Distributed Network Protocol & IEC 61850 - COPA DATA

9/29/22, 12:06 PM Distributed Network Protocol & IEC 61850 | COPA DATA
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DNP3 protocol and IEC 61850
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The DNP3 protocol, or Distributed Network Protocol, is an established
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by the standard usedand
spirit of integrability by simplicity.
energy supply
companies in the U.S. and many other countries across the world. While DNP3 is a widespread standard in the U.S.
energy market, the European IEC 61850 standard is growing in popularity and is seen as
REGISTER the future benchmark for
NOW
local communication. With a widespread use of both standards, more organizations are interested in using a
combination of the two and this can be facilitated through the use of systems like zenon.

About DNP3 protocol

DNP3, also known as IEEE Std 1815, is a comprehensive protocol standard that defines the rules by which
computers communicate with one another. Initiated in 1993, the DNP3 protocol specifically defined the interaction
between utility computer systems with remote communication in mind. To this end, DNP3 focuses on providing a
lightweight means of transporting simple data values with a high degree of integrity.

The DNP3 defines two types of endpoints that communicate with one another – a master and an outstation. These
are defined and explained as follows:

The master
The master is a computer or network used in a control center. This computer is powerful; storing all the
incoming data from outstation sources and processing it for display.
The outstation
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and communicate the data to the master station. Alternatively, a DNP3 outstation may be a remote device
that communicates directly with the master, such as an RTU or an IED, a water or power flow meter, a PV
inverter, or any kind of controlled station.

Furthermore, DNP3 defines data variables by type and behavior and prioritizes them based on whether or not they
represent a change from the baseline state. All of these values and rules are set up by the master on startup
through an integrity poll, which prompts the outstation to send the value and state of all configured points to the
master. After this setup process, the outstation selectively transmits events based on whether the data has changed
since the last poll. These transmissions often occur on a cyclical schedule but may spontaneously send if certain
parameters are met.

These communication rules allow the master and the outstation computers to communicate using limited network
bandwidth to transport simple data values and commands between the two ends of the system. This allows signals
to be sent over serial links, multi-drop serial links, radio links, dial-up connections and over dedicated networks
using TCP/IP or UDP. Because of the adaptability of the system, DNP3 can cope with the majority of connection
interruption scenarios, creating a highly resilient communication system with few errors or failures. This flexibility
and reliability has been integral to the development of the DNP standard and its adoption for remote
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The DNP3 standard was designed for
remote communication in utilities,
where dealing with low bandwidth or
network interruptions is of major
importance.
In practice, DNP3 is primarily used in the automation of substations and control systems for the electric utility
industry. However, DNP3 has also been adopted by other utilities and areas, such as the water and wastewater
industries. As technology and the utility of the protocol has evolved, the DNP Users Group has continued to
develop the specification to improve utility and maintain compatibility and interoperability between devices
implementing the original specification or any added features.

Security and encryption of DNP3

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While DNP3 is demonstrably effective in transporting data from one end to another, the protection of that data is
another matter. Cyber security demands for a set of organizational, architectural and technical measures. The
utilization of DNP3 in a system specifically rises the demand for the protection of data at all points of the
transmission path. Moreover, the system needs to be protected against unauthorized intervention. To this end,
DNP3-based applications often use a combination of TLS encryption and secure authentication procedures, which
are defined below:

TLS encryption
TLS encryption safeguards systems connected over TCP/IP channels by encrypting the data so that only the
internal system can read it. TLS encryption is well-defined by the DNP3 standard and the related Standard
IEC 62351 Part 3, so it is commonly used as a baseline security measure to safeguard against unwanted
disclosure of information, unauthorized access and message manipulation.
Secure authentication
This optional mechanism requires authentication when certain requests come from either the master or the
outstation side. These authentication-protected functions are often critical functions that affect the
operability of the system, such as the setting of command outputs, the reading of confirmation messages, or
similar. Authentication is bidirectional and works using the challenge-response principle, so that if a function
is requested, the master computer is challenged to provide a proper response to a message from the
outstation, based on a pre-shared key. This prevents unauthorized or unintended operation. While
authentication does not encrypt the data or ensure confidentiality, it provides an extra layer of security to
protect against potentially harmful functions or system alterations.

Ideally, DNP3 systems use a combination of these measures to ensure both confidentiality and security at both the
master and outstation tiers.

DNP3 vs. IEC 61850

While DNP3 is the standard that is most widely used in the U.S. energy market, in electric, water and wastewater
facilities, another standard is quickly achieving global acceptance. The European IEC 61850 standard is gaining
recognition as the future benchmark for local communication protocols. Now widely adopted across the globe,
many companies currently using DNP3 are also choosing to adopt cross-functionality for both DNP3 and IEC
61850. However, it is important to understand each protocol and how they compare to one another.

At the most basic level, DNP3 focuses on the transportation of simple data in a secure and lightweight manner for
the purpose of remote communication. IEC 61850, on the other hand, mainly focusses on communication among
assets, such as protection equipment, IEDs or local HMI/SCADA systems, inside of a local facility. Another major
difference between DNP3 and IEC 61850 is that the IEC standard focuses on the context of data. While DNP3
focuses on data and largely passes contextualization off for engineers to handle, IEC 61850 integrates context into
the system by mapping data to logical nodes with predefined, contextual names. This ensures that context is never
lost in the shuffle of compiling data.

By adopting IEC 61850 standards, utility companies can enjoy the following benefits:
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Reduced configuration times
IEC 61850 protocols reduce the time needed to configure new substation automation systems.Due to the
availability of a well-defined data model for substation assets, the System Configuration Tools (SCT) can be
utilized to achieve a fast design of a substation facility. Configurations for involved systems, such as
protection devices or HMI systems can be generated from that. zenon can directly make use of this data, in
order to automatically generate an HMI application. This can cut setup time by up to 90%.
Better standardization and organization
By organizing designs with an object-oriented approach, the IEC 61850 standard allows designers to
develop standard configurations for different elements in the power system. This means that individual
building blocks can be added or removed without re-engineering the entire system from scratch.
Less physical reconfiguration
If changes are necessary, IEC 61850 allows these changes to be easily made through software changes rather
than physical reconfiguration. As such, engineers can easily make changes or revert to previous setups
without requiring costly equipment changes.
Increased virtualization
IEC 61850 protocols allow substation models to be developed and tested in a virtual setup before
implementation. This allows for a stronger initial design that requires less modification over time.

With the above benefits, it's no wonder that the IEC 61850 is becoming more popular. It's important to remember,
however, that adopting IEC 61850 does not mean abandoning DNP3. IEC 61850 semantics can be used on DNP3
protocols even where IEC 61850 itself is not used. This adoption can be an early step when planning a future
integration of IEC 61850.
With zenon, utilities can simply benefit

from the strengths of both, DNP3 and
IEC 61850 in one integrated solution.
How zenon supports DNP3

Managing DNP3 can be a challenge – and juggling both DNP3 and IEC 61850 can be even more difficult. However,
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zenon provides comprehensive support for DNP3 by offering a range of functions and supporting a range of
configurations. Below are some of the most significant features and functions of zenon and how they can help you
with your DNP3 setup.

Master and outstation functionality
zenon offers comprehensive support of the DNP3 protocol for both masters and outstations. The system
does this by assuming both roles during data transfer. As a DNP3 master, zenon acquires data from
subordinate units and is compliant with subset levels 1, 2, 3 and 4, for both requests and responses. As a
DNP3 outstation, zenon provides data to superordinate units and can act as DNP3 gateway and forward
data from an outstation facility to the master computer. Additionally, zenon software can be deployed to
multiple embedded devices to lend DNP3 functionality.
Security functionality
The zenon software platform also offers the comprehensive integration of security functions such as TLS
(62351-3) and Secure Authentication via DNP3. Additionally, zenon offers statistical security information
from the outstations for monitoring.
Automation capability
By controlling both ends of the communication system, zenon can mediate control commands and
responses, providing increased functionality. Energy automation may be achieved by incorporating data with
various technology functions in zenon, while command routing can mediate control commands and
responses between upstream and downstream protocol drivers.

These functions simply scratch the surface of what zenon does to support DNP3 functionality.

An overview of the zenon DNP3 master driver

As an example of how zenon supports DNP3 requirements, we'll dive in to exactly how the DNP3 master works
within the zenon system. The zenon DNP3 master driver (also known as “DNP3 TG” driver) is a DNP3 master that
complies with the IEEE Std 1815-2012. The master is Subset Level 4 compliant for both requests and responses. The
master also supports outstations that are Subset Level 1, 2 or 3. In addition to these functionalities, the zenon
DNP3 master driver also delivers the following:

File transfer
The zenon DNP3 master driver supports DNP file transfer functionalities, including the ability to get file
information, read the directory, read files, write files, delete files and support file transfers.
Secure authentication
zenon supports DNP Secure Authentication v2 and v5, which allows secure communication with devices
according to both IEEE 1815-2010 and IEEE 1815-2012.
Automatic master configuration
The master points database automatically populates from a Class 0 poll or by importing XML device profiles.
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Advanced communication statistics
The driver provides detailed local communication statistics for connection monitoring, which enables users
to create alarms, configure logging or collect detailed insights for troubleshooting and operational
improvements.
Excellent flexibility
Polling cycles can be dynamically changed to meet changing needs and can be customized to pull data from
very small or very large substation groups.
Backward compatible
Any projects using the previous DNP332 driver or DNP3 NG driver can easily migrate to the new driver.

On top of these benefits, the zenon DNP3 master driver is developed and maintained by COPA-DATA. As a member
of the DNP Users Group, we actively play a role in the ongoing development of the IEEE 1815 standard and
proactively update our software to meet evolving needs. In short, the zenon DNP master driver is a master driver
that can meet your DNP communication needs.
Compliance, high functional coverage

and engineering flexibility are key to
rapid progress in DNP3 and IEC 61850
based projects
Configuring the zenon DNP3 master driver

One of the most important, and most daunting, tasks when setting up DNP3 systems is driver configuration. With
zenon, however, this step is simple – yet it remains highly customizable. Whether you've already purchased the
zenon software platform or are simply curious as to how driver setup works, here are the steps involved after
opening the configuration window:

Communication type
Select the ”Options” tab and go to the “Data link” section to choose the appropriate settings for the
communication channel to your outstations. This may be a TCP/IP link, a dual endpoint, a UCP connection or
a serial link. If you have a serial link, select the “Com” tab to set up the com port settings.
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Time configuration
Go to the “Options” tab then the “Application” section to choose whether outstations use UTC or local time.
This section also allows you to configure the pulse duration for controls and define the mapping for double-
bit binary values.
Connection setup
Select the “Connections” tab to configure one or more outstations. To create a new connection with an
outstation, select “New” and specify the net address for the outstation. Each outstation may be configured
with a “Friendly name” for easy identification. Select “Add” to configure the IP address and any secondary IP
address for the outstation. You can also configure the TCP connection time so that the connection closes
after a set idle time or remains open regardless of activity.
Finalization
Once you have configured the outstation connection, you can populate the master database. This can be
done automatically by either importing from the XML device profile or by importing directly from the
outstation through a Class 0 poll. After adding all items and selecting “OK” all points are created in the
database with a link to the corresponding outstation configuration to the driver through the associated net
address.

For more information on driver configuration, confer with your COPA-DATA representative.

Choose COPA-DATA
zenon is a comprehensive DNP3-enabled system that allows for full functionality at both ends of the DNP3
communication setup. If you're looking for a high degree of proven functionality backed by years of expertise,
zenon is the right choice. The zenon software platform is from COPA-DATA, a member of the DNP Users Group and
an active player in the development of IEEE 1815 standards. With over 30 years of experience in the industry,
COPA-DATA continuously improves the software and ensures the maintenance of all necessary logic and
algorithms. You are interested in learning more about the capabilities of zenon?
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9/29/22, 12:06 PM Distributed Network Protocol & IEC 61850 | COPA DATA

DNP3 protocol and IEC 61850

FREE Webinar: Efficient Substation HMI ×

About DNP3 protocol

Security and encryption of DNP3

DNP3 vs. IEC 61850

Reduced configuration times

Better standardization and organization

Less physical reconfiguration

With zenon, utilities can simply benefit

How zenon supports DNP3

Master and outstation functionality

An overview of the zenon DNP3 master driver

Automatic master configuration

Advanced communication statistics

Compliance, high functional coverage

Configuring the zenon DNP3 master driver

© Ing. Punzenberger COPA-DATA GmbH

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