Scada Sensors

Version 1.0Released February 3, 2009

SCADA Sensor TutorialUnleash The Power of Your SCADA System With Advanced Sensors

“We protect your network like your business depends on it”TM

www.dpstele.com • 1-800-622-3314

Unleash the power of your SCADA system by deploying environmental and other sensors. Reliable SCADA monitoring gear paired with an array of data-col-lecting sensors will automatically alert you to dangerous network threats. This white paper will teach you how to determine which sensors you need at your sites - and which core SCADA equipment you need for successful SCADA implementation.

NOTE: This white paper is an introduction to SCADA and sensor components. DPS Telecom specializes in custom engineering, designed especially for you and your mission-critical network. The information presented in this White Paper is a new application. The exact deployment of these products and applications may change, according to your unique network. Please use this White Paper as a tool for planning your SCADA system.

© Copyright 2008 DPS Telecom

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this white paper or portions thereof in any form without written permission from DPS Telecom. For Information, please write to DPS Telecom 4955 E. Yale Ave., Fresno, CA 93727-1523 • Call: 1-800-622-3314 • Email: [email protected]

Printed in the U.S.A.

DPS Telecom • 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, California 93727 • (800) 622-3314 • Fax (559) 454-1688 • www.dpstele.com

Do you know how to implement an effective SCADA system? Maybe you use environmental and other sensors to collect data at some of your remote sites, but you don’t know how to incorporate them into your core SCADA gear. You want to make your sensor data work for you, but the “small, simple” PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) you’ve got just can’t handle anything beyond “small, simple” problems. Wouldn’t it be nice if every threat to your operations was “small” and “simple”? Few people are that lucky. And what about the huge variety of sensors from many different manufacturers. How do you know which types and models are effective, and which should be avoided?

What if there was a way to remotely control conditions at your remote sites, based on the data report-ed by your army of sensors? Imagine the successful implementation of a SCADA system, where pager, text, and email notifications from your sensors allow you to quickly react to changing condi-tions. After programming your SCADA system the right way, you may not need to set foot at a site for a long time.

Your dream can be real with the right SCADA system, the right sensors, and this guide. You’ll elimi-nate days of wasted time spent ordering, waiting for, and testing sensors. Read this entire white paper to discover the tools you need that will slash your windshield time, improve your operations, and use sensors to squeeze more power from your SCADA system…

SCADA Fundamentals. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

The Top 10 SCADA Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

New SCADA and Sensor Deployment “Could Save Millions” at This Water Treatment Plant. . . . . . . 10

Combining the Power of SCADA and Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

5 Key Advantages of Using an Advanced RTU as Your SCADA Sensor Platform . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

SCADA Sensors Available from DPS Telecom . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13

Control Your Equipment Remotely with Control Relays . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

How to Evaluate SCADA Master Stations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17

Contents

Executive Summary


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Depending on your network, you probably need more alarm detail than a single discrete alarm point can provide. Fuel tanks, battery power, lighting sys-tems, and water levels are just some of things you need to monitor to keep your network up and running. By harnessing the power of SCADA and combin-ing it with a wide range of compatible sensors, you’ll know where your network and facilities stand around the clock. But to harness that power, you’ll need a basic understanding of how SCADA works so you can make your environmental sensors work for you.

What is SCADA? SCADA is not a specific technology, but a type of application. SCADA stands for Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition — any application that gets data about a system in order to control that system is a SCADA application.A SCADA application has two elements:1. The process/system/machinery you want to monitor

or control — this can be a power plant, a water sys-tem, a network, a system of traffic lights, or anything else.

2. A network of intelligent devices that interfaces with the first system through sensors and con-trol outputs. This network, which is the SCADA system itself, gives you the ability to measure and control specific elements of the first system.

How do SCADA systems work?A SCADA system performs four functions:1. Data acquisition2. Networked data communication3. Data presentation4. Control

The four SCADA functions are performed by four kinds of SCADA components:1. Sensors (either digital or analog) and control relays

that directly interface with the managed system.2. Remote telemetry units (RTUs). These are small

computerized units deployed in the field at specific sites and locations. RTUs serve as local collection

SCADA FundamentalsPrice is Only the First Part of Cost Justification — Make Sure Your Vendor Offers Guaranteed ResultsIn my experience, cli-ents who think hard about cost justification have a more impor-tant concern than just price. They want to make sure that they’re not spending their company’s money on a system that doesn’t work as advertised. That’s smart. You have to be careful when working with equipment vendors, espe-cially on protocol mediation projects. Most vendors can’t support all your legacy equip-ment, and they don’t have the development capabilities to make integration work.Some vendors will charge you large NRE (non-refundable engineering) fees up front for custom work, and give no guarantee that the resulting product will meet your perfor-mance requirements. Personally, I think that’s a lousy way to do business. I give all my cli-ents a 30-day guarantee: If my product doesn’t completely satisfy you, return it for a full refund. If I can’t give you a solution, I don’t want your money. If I’m doing custom work for you, I don’t expect you to pay for it until I’ve proven that it works to your satisfaction.Very few vendors will make that guar-antee. But you need to demand the best level of service from your vendor to ensure that your SCADA implementation is 100% successful.

Call DPS Telecom at 1-800-622-3314

By Bob BerryChief Executive Officer

DPS Telecom


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points for gathering status from sensors and deliv-ering commands to control relays.

3. SCADA master units. These are larger computer consoles that serve as the central processor for the SCADA system. Master units provide a human interface to the system and automatically regulate the managed system in response to sensor inputs.

4. The communications network that connects the SCADA master unit to the RTUs in the field.

Now that you know about the SCADA application and its components, you’ll want to know where the sensors come in. Sensors used in SCADA systems can be discrete or analog.

Discrete vs. Analog AlarmsSome sensors detect conditions that are reported as an “on” or an “off” (called a discrete input or digital input). That “on” and “off” originate as an on/off , such as a door sensor, or can represent an analog value that crosses a threshold. Other sensors measure more complex situations where exact measurement is important. Not every alarm condition can be represented by an “on” and “off”.

Analogs provide you with the ability to monitor envi-ronmental factors that affect your operations. These inputs can answer the question of “how much?”. Common examples of analog values include tempera-ture, battery voltages, humidity, and many more. By knowing when these factors cross critical thresholds and by seeing their rate of change, you can take action before these conditions affect your network. As an example, you might bring in a portable generator if your batteries run low. For most analog measurements, you ideally want to keep the value between a bottom and top level. For example, you might want the temperature in a server room to stay between 60 and 72 degrees Fahrenheit. If the temperature goes above or below this range, you need to be notified.

Good SCADA systems will support your custom “safe zone” and alert you automatically if the sensor detects conditions outside of that range. In more advanced systems, there are four threshold alarms for analog sensors, defining Major Under, Minor Under, Minor Over and Major Over alarms. These user-defined values will help you to distinguish the severity of alarms by indicating when a monitored analog has passed a certain value, such as a major tem-perature high that threatens your equipment.

Building Access System

The Building Access System (BAS) is a com-prehensive building management system that integrates into an existing alarm management platform. With the system in place, a log of all site access, including the time of day and loca-tion that access was granted, is maintained. In addition, alarms such as intrusions and excessive access attempts are reported to a T/Mon on a per door basis.

• Centralized entry-management andcontrol

• Controls and regulates up to 16 doorentry points

• Supportsupto1,300users

• Userscanbegrantedaccessbydayoftheweek, time of day and location

• Unitsfunctionindependentofmaster

• Systemcanwithstandconnectivitylossesto the local NetGuardian and T/Mon

• EntryControlUnit(ECU)passesonaccesscodestotheNetGuardianforvalidation

• Proxycardreadereliminates thechanceof forgotten keycodes and increases your levelofaccesscontrol


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Know Exactly “How Much” with Analog MonitoringAnalog monitoring is highly valuable, as it conveys specific environmental levels, fuel levels, and bat-tery voltages from analog sensors. Near real-time readings of these continuous values provide a much clearer picture of your network than you can achieve with discrete alarm points alone.

Analog Sensors Show You Exactly What’s Happening in Your NetworkOne of the primary advantages of using analog sen-sors for environmental monitoring is the ability to monitor shifting analog values in near real-time. This gives you insight into how the temperature, humidity, or battery voltage is rising or dropping at a site, allowing you to dispatch your technicians most effectively. It helps you make fast, prioritized decisions.

For example, your discrete alarm notify you of 2 hot more sites. One site is at 74 degrees, while the other has reached 118 degrees. How do you know which to fix first?

Levels measured by analog sensors can have critical effects on essential equipment - and when your net-work uptime is threatened, you want all the informa-tion you can get.

Powering Your Sensors You have an important choice to make when deciding how to power the sensors for your SCADA system. Here are your two major options:

1)CommercialPower - This is a simple way power SCADA sensors. However, when remote sites experience a power outage, so do your sensors. They are also unprotected against a power surge.

2)RTUPower - The ideal way to provide power to your sensors is through a secure, redundant power supply. Using your SCADA remotes as the power supply for your sensors offers a big advantage. Your sensors are pro-tected from commercial power failures because they’re running on the same protected battery power as your SCADA remotes.

This RTU Grows with Your SCADA SystemWhen you’re planning your alarm monitoring, think about the future. You don’t want to get locked into an alarm system that’s inadequate for your future needs — but you don’t want to spend too much for alarm capacity you won’t immedi-ately use, either.The NetGuardian 864A G5 remote telemetry unit expands its capacity as your needs change. Install a NetGuardian at your remote site now, and get exactly the right coverage for your cur-rent needs.Then, as your remote site grows, you can extend your alarm monitoring capabilities by add-ing NetGuardian DX Expansion units. Each NetGuardian 864DX adds 64 more discrete alarm points, and you can daisy-chain up to three NetGuardian DXs off each NetGuardian 864A base unit.

Unit Capacity Analogs Controls

Base NG 864A 64 8 8

1 DX 864 128 16 16

2 DX 864 192 24 24

3 DX 864 256 32 32

NetGuardian DX: Expand your alarm monitoring capacity with NetGuardian DX Expansion Units.

http://www.dpstele.com/products


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Establish Critical Thresholds and Receive Alarms when They’re CrossedBasic SCADA systems almost never include analog inputs, so you’ll never be able to measure exact values. Analog sensor support gives you the key advantage of complete visibility.

For example, suppose you are measuring the temperature of a remote site. Under normal conditions, the building’s heating and cooling system will keep the temperature within an acceptable range. But if climate control fails and your equipment is threatened, will you have enough information to make the right decisions?

Asanexample,youmightsetup4differentthresholdvalues:1) When the temperature is below 45 degrees, page a technician and notify the Network Operations Center (NOC) with a major alarm. A value this low might indicate that the heater is not working at all.

2) When the temperature is below 60 degrees, notify the NOC with a minor alarm. This may indicate that the heater is not functioning at full capacity.

3) When the temperature is above 90 degrees, notify the NOC with a minor alarm. This may indicate that the air conditioning unit is not functioning at full capacity.

4) When the temperature is above 100 degrees, notify the NOC with a major alarm. This may indicate that the air conditioning unit has failed - Equipment and services are in jeopardy.

To ensure that you can react appropriately to rapidly fluctuating site conditions, it’s essential to choose the right SCADA system that features analog inputs that report real-time analog values.

Analog Parameters and ScalingOnce you’ve determined what your different threshold values need to be, you’ll want to be notified if they are crossed. But how can you make sure your alarm notifications arrive in native units (like ° F) that make sense? An advanced SCADA RTU uses analog scaling to convert voltage readings to the units you need, such as degrees. For example, let’s say you need to monitor outside temperature, and you’ve got a sensor with a measurable range of –4° to 167° Fahrenheit (–20° to 75° Celsius). The voltage for the analog channel is between 1 and 5 VDC for that sen-sor, and is reported as ° F. Here, 1 volt represents –4° F and 5 volts represents 167° F. Simply by inputting these two values into your remote, every notification you receive will be in ° F instead of meaningless voltages. Scale it once, use it forever.


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The Top 10 SCADA Sensors:

1.)TemperatureSensors-The most basic way to monitor temperature is a discrete threshold sen-sor. This is very similar to a simple home thermostat. You set a high-point threshold or a low-point threshold (one per sensor). When these presets are exceeded, you get a contact closure alarm, which translates to a basic high or low temperature alarm. The downside to this type of alarm is that if your threshold was set to 80°F, you could be at 81°F or 181°F - and all you wouldn’t be able to tell the difference!

More advanced temperature sensors output analog values. Analog monitoring allows you to monitor fluctuating sensor levels at your remote sites. With the right SCADA system, you can use your ana-log readings to send alarms based on configurable thresholds. You can have different thresholds for low, critically low, high, and critically high.

2.)HumiditySensors-Often, humidity monitoring is overlooked. But it is one of the key envi-ronmental alarms to monitor in every unmanned remote site. Looking at both internal and external humidity ranges, it’s very important to monitor what conditions your revenue-generating equipment is operating in. If your environmental control unit failed and you didn’t have adequate monitoring of the humidity at your site, you would be completely unaware of the damage and would be too late in preventing equipment failure. Humidity can be monitored with both discrete and analog sensors, much like temperature. Where possible, look for a sensor that monitors temperature and humidity.

3.)MotionSensors- The most critical element of physical site security is being able to detect intruders and receive an immediate alert. Motion sensors provide you with the instant information you need to react to an intrud-er before the real damage is done. Discrete motion sensors can even turn on a light and send an immediate intru-sion notification when movement is detected in its field of vision. It’s very important to consider placement when installing motion sensors. Windows and other possible intrusion points should be protected by motion sensors.

4.)LiquidLevelSensors - Liquid level sensors can be used to monitor water towers and fuel tanks. This makes them especially useful for alarm circuits that control motor starters, contactors, solenoids, and relays. You should always know how much fuel you have before activating any piece of equipment. With a discrete liquid level sen-sor, you can configure the sensor to latch a contact closure when your liquid level has fallen below a critical line. This allows you to receive a notification when your water, fuel, or other tanks are low. Don’t risk running dry by ignoring the liquid levels of your machines and other equipment.

5.)WaterFlowSensors- Using water flow sensors gives you an accurate picture of your fluid flow rates. Most flow sensors can monitor water with an internal flowmeter or a flow datalogging device. At at water treatment plant, water flow is one item on a long list of data that must be collected during the treatment process. It’s impor-tant to find a reliable water flow sensor that produces accurate flow results and allows you to make quick decisions based on that data.


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6.)SmokeSensors-Smoke sensors are critical safety devices needed in every home, and the same principle holds true for your remote sites. There are many possible reasons a fire could break out at a site. Overheated equipment, electrical short, wildfire . . . the list goes on. In order to save your revenue-generating equipment, you need to know right away if smoke or fire is present at a remote site. Fires cause irreparable damage, and smoke sensors are your first line of defense.

7.) Door Sensors-Whether or not you’ve already experienced theft or vandalism in your network, your unmanned sites are vulnerable. While you might expect this type of criminal activity from strangers, an alarming amount of damage is done by employees, ex-employees, and outside contractors. Door sensors keep your revenue-generating equipment secure. You’ll know the moment someone tries to gain unauthorized access to one of your remote sites, or if an employee enters when they’re not supposed to. Without the protection a door sensor and other BAS sensors can provide, an unknowing technician could walk into a dangerous situation. Door sensors provide a warning, “Hey, nobody’s supposed to be there at 3 a.m.!”

8.)PowerFailureSensors- The primary damage caused by a power outage is obvious: If com-mercial power and you don’t have a reliable backup power supply, that site will eventually go dark. Dark sites mean network downtime, lost revenue, and frustrated customers.

A power failure sensor will send an alarm when power is disrupted. This is a discrete sensor that outputs a contact closure when power is not detected for a user-defined amount of time. Most users want to receive a critical alarm after any failure lasting more than a few seconds.

9.)CurrentSensors- You must always know whether your battery chargers, backup generators, and other power sources are outputting power. Analog current sensors tell you way more than, “They’re outputting power”. You’ll also know how much. Measuring AC/DC currents, current sensors isolate the sensor output from the con-ductor. These type of sensors are highly useful for motor drives, UPS systems, and battery supplies.

10.)PropaneTankSensors-Monitoring your propane tanks can save you from running out of fuel. Some propane sensors send an audible alert when they’re running low. Depending on your tanks, a float sen-sor that gauges the propane remaining in your tank may be all you need. At sites where propane is the main fuel source, you may need advanced sensors that track gas usage rates and report back to an on-site RTU, like the NetGuardian, with the exact amount left. These type of analog sensors will allow you to order more propane for your tank - before it runs empty. An empty propane tank means you have to wait for your next delivery from your supplier, and you may have to suffer without fuel for some time.


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New SCADA and Sensor Deployment “Could Save Millions” at This Water Treatment PlantSCADA Solution for Water Treatment...

With the important responsibility of providing clean, safe water for his Sonoma, Calif. com-munity, Chris LaVay was looking for a better SCADA solution for his water treatment plant. Maintaining high-quality water at De Anza Moon Valley is not a job LaVay takes lightly. “We’re on a well, a 600-foot deep well – and I’m in charge of all that,” said LaVay, the facil-ity manager. He spends a lot of his time physically monitoring his water-treatment equipment, which primarily consists of analog sensor data.

Since this tedious process often eats up much of his time, LaVay said water mishaps can still occur at night. “If I see high flow rates in the middle of the night and it’s outside the parameters that I’ve set, I’ll know we’ve got a massive leak somewhere,” he said. “In waiting a few hours, the community probably gets flooded and I finally get a phone call, but the damage is done.”

Constant Equipment Monitoring Kept Him From Other Job Responsibilities…A key part of LaVay’s job of providing safe drinking water is to disinfect in accordance with the Department of Health Services regulations. A mountain of data from different sensors must be collected during this process. “It takes up a lot of my time going down there and monitoring - physically monitoring the equipment, getting the outputs, velocities, flow rates, injection rates, dosages, chlorine residuals and all that,” LaVay explained.

SCADA and Analog Implementation Are Just The Solution He’s Been Looking For…The equipment currently in use at De Anza Moon Valley has simply not produced the results LaVay has in mind. “We do have an existing alarm system, but frankly it doesn’t hold a candle to DPS equipment,” he said. “I mean, it’s not even close.”

For his water treatment plant, LaVay plans to strengthen his alarming with analog sensors and control relays. “If we just had some analog sensors in the right places, it would save me a tremendous amount of time,” he said. “If I had a sensor that could sense when chlorine residuals fell below our parameters, I get paged and BOOM – I go out there and take care of it.” LaVay knows that the pager and email notifications available with NetGuardian remotes will help to prevent many of the leaks and other pesky problems he’s faced in the past.

A Better, More Efficient SCADA Monitoring System at De Anza Moon Valley…At a recent training event at DPS Headquarters, LaVay’s ultimate goal was to learn about SCADA implementation. During training, LaVay learned about DPS devices that will accomplish this task and offer better alarm notification. Now armed with new knowledge and understanding, LaVay is working on a proposal to revamp the alarm monitoring for De Anza Moon Valley.

His visions for the future include analog and relay solutions, as well as sensors for alarm contacts. Part of LaVay’s plan is to use electric valve isolation. “When high flow rates are sensed somewhere, you can start shutting down appropriate isola-tion valves and isolate that leak before it gets out of control,” he explained. “So by the time I get there, it’s isolated and it’s just a matter of repairing it.”

With DPS solutions in mind, LaVay plans to retrofit his current alarm system. “It could save us millions of dollars.”

Chris LaVayDe Anza Moon Valley

Facility Manager

“We do have an existing alarm system, but frankly it doesn’t hold a candle to DPS equipment. I mean,

it’s not even close.”

“It could save us millions of dollars.”

PagerandemailalertsfromNetGuardianRTUsprovide24/7notificationofthreats


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Combining the Power of SCADA and Sensors

5 Key Advantages of Using an Advanced RTU As Your SCADA Sensor Integration Platform

1.)AllInclusiveSensorPlatform - Collect all the discrete and analog data you need at a single on-site RTU. The NetGuardian 832A G5 in the example above has 8 inputs for analog sensor data, as well as 32 discrete alarm inputs for discrete sensors. Sensors attached to the RTU input their “on” / “off” data (discrete) or actual measured values (analog). Data is processed at the RTU and transported via LAN. RTUs like the NetGuardian 832A G5 can send 24/7 email and pager notifications to your techs, based on the information provided from your sensors.

2.)DerivedAlarmsandControls- Derived alarms are software-based alarms that occur whenever a user-defined combination of events occurs. Commercial power failure at an enclosure might be a minor alarm. Low battery at an enclosure might be a minor alarm. But the combination of a power failure and a low battery should be reported as a critical alarm, and derived controls allow you to do just that.

Derived controls take this concept one step further. They are automatic responses to alarm combinations. In the example above, you could setup a simultaneous power failure and low battery to automatically latch a control relay tied to a backup generator. This kind of advanced automation corrects network threats within seconds, protecting mission-critical equipment and keeping your client base happy.

3.)Hardened,IndustrialGradeUnits- Do your remote sites run the risk of being snowed in? Does the humidity in your location reach extreme highs?

If so, site climate is an important issue for your SCADA system. Rugged engineering allows advanced remotes to perform in the harshest conditions. The RTU for your SCADA system should be built to withstand extreme high and low temperatures, as well as humidity and other factors that are relevant in your region.The NetGuardian

LiquidLevelSensorTemperatureSensor

HumiditySensor

CurrentSensor

AwidevarietyofsensorscanbehookedupinyourSCADAsystemtomonitorthevariouscomponentsofyournetwork.


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216 has an industrial temperature ratings. This highly durable RTU withstands extreme hot and cold condi-tions, thanks to rugged engineering and brutal product testing. The NetGuardian 216 operates at temperatures between 32 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit. At sites where conditions can be very unpredictable, don’t settle for RTUs that can’t take the heat (or cold).

4.)Non-ProprietarySensors-(+/-5V)Using non-proprietary sensors gives you a wider variety of vendors to choose from. An advanced RTU will give you this freedom by accepting the standard +/- 5V input from analog sensors. This will prevent you from being “locked” into a single ven-dor because of compatibility issues.

5.)AnalogValueScaling-In the event of an alarm set off by one of your sensors, you need to know the severity of the situation immediately. Use sensor calibration with analog value scaling on a modern RTU to program a translation from meaningless voltage output to useful sensor readings. For example, an alarm goes off at a remote site, and the sensor is reading 3.6v. What does that mean? To your technicians, it probably won’t mean anything. But an advanced RTU would hide the voltage and display “110 degrees Fahrenheit”. Now anyone on your team would instantly recognize the danger!

3 Advanced RTUs For Your SCADA Deployment

The NetGuardian RTU family scales to fit your needs …

NetGuardian 864A G5:

•Wireless option for alarm reporting via GSM or CDMA

• 64 discretes, 32 pings, 8 analogs and 8controls

• SNMPv1,v2candv3compatible• 8terminalserverserialports• Dial-upbackup• Webbrowserinterface• Pagerandemailnotification• Dual-48VDC,-24VDCor110AC• 1RUfor19”or23”rack

Heavy-duty NetGuardian 480

• 80discretes,4controls• Dual-48VDC• 1RUfor19”or23”rack

Economical NetGuardian 216 G3

•16discretes,2-8analogs,2controls• 1terminalserverserialport• Singleordual-48VDCor110VAC• 2 compact form factors for rack orwall

mount

http://www.dpstele.com/rtus

This tech has no clue what this voltageissupposedtomean...

ButthisonewithanadvancedRTUleaps into action to stop an outage...


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Analog Temperature and Humidity Sensors

SCADA Sensors Available From DPS TelecomMonitor Temperature, Humidity, Battery Levels and Building Alarms

Temperature Sensor with Probe

Temperature/Humidity Sensor with –48 VDC to –12 VDC Converter

Temperature/Humidity Sensor

TemperatureSensorwithProbe(100°to355°F)D-PG-274-10A-00High temperature analog temperature sensor with probe measures from 100° to 355° F (37.8° to 179.4° C).

TemperatureSensorwithProbe(–20to180°F)D-PG-275-10A-00Analog temperature sensor with probe measures from –20° to 180° F (-28.9° to 82.2° C). Native operating voltage 24 VDC to 35 VDC. This package includes resistor for use in –48 V operations.

Analog/TemperatureandHumiditySensorPackage(–48V)D-PG-281-10A-00Single unit self-contained temperature and humidity sen-sor. Temperature range: 23° to 131° F (–5° to 55° C). Humidity Range: 0% RH to 100% RH temperature com-pensated. Both temperature and humidity outputs are linearized across the 4 to 20 mA output. Package includes –48 V power adapter.

Analog Temperature/Humidity Sensor OnlyD-PK-SENSR-12001.00001Same as above, except power supply not included. Typically used with NetGuardian units equipped with 12 V output power option. RoHS 6 of 6 compliant.

Call DPS For More Information in Sensors: 1-800-622-3314


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Meter Type TempAlert Sensor (–30° to 100° F)

TempAlert Sensor (30° F to 100° F)

Discrete Temperature, Humidity, and Motion Sensors

MeterTypeTempAlertSensor(–30°Fto130°F)D-PR-492-10A-00Discrete temperature sensor with high and low alarm thresholds. Separate alarms for high and low temperatures. Temperature range from –30° to 130° F. (–34.4° to 54.4° C). Requires no power to operate. Not for use in freezers.

TempAlertSensor(30°to100°F)D-PR-589-10A-00Discrete temperature sensor with high and low alarm thresholds Separate alarms for high and low temperatures. Temperature range from 30° to 100° F. (–1.1° to 37.8° C). Requires no power to operate. Wall mount rectangular box design. Includes screw kit for mounting hardware.

Motion Sensor (Discrete)D-PR-599-10A-00Monitors motion within a user-specified field of vision. Detection range from 3m-6m. Powered by 12 to 28 VDC. Integrates with the Building Access System (BAS) to provide automatic exit tracking and intrusion notifications.

Humidity Sensor (Discrete)

Humidity Sensor (Discrete)D-PR-579-10A-00Monitors a humidity range of 20% to 80% relative humidity. One alarm threshold that can be used as either a high or low humidity alarm. Great for monitoring humidity in computer rooms, COs, cell sites, nodes, and CEVs. Requires no power to operate.


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Door Sensor

Building Status Sensors

Water Sensor and Controller

Water Sensor and ControllerD-PG-271-10A-00Provides a discrete contact closure when water is detected. The sensor will not trigger an alarm due to condensation or high humidity. Supports N/O and N/C alarm contacts. Powered by 8 to 28 VAC or DC (not included). For 110 VAC, use 24 V wall transformer (D-PR-105-10A-00).

WaterSensorOnly,#1040(forWB200)D-PR-596-10A-00

PhotoelectricSmokeDetectorwithHeatSensorD-PR-560-10A-00Photoelectric smoke detector uses pulsed infrared diodes to elimi-nate false alarms caused by dust, insects, FR and ambient light. Integrated heat detector triggers alarms at temperatures above 135° F or at temperatures above 105° F with a rise rate of 15° F per minute. Either heat detector or smoke detector can trip and latch LED and alarm relay outputs. UL listed. Powered by either 12 VDC or 24 VDC. For 110 VAC use 24 V wall transformer (D-PR-105-10A-00). For –48V DC, use –48 VDC to –12 VDC DC to DC converter (D-PC-766-10A-00).

Door Sensor (Surface Mount)D-PR-550-10A-01Closed loop magnetic contact sensor. Consists of magnet and contact. Gap distance is 5/8”. Includes screw kit for mounting hardware.

Smoke Detector

Discrete Liquid Level SensorDiscreteLiquidLevelSensorD-PK-SENSR-12003.00001Provides a discrete contact closure when liquid levels fall below parameters. Contains a dry reed switch encapsulated within a stem. Supports N/O and N/C alarm contacts. Operates at a maximum temperature of 105° C and a maximum pressure of 150 PSI.

Discrete Liquid Level Sensor


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Learn SCADA the Easy Way: Attend DPS Telecom Factory Training

Learn network alarm monitoring in-depth in a totally practical hands-on class. The DPS Telecom Factory Training Event will show you how to make your alarm monitoring easier and more effective. You’ll learn about SCADA deployment, ASCII alarm processing, derived alarms and controls, and how to configure automatic email and pager notifications. DPS training is the easiest way to learn alarm monitoring, taught by technicians who have installed hundreds of successful alarm monitoring deployments

For dates and registration information, call 1-800-693-3314 today or go to www.dpstele.com/training.

“DPS Factory Training is a big help in not feeling intimidated by your network monitoring system. It’s excellent — presented in the right way and tailored to the needs of the class.” — Bill Speck, 3 Rivers Telephone

Current Sensor

CurrentSensor0to100AmpAC/DC(Analog)D-PR-577-10A-00Current sensor and signal conditioner measures AC/DC currents and isolates sensor output from conductor. Outputs 4 to 20 mA. User-selectable 50, 75 and 100 Amp scales. Split core design, allows sensor to be placed around cable without interrupting operation. Great for motor drives, UPS systems, battery chargers, power supplies, and replacement for shunts.

Power Out Alert Sensor

Power, Battery and Voltage SensorsPowerOutAlertSensor(Discrete)D-PR-592-10A-00Plugs into any 110 VAC circuit that needs to be monitored. When power is interrupted for three to eight consecutive minutes, sensor outputs a contact closure.

Call DPS For More SCADA Sensor Information1-800-622-3314

Call DPS For More SCADA Sensor Information1-800-622-3314


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How to Evaluate SCADA Master Stations

Control Your Equipment Remotely with Control RelaysDo you need to adjust the on-off status of your equipment remotely? With control relays, you can gain the control you need.

Control relays allow you to remotely switch equipment on and off. They are simply a switch mechanism that can be activated remotely, no matter where you are located. This can be used for anything from light switches to gen-erators to door locks and more. You’ll also want to make sure that your RTU supports both N/O and N/C so that if power fails, relay will return to intended operation.

A sufficiently sophisticated master unit or RTU can run these controls completely automatically, without the need for human intervention. Of course, you can still manually override the automatic controls from the master station.

In real life, SCADA systems automatically regulate all kinds of industrial processes. For example, if too much pressure is building up in a gas pipeline, the SCADA system can automatically open a release valve. Electricity production can be adjusted to meet demands on the power grid.

Analoginputsallowyoutomonitorimportantvalues,includingenvironmentalsandbatterylevels.YoumustalsounderstandtheoverarchingSCADAmasterthatdisplaysthedataforyouandyourteam.

Transporting Data Back to Your SCADA Master

You want to be able to monitor multiple systems from a central location, so you need a communications network to transport all the data collected from your sensors.

Early SCADA networks communicated over radio, modem or dedicated serial lines. Today the trend is to put SCADA data on Ethernet and IP over SONET. For security reasons, SCADA data should be kept on closed LAN/WANs without exposing sensi-tive data to the open Internet.


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Real SCADA systems don’t communicate with just simple electrical signals, either. SCADA data is encoded in protocol format.

Older SCADA systems depended on closed proprietary pro-tocols, but today the trend is to open, standard protocols and protocol mediation.

Sensors and control relays are very simple electric devices that can’t generate or interpret protocol communication on their own. Therefore the remote telemetry unit (RTU) is needed to provide an interface between the sensors and the SCADA network. The RTU encodes sensor inputs into protocol format and forwards them to the SCADA master; in turn, the RTU receives control commands in protocol format from the mas-ter and transmits electrical signals to the appropriate control relays.

Advanced SCADA Data Presentation

A real SCADA system reports to human operators over a specialized computer that is variously called a master station, an HMI (Human-Machine Interface) or an HCI (Human-Computer Interface).

The SCADA master station has several different functions. The master continuously monitors all sensors and alerts the operator when there is an “alarm” — that is, when a control factor is operating outside what is defined as its normal opera-tion. The master presents a comprehensive view of the entire managed system, and presents more detail in response to user requests.

The master also performs data processing on information gath-ered from sensors — it maintains report logs and summarizes historical trends.

An advanced SCADA master can add a great deal of intelligence and automation to your systems manage-ment, making your job much easier.

Alarm Master Choice: T/MonGFX

T/Mon NOC has many features to make your alarms more meaningful, including:

1. T/GFXsoftware for intuitive mon-itoring with a multi-layered graphi-cal view of your network.

2. Detailed, plain English alarmdescriptions include severity, loca-tion and date/time stamp.

3. Immediate notification of COSalarms, including new alarms and alarms that have cleared

4. Standingalarmlist is continuously updated.

5. Nuisance alarm filtering, allowing your staff to focus its attention on serious threats.

6. Pagerandemailnotifications sent directly to maintenance person-nel, even if they’re away from the NOC.

7. Derivedalarmsandcontrols that combine and correlate data from multiple alarm inputs and automati-cally control remote site equipment to correct complex threats.

For more information, check out T/Mon on the Web at www.dpstelecom.com/tmon.

Perfect Fit • DPS Telecom • 4955 East Yale Avenue, Fresno, California 93727 • (800) 622-3314 • Fax (559) 454-1688 • www.dpstele.com

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DPS Telecom Tech Support for Your SCADA QuestionsThe NetGuardian and sensor products offered by DPS include comprehensive technical support. If you’ve purchased DPS products to set up your SCADA sys-tem and have questions, contact DPS Tech Support today at 559-454-1600.At DPS Telecom, the representative who answers your call isn’t an intern reading from a script. DPSTechSupportrepresentativesareengineers who contribute to product development. And, if your problem requires additional expertise, the DPS Engineering Department that designed your product is right down the hall. Chris Hower

Tech Support at DPS

Get the Facts Before You Purchase Your Next Network Monitoring SystemIf you found the information in this white paper useful, you’ll also be interested in the other white papers in the DPS Telecom Network Monitoring Guide series. Each paper is a complete guide to an essential aspect of network monitoring. These are the facts you need to know to make an informed purchase of your next network monitoring system.

SCADA Tutorial: A Fast Introduction to SCADA Fundamentals and ImplementationThis white paper is a complete guide to what SCADA is and what SCADA can do for you. It includes details about real-world SCADA applications, including how to monitor, manage, and control your facili-ties while staying on time, staying on budget, and increasing profitability. To receive this report, visit: http://www.dpstele.com/white-papers

SNMPTutorialThis guidebook has been created to give you the information you need to successfully implement SNMP-based alarm monitoring in your network. To receive this report, visit: http://www.dpstele.com/white-papers

MonitoringAlarmsOverT1Monitoring sites outside of your existing LAN used to be difficult, expensive, and time-consuming. Now, new technology allows you to effectively monitor sites when T1 is the only available connection. This new white paper will show you how to monitor your outside plant sites, cost-effectively provide Ethernet to site equipment, and maximize your ROI. To receive this report, visit: http://www.dpstele.com/white-papers

GiveUsYourFeedbackSend your comments to [email protected]

This all sounds great, but where can I get product details?If you would like to know more about the products and services mentioned in this white paper, visit www.dpstele.com and click “Applications.” or “Products.”


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“We protect your network like your business depends on it”TM

US$36.95

www.dpstele.com1-800-622-3314

www.dpstele.com 1-800-622-3314

“We do have an existing alarm system, but frankly it doesn’t hold a candle to DPS equipment. I mean, it’s not even close.”

—ChrisLaVay, De Anza Moon Valley

“It is hard to find companies with the intelligence and aptitude to meet the customer’s exact needs, and I believe that is what DPS is all about.” —LeeWells, Pathnet

Written by Robert Berry and Andrew Erickson

About the AuthorsAbout the AuthorsRobert Berry is founder and CEO of DPS Telecom, an industry-leading devel-oper of network alarm management solutions. Two decades’ experience designing remote telemetry systems have taught Berry that technology is most powerful when it meets real-world business needs. DPS Telecom clients have grown to appreciate Berry’s dedication to developing technology solutions that lower costs and raise revenue.

Andrew Erickson is Lead Writer for The Protocol, the monthly alarm monitoring ezine from DPS (www.TheProtocol.com). Experience writing web content and product documentation have prepared him to capture the expertise of the DPS Engineering team in a clear, concise white paper.

Scada Sensors

Documents

air conditioning

includes screw

water treatment

building access

existing alarm

high flow

discrete contact

discrete alarm