Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

3
1/30/14 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems www.synergistscada.com/key-differences-between-scada-dcs-and-hmi-systems/ 1/3 CALL US: 1 (800) 871-1669 Home Expertise Services Blog Contact Search Recent Posts Cimation Black Hat – SCADA vulnerabilities in Remote Terminal Units September 6, 2013 Cimation Cyber Security Experts to Simulate Attack at Black Hat July 25, 2013 Exciting News! – Synergist SCADA Acquired by Cimation July 8, 2013 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems – Part 1 February 27, 2013 Citect 101 – How to Restore (a CTZ) and Run a Citect SCADA Project February 16, 2013 Building Your own Data Diode with Open Source Solutions February 4, 2013 Data Diodes and ICS Security in the Real World January 30, 2013 Defending Industrial Control Systems with Data Diodes January 19, 2013 RSLogix 5000 101 – How to retrieve a Logix5000 PLC program January 12, 2013 How to backup a Vijeo Citect SCADA Project December 1, 2012 “Hail Mary” Troubleshooting Procedure for Schneider Electric Vijeo Citect SCADA Tweet 4 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems - Part 1 Posted by Austin Scott in ICS, SCADA, SCADA 101 on February 27, 2013 4 people like this. Like Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems Introduction About a year ago I posted an article on the Key Differences between DCS and SCADA Systems which outlined the main differences between the two most common types of industrial control system. To date this has been one of our most popular articles. Since writing the original article we have significantly raised the bar on our blog article quality. So, I have decided to write a new article on this topic with some additional clarifications and diagrams. Typical SCADA Network Example SCADA Systems 0 FEB 27 Announcements 1

description

hi

Transcript of Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

Page 1: Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

1/30/14 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

www.synergistscada.com/key-differences-between-scada-dcs-and-hmi-systems/ 1/3

CALL US: 1 (800) 871-1669

Home Expertise Services Blog Contact

Search

Recent Posts

Cimation Black Hat – SCADA

vulnerabilities in Remote

Terminal Units September 6,

2013

Cimation Cyber Security

Experts to Simulate Attack at

Black Hat July 25, 2013

Exciting News! – Synergist

SCADA Acquired by Cimation

July 8, 2013

Key Differences Between

SCADA, DCS and HMI

Systems – Part 1 February 27,

2013

Citect 101 – How to Restore (a

CTZ) and Run a Citect SCADA

Project February 16, 2013

Building Your own Data Diode

with Open Source Solutions

February 4, 2013

Data Diodes and ICS Security

in the Real World January 30,

2013

Defending Industrial Control

Systems with Data Diodes

January 19, 2013

RSLogix 5000 101 – How to

retrieve a Logix5000 PLC

program January 12, 2013

How to backup a Vijeo Citect

SCADA Project December 1,

2012

“Hail Mary” Troubleshooting

Procedure for Schneider

Electric Vijeo Citect SCADA

Tweet 4

Key DifferencesBetween SCADA, DCSand HMI Systems - Part1Posted by Austin Scott in ICS, SCADA, SCADA 101 on February 27,

2013

4 people like this.Like

Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS

and HMI Systems

Introduction

About a year ago I posted an article on the Key Differences between DCS and SCADA

Systems which outlined the main differences between the two most common types of

industrial control system. To date this has been one of our most popular articles. Since

writing the original article we have significantly raised the bar on our blog article quality.

So, I have decided to write a new article on this topic with some

additional clarifications and diagrams.

Typical SCADA Network Example

SCADA Systems

0

FEB

27

Announcements 1

Page 2: Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

1/30/14 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

www.synergistscada.com/key-differences-between-scada-dcs-and-hmi-systems/ 2/3

7.20 November 28, 2012

NERC CIP compliance 101 :

An introduction to NERC CIP

compliance November 18,

2012

ICS Firewall Article Community

Feedback Round 2 November

7, 2012

YouTube – Citect Power Tools

Video October 31, 2012

YouTube Video – 10 Things

We Love About Vijeo Citect

SCADA October 22, 2012

Archives

September 2013

July 2013

February 2013

January 2013

December 2012

November 2012

October 2012

August 2012

July 2012

June 2012

April 2012

March 2012

February 2012

January 2012

December 2011

November 2010

October 2009

SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), is a system designed to gather

information from various points within a system and present it in a central control room. It

allows for the monitoring, controlling and setting of alarms. This industrial control system is

used in many industries, including water treatment, power generation, oil and natural gas,

communications, manufacturing and fabrication. A modern control ecosystem can perform

high level activities such as pricing energy consumption, planning preventative

maintenance, monitoring video security systems, and managing physical access

capabilities. As technology advances and the barriers that once separated the SCADA

system from traditional computers are lifted, we are seeing control systems integrated

with new devices and the valuable data generated used in fascinating ways.

The SCADA system begins with the sensor instrumentation located at each point in the

process. Sensors within the process monitor the amount of input and output at each step

of the way. Temperature, flow rate and valves are all monitored by sensors. From a simple

process, such as milk pasteurization, to a complex distribution system covering an entire

city, a modern SCADA has the capability to monitor a few sensors or millions of sensors.

The values read from sensor instrumentation is often used to alter the process. The input

can be directly applied to the output as is the case in a simple “open-loop control system”

In a more complex process the input can be fed into an algorithm to adjust the desired

output in order to maintain a required set point, as is the case of a “closed-loop control

system”.

SCADA Network Layers

The realtime display of a process is known as the Human-Machine Interface (HMI).

Information is displayed through the HMI in easily understood forms, such as process flow

diagrams, graphs and charts. The information is archived, which gives the human operator

the ability to recognize trends that may indicate problems within the system. The HMI is

comparable to a large computer that shows easy-to-read graphic displays useful in

monitoring alarms and controlling the system.

One of the major benefits of SCADA is in the reduction of time spent collecting and

Page 3: Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

1/30/14 Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems

www.synergistscada.com/key-differences-between-scada-dcs-and-hmi-systems/ 3/3

Home Expertise Services Blog Contact search our site

© 2006-2013 Cimation Canada Inc.

Suite 3300, 205 5th Ave SW Calgary, AB CANADA

Interested? Contact us for more information.

1 (800) 871-1669

analyzing data. The HMI presents the data from all points of the operating system

collectively and in real time. This allows operators to make decisions quickly and

efficiently. In addition, labor costs are minimized as personnel are not required to monitor

the individual steps of the process. The monitoring can even be performed remotely from

the operator’s home, resulting in fewer calls for alarm situations after hours. SCADA takes

the complicated task of monitoring millions of points of information and uses computer

technology to present it in centralized, easy to understand ways.

Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems - Part 2 – Coming March 5th,

2013

Key Differences Between SCADA, DCS and HMI Systems – Part 3 – Coming March

12th, 2013

Further Reading

Top 10 Things we Love About Citect SCADA

Key Differences between DCS and SCADA

The Differences between PLCs, RTUs and PACs