The benefits of networked SCADA systems utilizing IP-enabled networks

Yesterday's SCADA systems were monolithic in architecture and had little in the way of networking features. While they did an excellent job of polling remote terminal units (RTUs) at substations and controlling switchgear, their master stations offered little in the way of networking flexibility. Today's SCADA systems are far more network-enabled than their predecessors and, when coupled with IP-enabled networks, provide opportunities to take advantage of the convergence of voice, data and control data streams onto such networks. This paper examines the benefits of SCADA systems, RTUs and communications systems that utilize the flexibility and cost savings afforded by IP-enabled networks.