19/05/2016

DNP3Tutorial:AnIntroductiontoDNP3forSCADAPart2
search

searchDPS

MyDPSLogin | Products | Support | AboutDPS | Contact

Giveusacallat18006930351

3672

SNMP

RTUs

AlarmMasters

AccessControlSystem

NetworkMonitoring

SCADA

Tutorials&Diagrams

RemoteTelemetryUnits

AlarmMonitoring&Control

ElectronicDoorControl

Guides&ExpertAdvice

Introduction&Tips

Dnp3. DNP3Tutorial:An...

GetaQuote

TutorialOnDNP3:Messages,Layers,AndConsiderationsPart2
DNP3TutorialPart4:UnderstandingDNP3MessageStructure.
ThefourtharticleintheDNP3tutorialexploresthepacketstructureofDNP3communication.

We'reheretohelp.
18006930351

HelpfulexplodedpacketdiagramswillhelpyoudiagnosecommunicationbetweenDNP3

DNP3Tutorial

elements.
DNP3TutorialPart5:UnderstandingDNP3LayeredCommunication.
ThefifthsectionoftheDNP3tutorialreviewsthelayeredmodeloftheprotocol.Thisincludesa
descriptionofthevariouslayers,andwhattakesplaceineach.Youwillfindahelpfulreviewof
aDNP3packetassembly,transmission,receipt,disassemblyin"TraversingtheLayers".
DNP3TutorialPart6:8ImportantConsiderationsinDNP3SCADASystems.
Whataboutthewhentherubbermeetstheroad?ThefinalDNP3Tutorialsectionoffers8
importantaspectsinordertodesignanddeployaSCADAsystem.Thismoduleisparticularly
importantfornetworkoperatorsandengineers.Don'tbecaughtoffguardbycommonbut
largelyignoredfeatures.

DNP3TutorialPart4:UnderstandingDNP3MessageStructure.

DownloadWhitePaper

Let'sreviewthestructureofmessagessentbetweenmastersandremotes.Basicserial
protocols,likeTBOS,arebyteoriented.Asinglebyteisexchangedpermessage.Expanded
protocols,likeTABS,usepacketstocommunicate.Thepacketscontainheader,data,and
checksumbytes.DNP3isalsopacketorientedandusesthefollowingstructure(elementsizes
inbits):

GetaFastAnswer!
Askusanything,we'reexperts!

DNP3packetstructureillustrated.

TheMastersendsaReadrequestforanobjectorobjectsandtheRemote'sresponsecontainstheinfo,ifavailable.TheMastersends
anOperatecommandtocontrolanagent.TheRemotesendsanUnsolicitedMessagewhenaspecificeventoccurs.TheMastersends
aReadrequestforanobject(s).TheRemote'sresponsecontainstheinfo,ifavailable.TheMastersendsanOperatecommandto
producetheoutputactionsassociatedwiththeselectedobjectreference.TheRemotesendsanUnsolicitedMessagewhenaspecific
eventoccurs.
Thefigureaboveshowsthemessagepacketformat.TheDNP3applicationservicedataunit(ASDU)doessomethingcleverwiththe
qualifierandindexSizefields.Thisdesignmakesappdataavailableinmanyconfigsorsimplyignored.

DNP3TutorialPart5:UnderstandingDNP3LayeredCommunication.
DNP3usesthelayeredcommunicationmodel:
Theapplicationlayercombinesseveralparts.Ther'sanapplicationservicedataunit(ASDU).Thenthere'sthepackagedobject.Anapplication
protocolcontrolinfo(APCI)blockisaddedtomakeanapplicationprotocoldataunit(APDU).
ThetransportlayerbreakstheAPDUintosegmentswithamaxsizeof16bytesandcombinesthemwithan8bittransportcontrolheaderand16
bitsegmentCRCseparatorsintoatransportFrame.
Thelinklayeraddsaheadertothecontrolandaddressinformation.Thepacketisnowreadyfordelivery.

TheselayerscanbemappedtothefourlayermodeldevelopedbytheDepartmentofDefense(youmayrecalltheDoDoriginsofthe
Internet)withtheDoDInternetLayeromitted.
IfthepacketwillbesentoveraLAN/WAN,thethreeDNP3layersarerolledupintotheapplicationlayer.Theassembledpacketis

http://www.dpstele.com/dnp3/tutorials2.php?l=4396700001

1/3

19/05/2016

DNP3Tutorial:AnIntroductiontoDNP3forSCADAPart2

IfthepacketwillbesentoveraLAN/WAN,thethreeDNP3layersarerolledupintotheapplicationlayer.Theassembledpacketis
wrappedintheTransportControlProtocol(TCP)bythetransportlayer,whichinturniswrappedintheInternetProtocol(IP)bythe
(somewhatobvious)internetlayer.TheUserDatagramProtocol(UDP)canalsobeusedbutpresentssomeadditionalissuesrelated
toreliabledeliveryincongestednetworks.
ThefourthlayeristheNetworkInterfacelayerwheretheassembledpacketisactuallyinterfacedtosomekindoftransportmedia(for
example,twistedpaircopper,RG58coaxialorfiber).Whilethismultilayermodelmayseemabitconfusing,iteffectivelyisolatesthe
tasksofcommunicationandultimatelyassistsindesigningandimplementinganetwork.

TraversingtheLayers
Toshowthislayeredmodel,let'slookatasingleDNP3ReadrequestoveraLAN.TheDNP3Masterwantstoknowthestatusofthe
Remote'spowerandpreparesaReadrequestmessageforthatobject.AfterpassingthroughallthreeDNP3layers,themessageis
passedtotheTCP/UDPtransportlayer.ThetransportlayeraddsadatablockthatIDstheMasterportandtheportwhereitexpects
theRemoteDNP3processtobelisteningformessages.ThepacketisthenpassedtotheIPlayer.Here,adatablockholdingtheIP
andMediaAccessaddressesoftheMasterandtheRemoteisadded.Then,thefullpacketgetspassedtotheNetworkInterfacelayer.
TheNetworkInterfacelayerchecksmediaaccessandavailability.Itthenplacesthepacketonthemediafortransmission.
Afterworkingitswayacrossbridgesandthroughrouters(somethinglike"overtheriverandthroughthewoods")basedontheIP
info,thepacketarrivesattheRemote.Here,itpassesthroughthesamefourlayersintheoppositeorderasitdidattheMaster.
First,itispulledoffthemediabytheNetworkInterfacelayer.Aftercheckingthatthepacketisintactandvalid,theNetworkInterface
layerpassesittotheIPlayer.TheIPlayercheckstheMediaAccessandIPaddressandpassesitontotheTCP/UDPlayerwherethe
targetportischeckedforconnectedapplications.Ifanappislisteningatthetargetport,thepacketispassedtotheApplication
layer.IfthelisteningappistheRemoteDNP3process,theReadrequestispassed.Itmovesthroughitsthreelayerstocheckthe
requestandseewhatinfoneedstobecollected.TheRemoteresponsethenfollowsthesamepathinreversetoreachtheMaster.

AnDNP3messagepassesthroughtheprotocollayersatboththemanagerandtheagent.Eachlayeraddressesaspecific
communicationtask.

AnAidforTroubleshooting.
KnowingthislayeredmodelofDNP3makesiteasiertofindandfixnetworkproblems.Whenthereisaproblem,youcansimplytrace
itdown,outoneend,into,anduptheother.LAN/WANlinkandstatuslightsprovideshowyoutotheNetworkInterfacelayer.ICMP
echorequestsandresponses(Pings)providesomeinformationregardingtheproperfunctioningoftheIPlayer.DNP3processing
indicatorscanbeusedtoverifythepassageoftheDNP3packetthroughtheTCP/UDPlayerandthefunctioningoftheApplication
layer.Eachstepcanbeverifiedindependentlyuntilallstepsareworkingcorrectlyforendtoendcommunication.

DNP3TutorialPart6:8ImportantConsiderationsinDNP3SCADASystems.
UsingDNP3inanewSCADAsystemisaneasychoice.DNP3isastandardthathaswideuseintheindustryandisusefulforalmost
anyapplication.DNP3hasitsplaceinagoodmonitoringsolution.Still,notanyofftheshelfDNP3MasterorRemotewillbeabestfit
foryou.
BeforeyoucommittoanSCADAsolutionforyouroperatingcenteroryourremotesites,youneedtothinkaboutmanyfactors:.

Beforeyoubuycheckforthese8importantfeatures:
1.Mastersshouldprovideconcisealarminfo.
Masterssometimespresentdatainsuchaprettyinterfacethatyoucan'tseetheforestforthetrees.Makesurethatyouhaveaccesstoalist
view.Youneedagoodviewofeventandalarmdetailformorethanasinglesiteorregion.Sometimes,summarygraphicscanmakedetaila
costlyclickortwoawaywhenadecisionneedstobemade.
2.Mastersshouldbeabletoidentifyclearedalarms.
IfyouwillbeusingUnsolicitedMessagesinyoursystem,makesureyouhaveacleareventforeachalarm.Creatingthisassociationcaninvolve
expensivecustomdevelopmentonyourMastersystem.
3.Mastersshouldmaintainahistoryofstandingalarms.
Avoidtheallureofkeepingonlyaneventlogofnewalarmsandahistorylogofacknowledgedones.Ifamessagemeansanalarmcondition,
thereshouldbecontinuingvisibilitytothealarmeveniftheUnsolicitedMessageisacknowledged.Thinkwhatmighthappentoyournetworkif
someoneacknowledgesanalarmmessage,andthen,forwhateverreason,failstocorrectthealarmcondition.Whowouldknowthealarmisstill
standing?
4.Remotesshouldsupportredundantpower.
Ifyourremoteispoweredfromasinglesource,thenyourcriticalmonitoringisvulnerabletoasingleevent.Losingthatsinglesourceofpower
effectivelycompromisesthecontinuousmonitoringofyourrevenuegeneratingequipment.Ifyourinstallationdoesnothavedualpowersources,
makesuretheequipmentiscompatiblewithanexternaluninterruptablepowersupply.Alsoinsurethattheprimarypowerisoneofthepoints
monitoredateachlocation.
5.RemotesshouldprovidelocalSCADA.
Ifanetworkfailurecompromisesthecollectionofdata,yourremoteequipmentshouldprovideforlocalvisibility.Turntheworstcaseofhavingto
dispatchtechstocriticalremotesitesintoamuchbettercasebyinsuringthattheywillbeabletobrowsetoyourremoteunitsandhavelocal
SCADAuntilthenetworkisrestored.
6.Mastersshouldsortandfilteralarms.
Mastersshouldsupportorganizingalarmsbyawidevarietyofcharacteristics.Location,equipmenttypeandseverityarejustafewpossibilities
thatmaymakesensefororganizingyouralarms.Thesamealarmshouldbeabletobepostedtomultiplecategories.Thepresentationofsorted
andfilteredalarmsshoulddependontheuserloggedontheteamresponsibleforgeneratormaintenancedoesn'tneedtowadethroughlists
lookingforgeneratoreventsandalarms.
7.Mastersshouldsupportflexibleandpowerfulnotification.
Makesureyourmastersupporttheadvancedfeaturesnecessaryforpremiumstatusmonitoring,suchasnotificationescalation,nuisancealarm
silencing,automaticcontrolrelayoperation,andautomaticnotificationsbyemail,textorpager.
8.MastersshoulddomorethantoDNP3.

http://www.dpstele.com/dnp3/tutorials2.php?l=4396700001

2/3

19/05/2016

DNP3Tutorial:AnIntroductiontoDNP3forSCADAPart2

8.MastersshoulddomorethantoDNP3.
Ifyou'relikemostcompanies,youhaveavarietyofequipmentofdifferentagesandtechnologies.IntegratingthisdiversityintoaSCADAMaster
cansometimesinvolvesurprisinglyexpensivecustomizationoradditionalmodules.
ItisalwaysdifficultanduncomfortabletojustifysignificantdevcostsafterpurchasinganalreadyexpensiveSCADAMaster.Whytakethetime,
trouble,andexpensetorecreatecapabilitiesthatarealreadypresentinahighquality,multiprotocolMasterthatisDNP3capable?

WhattoDoNext
BeforeyoumakeadecisionaboutyourSCADADNP3monitoring,there'salotmoreyouneedtoknow.Therearedangersyouwantto
avoidandtherearealsoopportunitiestoimproveyourremotesitemaintenancethatyoudon'twanttomiss.

DPSTelecomGuaranteesYourSuccessorYourMoneyBack.
Whenyou'rechoosinganetworkmonitoringvendor,don'ttakechances.Bepicky.Askthehardquestions.Aboveall,lookfor
experience.Don'ttakeasalesrep'swordthathiscompanycandocustomwork.Askhowmanysystemsthey'veworkedwith,how
manyprotocolstheycanintegratewithDNP3,andcheckforclienttestimonials.DPSTelecomhascreatedhundredsofsuccessful
monitoringimplementationsfortelecoms,utilities,andtransportationcompanies.(Checkout
http://www.dpstelecom.com/dpsnews/success_storiesforsomeexamples.)DPSTelecommonitoringsolutionsareprovenperformers
underrealworldconditions.You'renevertakinganyriskwhenyouworkwithDPSTelecom.YourSCADAmonitoringsolutionis
backedbya30day,norisk,moneybackguarantee.TestyourDPSmonitoringsolutionatyoursitefor30days.Ifyou'redissatisfied
foranyreason,justsenditbackforafullrefund.
Gettheinformationyouneed.Sendanemailtosupport@dpstelecom.comfor"APractical,StepbyStepGuide"onhowto
implementSCADAmonitoringinyournetwork.Youcanalsocallustodayat18006223314toscheduleyourfreeWebdemoof
SCADAmonitoringsolutions,orregisterontheWebatwww.dpstelecom.com/tmonwebdemo.
Sitemap

OurCommitment

OurQuality

OurHQ

"Ifyoudecidetoworkwithme,Iwon'tletyou
fail.Ifmysolutiondoesn'tsolveyourproblems
100%,Idon'twantyoutohaveit."

Averageclientrating:4.4outof5starsbased
on986postpurchasesurveys

DPSTelecomCorporateOffice:
4955E.YaleAvenue,
Fresno,CA,UnitedStates93727
USA:(800)6930351
International:1+(559)4541600
sales@dpstele.com Fax:(559)4541688
Memberships:UtilitiesTelecomCouncil(UTC)

BobBerry,CEO

QuickLinks

DPSNews
TechSupport
Products
KnowledgeLibrary
ApplicationDiagrams
PrivacyPolicy
ProtocolEzine
Downloads
JobsatDPS
MyDPS
MeetingRooms
WeeklyEmagazine
TuitionFreeFactoryTraining
SiteMap

http://www.dpstele.com/dnp3/tutorials2.php?l=4396700001

3/3