5.

COMMUNICATION IN DCS & SCADA

5.1. Objectives

1. Know the functions, benefits, and shortcomings of

common communications equipment used in SCADA
system.
2. Be able to understand the communications terms as
they relate to remote data acquisition and control.
5.2. What is communication?

Communication is the movement of data or

intelligence from one location to another.
The requirements for communication:
1. Communication path (Physical path).
2. The sending equipment
3. The receiving equipment
4. Protocol
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.1. Introduction
•A LAN is a communications path between one or more
computers, file-servers, terminals, workstations, and
various other intelligent peripheral equipment, which are
generally referred to as devices or hosts.
•The connection of a device into a LAN is made through a
node with the unique address.
•LANs operate at relatively high speed (Mbps range and
upwards) with a shared transmission medium over a
fairly small geographical (i.e. local) area.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.2. Network topologies

The way the nodes are connected to form a network is known as its topology.
There are many topologies available but they form two basic types: logical or
physical.
1. A logical topology defines how the elements in the network communicate
with each other, and how information is transmitted through a network.
2. A physical topology defines the wiring layout for a network. This specifies
how the elements in the network are connected to each other electrically.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

BUS topologies: A bus refers to both a physical and a logical
topology.
• As a physical topology, a bus describes a network in which each
node is connected to a common single communication channel or
‘bus’. This bus is sometimes called a backbone, as it provides the
spine for the network. Every node can hear each message
packet as it goes past.
• Logically, a passive bus is distinguished by the fact that packets
are broadcast and every node gets the message at the same
time.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

BUS topologies
• Bus terminator.
• Nodes should be far enough.
• However, the bus cable should not be too long.
•
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Bus topology advantages
• A bus uses relatively little cable compared to other topologies and arguably
has the simplest wiring arrangement.
• Since nodes are connected by high impedance tappings across a backbone
cable, it’s easy to add or remove nodes from a bus. This makes it easy to
extend a bus topology.
• Architectures based on this topology are simple and flexible.
• The broadcasting of messages is advantageous for one-to-many data
transmissions.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Bus topology disadvantages
• There can be a security problem, since every node may see every message
– even those that are not destined for it.
• Diagnosis / troubleshooting (fault-isolation), can be difficult, since the fault
can be anywhere along the bus.
• There is no automatic acknowledgment of messages, since messages get
absorbed at the end of the bus and do not return to the sender.
• The bus cable can be a bottleneck when network traffic gets heavy. This is
because nodes can spend much of their time trying to access the network.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Star topology
A star topology is a physical topology in which multiple nodes are connected to a central component,
generally known as a hub.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Star topology advantages
• Troubleshooting and fault isolation are easy.
• It is easy to add or remove nodes and to modify the cable layout.
• Failure of a single node does not isolate any other node
• The inclusion of a central hub allows easier monitoring of traffic
for management purposes.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Star topology disadvantages
• If the hub fails, the entire network fails. Sometimes a backup
central machine is included, to make it possible to deal with such a
failure.
• A star topology requires a lot of cable.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Ring topology
• A ring topology is both a logical and a physical topology. As a logical
topology, a ring is distinguished by the fact that message packets are
transmitted sequentially from node to node, in a predefined order, and as
such it is an example of a point-to-point system. Nodes are arranged in a
closed loop, so that the initiating node is the last one to receive a packet.
• As a physical topology, a ring describes a network in which each node is
connected to exactly two other nodes. Information traverses a one-way path,
so that a node receives packets from exactly one node and transmits them
to exactly one other node.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Ring topology
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Ring topology advantages
• A physical ring topology has minimal cable requirements
• No wiring center or closet needed
• The message can be automatically acknowledged
• Each node can regenerate the signal
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.3. Network topologies

Ring topology disadvantages
• If any node goes down, the entire ring goes down.
• Diagnosis/troubleshooting (fault isolation) is difficult because communication
is
only one-way.
• Adding or removing nodes disrupts the network.
• There will be a limit on the distance between nodes.
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.4. IEEE 802.3 Ethernet

The IEEE 802.3 standard defines a range of cable types that can be used for a network based
on this standard. They include coaxial cable, twisted pair cable and fiber optic cable.
The IEEE 802.3 standard documents (ISO 8802.3) support various cable media and
transmission rates up to 10 Mbps as follows:
• 10BASE-2 – thin wire coaxial cable (0.25 inch diameter), 10 Mbps, single cable bus
• 10BASE-5 – thick wire coaxial cable (0.5 inch diameter), 10 Mbps, single cable bus
• 10BASE-T – unscreened twisted pair cable (0.4 to 0.6 mm conductor diameter), 10 Mbps,
twin cable bus
• 10BASE-F – optical fiber cables, 10 Mbps, twin fiber bus
• 1BASE-5 – unscreened twisted pair cables, 1 Mbps, twin cable bus (obsolete)
• 10BROAD-36 – cable television (CATV) type cable, 10 Mbps, broadband (obsolete)
5.3. Local area network systems (LAN)

5.3.4. IEEE 802.3

Ethernet
5.3. Protocol

1. All the data transfer in communication is binary data.

2. Protocol is a set of rules that defines the meaning of a
pattern of binary words:
What is the first bit represented? The second? The 247th?
The same code from sender to receiver.

How many protocols did you know?

5.4. Protocol

1.The purposed of each bit is

defined.
2.Total length of the
transmitted document?
3.What is the purpose of:
• Sync?
• Remote Address?
• Function?
• Internal Address?
• Modifier?
• Special order?
• CRC? Layout of a message sent in a particular protocol based
on IEEE C37.10
Protocol

Synchronous and Asynchronous?

1. Sync: Data is transferred with timing signal
2. Async: Data is transferred without timing signal