no longer desired from the IED.

Poll for events ! is a check box that tell the DNP client to poll the IED for DNP events. Events represent changed
conditions or states in the IED. Not all IEDs support transmission of events, but those that do usually allow faster
polling because only changes are sent instead of all the data. Also, if the IED supports binary input events, then
transient events that happen between polls can be captured. Even if polling is enabled, the DNP client will
periodically poll for all static data – see below.

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Link confirmation ! is a check box for setting whether or not messages will be sent to the IED using link layer
confirmations (ie, the IED’s link layer must send a confirmation back to the client each time it receives a frame.)
When the box is checked, link layer confirmations are used.

Include message counters ! is a check box that when checked tells the DNP client to add two counters in the
database. The first is a count of the number of messages sent to the IED and the second is the number of
responses received from the IED.

Response time (10ms) ! is used to specify the maximum time allowed for the IED to return an application layer
response. This time includes the time to transmit a request including any link layer retries, time for the IED to
process the request and the transit time of the response message including all of the link layer frames and RTS-
CTS delays.

Static poll period (s) ! establishes the minimum time between polls for all data. If event polling is enabled per
above, this time can be set to hundreds of seconds (5 or 10 minutes) because the static data would be used as an
integrity check of the values received from events. But if event polling is disabled, this time should be set relatively
low, from 0 to a few seconds, to allow data polling as frequently as possible or practical.

Counter poll period (s) ! establishes the time between polls for counters. Counters are polled separately at
periods that are convenient, for example at intervals of 5 or 15 minutes. If counter data is returned by the IED in
polls for static data, this value can be set to maximum, 21600 (6 hours).

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Adding Points

Status points

To add a status point to an IED, click on the + sign, if it exists, next to the Sta icon in the upper window to expand
the display as shown above. Next, click on (select) the Point icon. Then click the Add button. Then you will see a
display like that below. You can then change the point name by either pressing function key F2 or by clicking and
holding the left mouse button for a second or two.

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Click on the newly added point, and then click the Item properties button and a Status Properties dialog box will
appear.

RTU point number ! is the point number (DNP index number) that the IED uses for the chosen binary input data
point.

! Record SOE is a check box that when checked will create an SOE every time a new state is received for the this
point. If the data is received from the IED with a time stamp, that time will be the time associated with the SOE
time, however, if the data is received without a time stamp, the time of receipt will be included in the SOE.

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! Invert is a check box that when checked copies the opposite state received into the database. For example, the
IED reports a 0 state, then if the box is checked, a 1 is placed into the database.

Analog points

Analog points are added and renamed similar to status points. Click on each analog input icon and click Item
properties to set the point’s properties.

RTU point number ! is the point number (DNP index number) that the IED uses for the chosen analog input data
point.

Full scale value ! is the maximum value expected from the IED. Input values are then scaled proportionally so
that the normalized value sent to the database is equivalent to a full scale value of 32767 in the database. A

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database value of 32767 is the standard full scale value expected by all of DAQ’s servers. If the input value should
not be scaled, ie, entered into the database as is, then a 0 should be entered.

Counter inputs

Accumulator points are added and renamed similar to status points. Click on each accumulator icon and click Item
properties to set the point’s properties.

RTU point number ! is the point number (DNP index number) that the IED uses for the chosen counter input data
point.

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Maximum count ! is the highest count expected from the IED. The maximum count is the highest value that can
be reported for the accumulator so that if one more count were added, it would roll over and a value of 0 would be
reported. DNP devices usually count to the maximum binary value and rollover to 0, but this is not guaranteed.
Check the IED manufacturer’s literature. The maximum binary value for 16 bits is 65535 and the maximum binary
value for 32 bits is 4294967295.

Control points

Control output points are added and renamed similar to status points. Click on each control output icon and click
Item properties to set the point’s properties.

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The configuration for control output points is very flexible in order to support the many ways IED manufacturers
design control operations. This property dialog is organized as two separate but identical groups. The top group
represents what type of message the DNP client should send to the IED when a close command is received by
the DAQ RTU from the master station. The bottom group represents what type of message the DNP client should
send to the IED when a trip command is received by the DAQ RTU from the master station. Only the top group is
discussed below, but the identical instructions apply to the bottom group.

Within each group are two groups. The upper group is labeled IED control point. It has 3 radio buttons, one edit
box and one check box.

Ο None Ο Close Ο Trip radio buttons select which command type is sent to the IED. DNP allows the choice of
Null (None), Close or Trip. Normally, but not always, close and trip are associated with pulse modes (see second
group) and Null (None) is associated with latching modes.

Number ! is the control point index within the IED. Note, as shown in the dialog above, close and trip commands
sent from the master to the DAQ RTU can be directed to separate points in the IED.

! Direct operate is a check box that when checked will cause the DNP client to send a direct operate command to
the IED. If the box is unchecked, the DNP client will send select-before-operate sequences.

The lower group has 3 radio buttons and one edit box.

Ο Latch on Ο Latch off Ο Pulse radio buttons select the mode. Latching modes are usually associated with null
commands and pulse is normally associated with trip and close command types. Note that when pulse is specified,
DNP pulse on commands are issued. DNP pulse off commands are never issued.

Control duration (10ms) ! permits the user to specify a default control duration period if the master does not send
a control duration in its message to the DAQ RTU.

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Setpoint outputs

Setpoint (analog) output points are added and renamed similar to status points. Click on each setpoint output icon
and click Item properties to set the point’s properties.

RTU point number ! is the point number (DNP index number) that the IED uses for the chosen setpoint (analog)
output data point.

! Direct operate is a check box that when checked will cause the DNP client to send a direct operate command to
the IED. If the box is unchecked, the DNP client will send select-before-operate sequences.

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Full scale value ! is the maximum value that will be transmitted to the IED when the DAQ internally normalized
maximum value of 32767 is present. All other values are proportionally scaled.

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