Protocol Support

Power Probes + Lambda Atten. for third party Opto FEXT

IEC 101

IEC 60870-5-101 (also known as IEC 870-5-101) is an international standard, released in early 90ies by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) and found widespread use in the energy sector, and is still used today. It is based on the EPA architecture (Enhanced Performance Architecture) and defines only the physical link and application layers of the OSI 7-layer model.

IEC 60870-5-101 is primarily used with relatively slow transmission media on the asynchronous V.24 interface. The standard promises baud rates of up to 9600 bit/s, with much higher baud rates (<115200 bit/s) actually being used. X.24/X.27 interfaces with baud rates up to 64000 bit/s, also part of the standard's description, could not establish themselves and are rarely used.

IEC 60870-5-101 is a 'Companion Standard', extended by these further standards:

• IEC 60870-5-1
  defines different frame formats, though IEC 60870-5-101 uses only the FT1.2 format

• IEC 60870-5-2
  defines the link layer transmission mode

• IEC 60870-5-3
  defines the basic application data structure

• IEC 60870-5-4
  defines how information is encoded

• IEC 60870-5-5
  defines basic application layer functions

• IEC TS 60870-5-601
  defines "Conformance Test Cases" for IEC 60870-5-101

IEC 60870-5-101 was extended and more precisely defined in 2001 by Amendment 2.

Interoperability between devices by different vendors is ensured by the interoperability list, which is defined by the standard. In the list, the function range is defined for each device by marking the applicable functions. The common denominator between different vendor lists limits the possible function range.

As the original standard left more room for interpretation, there were many different implementations on a wide range of different devices many of which are mutually incompatible. To remedy this situation, major energy utilities, such as RWE, Bayernwerke (E.ON), have developed their own IEC 60870-5-101 based standards. The "Norwegian IEC 870-5-101 User Convention", managing line redundancy in particular, has found wide acceptance in Scandinavian countries.

IEC 60870-5-101 is known for the resilience of its link layer and for its simply structured application layer. The main focus was placed on performance definition, so that some information needed for data decoding is not transmitted. For data decoding to work, parameter settings such as information object length, ASDU address length etc. need to be correct. This is not much of a problem, as interoperability lists help to achieve this.

Fragmentary protocol definition has its disadvantages, especially with respect to line redundancy where a range of diverging implementations exist. A clear definition of project-specific requirements is recommended.

In addition to standard protocol functionalities, IEC 60870-5-101 also allows for extensions with proprietary vendor-specific functions. Though not used too often, this also carries the risk of incompatibilities.

IEC 102

IEC 60870-5-102 is an international protocol standard, released by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Comission) at the beginning of the 90ies. It enables communication between a central unit and several counter value devices, in particular in the energy sector.

The protocol is based on the EPA architecture (Enhanced Performance Architecture) and defines only the physical, link and application layers of the OSI model.

IEC 60870-5-102 is primarily used on slow transmission media on the asynchronous V.24 interface. The standard promises baud rates of up to 9600 bit/s. X.24/X.27 interfaces with baud rates up to 64000 bit/s, also defined by the standard, could not establish themselves and are rarely used.

IEC 60870-5-102 is a 'Companion Standard', extended by these further standards:

• IEC 60870-5-1
  defines different frame formats, though IEC 60870-5-102 uses only the FT1.2 format

• IEC 60870-5-2
  defines the link layer transmission mode

• IEC 60870-5-3
  defines the basic application data structure

• IEC 60870-5-4
  defines how information is encoded

• IEC 60870-5-5
  defines basic application layer functions

Interoperability between devices by different vendors is ensured by the interoperability list, which is defined by the standard. In the list, the function range is defined for each device by marking the applicable functions. The common denominator between different vendor lists defines the possible function range.

IEC 60870-5-103 is an international standard, released by IEC (International Electrotechnical Comission) at the beginning of the 90ies. It allows the coupling of a central unit to several protection devices and is primarily used in the energy sector. The standardized function range is especially designed for the communication with protection devices and therefore it's difficulty to adapt it to other applications.

The protocol is based on the EPA architecture (Enhanced Performance Architecture), defining only the physical link and application layer of the OSI layer model.

IEC 60870-5-103 is mainly used for relatively slow transmission media on asynchronous V.24 (RS232) and RS485 interfaces. Connection via fibre optics is also covered by the standard. The transmission speed in general is specified with a maximum of 19200 Baud.

IEC 60870-5-103 is a 'Companion Standard' and is extended by the following standards:

• IEC 60870-5-1
  defines different frame formats, IEC 60870-5-103 applies only the FT1.2 format

• IEC 60870-5-2
  defines the transmission mode on the link layer

• IEC 60870-5-3
  defines the basic application data structure

• IEC 60870-5-4
  defines how information elements are encoded

• IEC 60870-5-5
  defines basic application layer functions

Interoperability between devices by different vendors is ensured by the interoperability list, which is defined by the standard. In the list, the function range is defined for each device by marking the applicable functions. The common denominator between different vendor lists defines the possible function range.

In addition to standard protocol functions, IEC 60870-5-103 also accommodates extensions for proprietary vendor-specific functions. These are used extensively by manufacturers of protection devices. As a result compatibility between devices by different vendors cannot always be ensured. The function range can further be extended by using generic data objects, which allow the transmission of any kind of information in both directions.

IEC 103

IEC 104

IEC 60870-5-104 (also known as IEC 870-5-104) is an international standard, released in 2000 by the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission). As can be seen from the standard's full designation 'Network access for IEC 60870-5-101 using standard transport profiles', its application layer is based on IEC 60870-5-101.

IEC 60870-5-104 enables communication between control station and substation via a standard TCP/IP network. The TCP protocol is used for connection-oriented secure data transmission.

IEC 60870-5-104 limits the information types and configuration parameters defined in IEC 60870-5-101, which means that not all functions available in IEC 60870-5-101 are supported by IEC 60870-5-104. For instance IEC 60870-5-104 does not support short time stamps (3-byte format), the length of the various address elements is set to defined maximum values. But in practice, vendors very often combine the IEC 60870-5-101 application layer with the IEC 60870-5-104 transport profile, without paying attention to these restrictions. This might then lead to problems, if a device strictly applies the standard.

Interoperability between devices by different vendors is ensured by the interoperability list, which is defined by the standard. In the list, the function range is defined for each device by marking the applicable functions. The common denominator between different vendor lists defines the possible function range.

The biggest advantage of IEC 60870-5-104 is that it enables communication via a standard network, which allows simultaneous data transmission between several devices and services. Apart from this, the same pros and cons apply to IEC 60870-5-104 sand IEC 60870-5-101. Issues that remain to be dealt with are the definition of communication with redundant systems or networks and, with the use of the internet, data encryption.

DNP 3.0

The DNP protocol was developed for communication with telecontrol substations and other intelligent electronic devices (IEDs). Designed with current and future telecontrol applications for the North American power industry in mind, it is still widely used to this day. Although the Harris company originally initiated its development, responsibility for further upgrades and maintenance then passed to the DNP User Group, a user and vendor association for the protocol.

Originally, the protocol's main use was for slow serial communication, its present-day version also supports TCP/IP-based operation.

Unlike related protocols such as IEC 60870-5-101, DNP 3.0 commands a very powerful application layer, which allows the decoding of data without the use of implicit parameters. DNP 3.0 supports a variety of representation modes for information objects, offering a high degree of interoperability on the application layer. This was achieved at the cost of greater complexity, which makes implementation more difficult and demands much more time for implementation and testing.

Compared with IEC 60870-5-101, the protocol's transport layer allows fragmented data transmission of higher volumes. This has a positive effect on communication via TCP/IP, as the whole network bandwidth can be fully utilized.

A further advantage compared with IEC 60870-5-101 is provided by the additional feature of requesting receive acknowledgement from the remote terminal. A substation can remove data from its buffer after it has actually arrived at its destination and has been acknowledged. This feature facilitates the use of simple routers.

As is true for the IEC 60870-5-101, its link layer is based on the IEC 60870-5-1 and IEC 60870-5-2 standards. But only balanced transmission mode is used, which was exclusively intended for full-duplex point-to-point connections. As DNP 3.0 is also used for half duplex party-line operation, a mechanism to prevent collisions was added. As this mechanism requires specific functionalities in the DCEs - which might not always be present - and accurate configuration of the timing, in practice its use often involves some difficulties. In many cases this drawback results in ignoring the link layer functionality, so that only the unacknowledged (SEND/NO REPLY) service with poll-initiated data transmission on the application layer is used instead. The problem can be avoided in TCP/IP operation, as collisions cannot occur or are averted by the network.

Two forms which have to be completed by every manufacturer help ensure maximum interoperability between devices:

• DNP Device Profile
  which defines the basic protocol functionalities supported by the device

• DNP Implementation Table
  which defines the information objects and their representation supported by the device.

In addition subsets of the full function range are defined and divided into three levels:

• DNP Level 1
  is the smallest subset and defines only the simplest functions and information objects. This level is best suited for IEDs.

• DNP Level 2
  is intended for larger devices such as RTUs.

• DNP Level 3
  suits larger RTUs and offers practically the complete range of DNP 3.0 functionalities.

These levels are downward compatible, for instance a master of level 2 supports levels 1 and 2. .

For each device there is a "device profile" that shows which levels are supported. Compatibility tests were developed in 2000 (Certification Procedure) with detailed descriptions of device behavior to ensure maximum compatibility, but until now only for levels 1 and 2.

IEC 61850

IEC 61850 is the most recent standard for communication networks and systems in substations. Its scope of definitions greatly exceeds that of the preceding standard IEC 60870-5-101. IEC 61850 comprises these individual standards:

• IEC 61850-1, 61850-2
  Introduction and overview / Glossary

• IEC 61850-3
  General requirements

• IEC 61850-4
  System and project management

• IEC 61850-5
  Communication requirements for functions and device models

• IEC 61850-6
  Configuration description language for communication in electrical substations related to IEDs

• IEC 61850-7-1
  Basic communication structure for substation and feeder equipment - Principles and models

• IEC 61850-7-2
  Basic communication structure for substation and feeder equipment - Abstract communication service interface (ACSI)

• IEC 61850-7-3
  Basic communication structure for substation and feeder equipment - Common data classes

• IEC 61850-7-4
  Basic communication structure for substation and feeder equipment - Compatible logical node classes and data classes

• IEC 61850-8-1
  Specific Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) - Mapping to MMS (ISO 9506-1 and ISO 9506-2) and to ISO/IEC 8802-3

• IEC 61850-9-1
  Specific Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) - Sampled values over serial unidirectional multidrop point-to-point link

• IEC 61850-9-2
  Specific Communication Service Mapping (SCSM) - Sampled values over ISO/IEC 8802-3

• IEC 61850-10
  Conformance testing

IEC 61850 is not limited to the transmission format, but also defines a complete data model. It also introduces an XML-based language (Substation Configuration description Language - SCL) offering a vendor-independent method of describing devices and their configurations.

IEC 61850 is supplemented by branch-specific data models (e.g. IEC 61400-25), in which the basic protocol principles are maintained.
The standard IEC 61400-25 (communications for monitoring and control of wind power plants) is also implemented in the protocol stack IEC 61850, Client.
The mapping is complying with part 4 of the norm (IEC 61400-25 annex C: IEC 61400 per Manufacturing Message Specification (MMS) according to IEC 61850-8-1).

IEC 62351

IEC 62351 is the current standard for security in energy management systems an associated data exchange. It describes measures to comply with the four major requirements for secure data communications / data processing: confidentiality, data integrity, authentication and non-repudiation.

IEC 62351 includes the following individual standards:

• IEC 62351-1
  Overview of the entire document IEC 62351 and introduction to IT security aspects for the operation of power supply systems

• IEC 62351-2
  Glossary of terms and abbreviations

• IEC 62351-3
  End-to-end data traffic protection of TCP/IP-based connections using TLS [RFC5246] with mandatory mutual authentication of client and server based on X.509 certificates

• IEC 62351-4
  Security measure for MMS-based protocols (e.g. IEC 60870-6, IEC 61850) by securing the transport layer according to IEC 62351-3 and definition of an authentication mechanism "SECURE" on the application layer for MMS associations using X.509 certificates

• IEC 62351-5
  Security for IEC 60870-5 and derived protocols (e.g. IEC 60870-5-104 / IEC 60870-5-101 / DNP 3.0) on the application layer through the means of authorizing the access to cricital resources of a substation based on role-based access control (RBAC) and statistical recording of security relevant incidents

• IEC 62351-6
  Security for IEC 61850 protocol by using VLAN marks and X.509 signatures on GOOSE and SMV telegrams

• IEC 62351-7
  Security through the use of networking and system administration tools in order to enable monitoring of power grid infrastructure, i.e. using MIB definitions for IEDs, which provide relevant system information about the device and the communication lines via the SNMP protocol in a standardized way

• IEC 62351-8
  Definition of methods to process and to manage access rights for users and services based on a role based access control (RBAC) scheme. The identity information, as wells as the role name is stored in an access token (ASN.1 syntax), which is exchanged in a cryptographically secure way between the systems using different transport mechanisms, i.e. X.509 certificates, X.509 attribute certificates, software token. An LDAP system centrally manages the access tokens and enables the access (PUSH- / PULL-mechanism) to the identity information of the communication partner. Furthermore, predefined default roles are established (see table below) and the access rights in the context of IEC 61850 are defined (e.g. listing of all objects within a "logical device").

• IEC 62351-9
  "Cyber security", the key management for power supply systems, deals with the correct and safe usage of safety-critical parameters, e.g. passwords, encryption keys and the whole life cycle of cryptographic information (enrollment, creation, distribution, installation, usage, storage and removal). For algorithms applying asymmetric cryptography, the handling of digital certificates (public / private key), the necessary infrastructure (PKI, X.509 certificates) and the mechanisms concerning different management aspects (e.g. certificate request (SCEP, CMP) certificate revocation (CRL, OCSP), are defined. A secure distribution mechanism based on GDOI [RFC6407] and the IKEv2 protocol [RFC7427] is presented for the usage of symmetric keys, e.g. session keys.

• IEC 62351-10
  The norm explains security architectures of the entire IT infrastructure, with additional focus on special security requirements in the field of power generation. Critical points of the communication architecture are identified (e.g. substation control center, substation automation) and appropriate security mechanisms (e.g. data encryption, user authentication) are proposed. The application of the mechanisms from IEC 62351 and well-proven standards from the IT domain (e.g. VPN tunnel, secure FTP, HTTPS) are combined to cope with the security requirements.

• IEC 62351-11
  Security for XML files through embedding of the original XML content into an XML container, which enables optional data encryption, X.509 signature for authenticity of XML data, date of issue and access control of XML data.

BACnet

First defined by the ASHRE (American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers), the BACnet standard was then adopted by European standards agencies. 'BACnet' stands for 'Building Automation and Control networking protocol', the standard was primarily used in the area of facility automation.

HN Z

HNZ denotes a number of national standards, defined by the EDF (ELECTRICITE DE FRANCE), such as:

• HN Z 66-S-11
  defines the physical layer functions and frame formats

• HN Z 66-S-13
  defines the link layer functions

• HN Z 66-S-15
  defines simplified link layer functions

The standard does not define an application layer.

Actual implementations - though in a simplified form - are available for instance from CEGELEC (see also HN Z 66-S-11/15, T63).

ICCP

EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) defined the ICCP protocol (Inter-Control Center Communication Protocol) based on the TASE.2 IEC standard .

MODBUS

The Modbus protocol was originally developed and published by Modicon at the beginning of the 80ies. The standard is primarily used in process automation. Because of its openness and simplicity, it has become a de-facto industry standard. The Modbus Organization has taken care of its further development and updates, it also provides all protocol-related documentation.

Modbus supports two different transmission modes:

• Modbus serial
  supports communication via serial interfaces such as RS232, RS485

• Modbus TCP/IP
  supports communication based on TCP/IP technologies.

Modbus serial supports two different transmission modes:

• Modbus RTU
  uses binary data encoding

• Modbus ASCII
  uses ASCII code for encoding data in readable character strings

Today, only Modbus RTU communication is still in practical use.

Modbus applies the master/slave principle, where one master can communicate with one or several slaves. A slave can only respond to explicit requests (polls) by the master.

Modbus supports only binary and 16-bit values, which are read in blocks by the master, neither quality identifiers nor time stamps can be used.

OPC Classic

The abbreviation OPC Classic (OLE for Process Control) refers to an interface which is defined and expanded by the OPC Foundation. OPC Classic is widely used in process automation, in particular for coupling process data to HMI systems.

OPC Classic is based on a client-server structure. A client (master) can access one or several servers (slaves). Several clients can simultaneously access one server. One server provides the data and the client receives the data from the server. Although the client can also transmit data to the server, the main direction of data flow is from the server to the client.

OPC Classic comprises a number of interfaces which serve various purposes. The most important are:

• DA (Data Access)
  this is probably the most widely used interface defining interfaces and methods for accessing process data

• AE (Alarm and Event)
  is an add-on to the DA interface and enables the transmission of events and alarms

• HD (Historical Data)
  is an add-on to the DA interface and enables the transmission of historical data

• DA XML
  This interface is a fairly recent addition based on the DA interface. Data encoding is however based on XML (eXtended Markup Language).

Unlike other protocols which have mainly been developed for the transmission of process data, the OPC Foundation allows users to verify the compliance of the server implementation with the standard. This is done with the Compliance Test Tool (CTT), a software package which is made available to members free of charge. If the server passes the compliance test, a document is generated as compatibility proof and functional reference. The CCT enables the user to virtually eliminate incompatibilities between implementations from different manufacturers and ensure smooth integration.

In addition, workshops are organized on a regular basis, where different manufacturers can benchmark their systems against each other.

OPC UA

OPC UA (Unified Architecture) was specified by the OPC Foundation and combines the previous technologies OPC Classic DA, AE and HD. It paves the way for industry 4.0 and Internet of Things (IoT). The use of Microsoft DCOM is dispensed with. Instead, a service-oriented protocol based on TCP/IP is used for secure communication, e.g. on the internet, thanks to encryption and user authentication, also across firewalls. For the first time, numerous Linux implementations and on-chip solutions are available in addition to implementations for Microsoft Windows®.

That is why OPC UA is applicable from sensor to cloud.

MQTT

The MQTT (Message Queuing Telemetry Transport) protocol is an open OASIS and ISO standard (ISO/IEC 20922) and enables the exchange of arbitrary data between two machines without a direct communication link between them. It applies the pattern of publish-subscribe, where the MQTT client can send (publish) or receive (subscribe) data and the MQTT broker serves as a data dispatcher between the MQTT clients. The published/subscribed data is addressed by topics which are managed by the MQTT broker.

The protocol defines no encoding scheme for the payload data. Through the use of a publish/subscribe mechanism, the published message can be consumed by many clients.

Kafta

Kafka uses a binary protocol over TCP. The protocol defines all APIs as request response message pairs. All messages are size delimited and are made up of the following primitive types.

The client initiates a tcp connection and then writes a sequence of request messages and reads back the corresponding response message. No handshake is required on connection or disconnection. TCP is happier if you maintain persistent connections used for many requests to amortise the cost of the TCP handshake, but beyond this penalty connecting is pretty cheap.

The client will likely need to maintain a connection to multiple brokers, as data is partitioned and the clients will need to talk to the server that has their data. However it should not generally be necessary to maintain multiple connections to a single broker from a single client instance (i.e. connection pooling).

The server guarantees that on a single TCP connection, requests will be processed in the order they are sent and responses will return in that order as well. The broker's request processing allows only a single in-flight request per connection in order to guarantee this ordering. Note that clients can (and ideally should) use non-blocking IO to implement request pipe-lining and achieve higher throughput. i.e., clients can send requests even while awaiting responses for preceding requests since the outstanding requests will be buffered in the underlying OS socket buffer. All requests are initiated by the client, and result in a corresponding response message from the server except where noted.

The server has a configurable maximum limit on request size and any request that exceeds this limit will result in the socket being disconnected.

Profibus

Profibus (Process Field Bus) is a standard for fieldbus communication in automation technology.

There are three variants of Profibus, whereas DP (decentralized periphery) is the most used: Profibus DP for control through a central control in production engineering. A lot of standard diagnostics options are in the foreground. Another application is the linking of "distributed intelligence", i.e. the networking of multiple controls among each. Data rates up to 12 Mbit/sec. on twisted two-wire cables are possible.

The DP application layer was defined in three steps. The origin DP protocol (formalized in 1993) is colloquially named as "DP-V0". The following functions are defined per level:

• DP-V0 - the cyclic exchange of data and diagnostics.
  Devices with this range of functions are especially used in general automation technology and machine control.

• DP-V1 - the acyclic data exchange and alarm handling.
  Devices that support these extensions can be found especially in process engineering.

Profinet

Profinet (Process Field Network) is the open industrial Ethernet standard for communication in the automation technology.

Profinet uses TCP/IP and IT standards. It is capable for real-time Ethernet and enables the integration of fieldbus systems. The Profinet concept is modular. It basically differs in the perception of Profinet IO and Profinet CBA. Both channels are able to communicate at the same time and on the same bus system either individually or in combination (parallel operation). In the broader sense, Profinet IO can be considered as direct successor of Profibus DP.

1. Profinet IO (Input - Output) is created in order to connect decentralized periphery with a controller. The available functions and the real-time attributes are divided into the three conformance classes CC-A, CC-B and CC-C with respect of the different applications.

2. Profinet CBA (Component Based Automation) is intended for component based communication via TCP/IP and the real-time communication in the modular plant engineering.

A ProfinetIO system consists of the following device types:

• IO controller for automation tasks

• IO device controlled by an IO controller. The IO device consists of several modules and submodules. The submodules contain individual input and output signals.

• IO supervisor is a development tool (typically based on a PC) in order to parametrize and diagnose specific IO devices.

SNMP

SNMP stands for 'Simple Network Management Protocol'. It belongs to the TCP/IP protocol family and enables the management of devices in an IP network, such as routers, switches, workstations etc. There are several variants which are defined in the corresponding RFCs:

• SNMP V1

• SNMP V2

• SNMP V3

SNMP distinguishes between an agent (server) which supplies the data and a manager (client) which accesses the data.

Data transmission is based on the connection-less UDP protocol.

The data is encoded as per ASN.1 (ISO/IEC 8824), Basic Encoding Rules (BER).

OIDs or object identifiers are used for data addressing. An OID has a hierarchical structure consisting of a string of decimal numbers separated by a point '.', for instance .1.3.6.1.2.1. Each number is assigned a symbol depending on the level to make it more readable, for instance .iso.org.dod.internet.mgmt.mib-2. The meaning of the numbers on each level is defined and also reveals the meaning of the object addressed this way.
The address space consists of a standardised and a proprietary part. In the standardised part, standardised information objects are defined (for instance MIB II), while the proprietary area is reserved for manufacturer-specific objects (.1.3.6.1.4.1 [.iso.org.dod.internet.private.enterprises]). Many manufacturers use their proprietary identifiers for managing device-specific information. MIB files encoded in ASN.1 format allow the definition of the information (Management Information Block).

Subpico SNMP OEM MIB OID 1.3.6.1.4.1.45768

SISA/QD2

'SISA' stands for 'Supervisory and Information System for local and remote Area' and refers to a communication network for controlling and monitoring telecommunication facilities such as SDH, PDH multiplexers. SISA/QD2 is a hierarchically organized network dispatching information between network elements (NE) and corresponding operation systems (OS).

SISA/QD2 was standardized by the FTZ (German Telecommunication Engineering Authority, now ZZF) as per the FTZ standard N 13-5.

Its physical interface is called QD2.

TASE.2

The IEC standard TASE.2 (also referred to as IEC 60870-6) enables the exchange of time-critical information between control systems via WAN and LAN. TASE stands for 'Telecontrol Application Service Element', it is identical to the ICCP protocol and contains these individual standards:

• IEC 60870-6-503
  TASE.2 Services and protocols

• IEC 60870-6-702
  Functional profile for providing the TASE.2 application service in end systems

• IEC 60870-6-802
  TASE.2 Object models

UCA II

UCA II

EtherNET/IP

EtherNet/IP is an industrial Ethernet communication protocol built on the standard Ethernet (IEEE 802.3) and TCP/IP protocols, designed for industrial automation applications. It uses the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) for its application layer, allowing devices to exchange data and control information in a structured, object-oriented manner.

Key Features and Characteristics:

• Industrial Ethernet:

  EtherNet/IP uses the standard Ethernet network at the physical and data-link layers, making it compatible with existing Ethernet infrastructure.

• CIP-based:

  It utilises the Common Industrial Protocol (CIP) for its application layer, which defines the structure and message transfer between devices.

• TCP/IP and UDP:

  EtherNet/IP uses the TCP/IP suite for data transport, including TCP for reliable, explicit messaging and UDP for faster, implicit messaging.

• Real-time Capabilities:

  EtherNet/IP is designed for industrial automation environments with stringent time requirements, offering good real-time capabilities.

• Object-Oriented Design:

  CIP's object-oriented design allows devices to be represented as objects, with specific properties and methods, making it easier to manage and interact with devices.

• Device Profiles:

  CIP defines device profiles, which specify the data structures and services that a device provides, ensuring interoperability between different devices.

• Interoperability:

  EtherNet/IP supports a wide range of devices, from simple I/O devices to complex controllers like PLCs, facilitating a variety of automation applications.

• Standard Ethernet:

  EtherNet/IP utilises standard Ethernet hardware and software, simplifying implementation and integration with existing IT networks.

• IIoT Augmentation:

  EtherNet/IP is well-suited for Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) applications, enabling the integration of various sensors, devices, and cloud services.

Benefits of using EtherNet/IP:

• Standardisation: Using standard Ethernet technology makes implementation and integration easier and more cost-effective.

• Real-time capabilities: Supports real-time communication for control applications.

• Scalability: Allows for easy expansion of networks and integration of new devices.

• Interoperability: Facilitates communication between different devices and vendors.

• IIoT Integration: Supports the integration of IIoT devices and services.

In essence, EtherNet/IP is a powerful and versatile protocol for industrial automation, enabling communication and control between a wide range of devices in a reliable and efficient manner.

Sercos III

Sercos III is an open, IEC-standardised, Ethernet-based real-time communication protocol used for automation systems. It enables real-time data exchange between various automation devices, including drives, controllers, and I/O, in a deterministic and high-speed manner. Sercos III supports both hard and soft real-time requirements, making it suitable for a wide range of applications.

• Deterministic Communication:

  Sercos III uses a strict cyclic time frame for data exchange, ensuring predictable and low-jitter communication.

• Ethernet-based:

  It leverages Ethernet technology, allowing for the integration of diverse automation devices within a single network.

• Ring and Line Topologies:

  Supports both ring and line topologies, offering redundancy and flexibility.

• Slave-to-Slave Communication:

  Enables direct communication between slaves without going through the master, improving efficiency.

• Real-time and Non-real-time Data:

  Supports both real-time and non-real-time data exchange via the same Ethernet network.

• Unified Communication Channel:

  Provides a dedicated channel for non-real-time data exchange, such as IP protocols.

• High Data Transfer Rate:

  Offers a high data transfer rate, essential for high-performance automation systems.

• Time-Slot Technique:

  Uses a time-slot technique to transmit data efficiently, reducing the number of required Ethernet telegrams.

• Standardised Profiles:

  Uses standardised profiles for various applications, including drive technology, I/O, and communication between controllers (C2C).

• Hot-Plugging:

  Allows for adding or removing devices during operation without disrupting the network.

• Safe Communication:

  Includes profiles for drive-integrated safety functions.

• IEC 61491 Standard:

  Standardised by IEC 61491, ensuring worldwide acceptance and interoperability.

Applications of Sercos III:

• Motion Control: Used for synchronising multiple motion axes and controlling servo drives.

• Industrial Automation: Provides real-time communication for various automation tasks, including robotics and machine control.

• Distributed Intelligence: Enables communication across all device levels, including direct communication between drives or controllers.

• Safety Automation: Facilitates the integration of safety functions within automation systems.

• Machine and Plant Engineering: Suitable for applications requiring high data transfer rates and deterministic communication.

Powerlink

Ethernet Powerlink is a real-time communication protocol that operates over standard Ethernet hardware, providing deterministic and precise data exchange for industrial automation applications. It's an open standard developed by the Ethernet POWERLINK Standardization Group (EPSG) and is used for applications requiring high-speed, synchronized data transmission, such as motion control and safety systems.

CC-LINK IE

CC-Link IE uses a standard Ethernet protocol stack, including TCP/IP and UDP/IP, for its communication. It allows for flexibility in network design, enabling devices on the same Ethernet line to communicate using CC-Link IE and other Ethernet technologies. The protocol stack is designed for both master and slave devices, enabling easy integration of CC-Link IE capabilities into existing systems.

CC-Link IE supports both master and slave devices, allowing for flexible network typologies and communication flows.

CC-Link IE, especially in the TSN (Time-Sensitive Networking) variant, priorities deterministic control, ensuring reliable and predictable communication cycles for critical applications.

SCADA

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) monitors and controls industrial processes and infrastructure. It's used to collect data from various devices, visualise it in real-time, and allow operators to control the processes from a central location.

SCADA systems are used in various industries, including:

• Utilities: Power plants, water treatment facilities, and gas pipelines.

• Manufacturing: Factories, assembly lines, and warehouses.

• Transportation: Airports, train systems, and bridges.

• Oil and Gas: Oil rigs, pipelines, and refineries.

EtherCAT

Protocol is disclosed completely: – EtherCAT is IEC, ISO and SEMI Standard (IEC 61158, IEC 61784, ISO 15745, SEMI E54.20)

ELCOM-90

ELCOM-90 is the de-facto standard in some countries for communication between control centres as well as between substations and control centres with almost 400 installations. ELCOM-90 forms the basis for the standard IEC 60870-6 TASE.1.