Automating commissioning tests, firmware updates and inventory checks using a device management system

The topic of IED lifecycle management concerns the processes for password management, firmware upgrades, configuration changes and the readjustment of Protection Settings, is of utmost importance to Utility Managers looking for optimum OPEX performance. This is because these processes (which often include site visits) can ordinarily take up a substantial amount of time, and therefore expenditure for their maintenance. This paper therefore looks at how Device Management techniques could be applied for each of these use cases, even including a commissioning assistant for automating on site testing. The main message of this paper is that the maintenance and management of installed devices could be industrialised by leveraging digitalised device management techniques to carry out these tasks in a secure, reliable, remote, and even batch processed manner.