A framework for the specification of SCADA data links

SCADA system overall performance is dependent on satisfactory performance of the integral data communication links. Therefore a specification of the required data link performance is required as part of the system specification. But what should the data link specification include? The specification of data rate alone is shown to be insufficient to guarantee performance under all operating conditions. To determine the additional attributes that must be specified, the sensitivity of SCADA performance to the set of data link attributes is analysed by computer simulation. From the results of the simulation a subset of significant data link attributes is identified. This is the desired data link specification framework.<
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