Moving SCADA applications to the cloud can enhance Reliability and Scalability while
cutting costs significantly
Cloud computing is becoming more common and most desirable technology in communication
environment where computing resources such as hardware or/and software are processed
as service over networks. With cloud computing, one can eliminate the pain of managing
one's hardware and software.
Businesses are running all kinds of apps in the cloud, like customer relationship
management (CRM), HR, accounting, and much more. The Cloud environment provides
high scalability with the ability to react to on-demand resource requirements in
near real-time, fast and easy deployment of new applications, increased responsiveness
and lower overall cost to the business.
As cloud computing grows in popularity, companies are evaluating the applicability
of cloud-based solutions for manufacturing and process control systems.
SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) implementation within cloud environment
is relatively new and drawing attention. By moving SCADA infrastructure to a cloud-based
environment, it can save companies money and time by eliminating the need for building
and maintaining their own dedicated server rooms, while reducing SCADA administration
costs and overall risks. In addition, users can significantly achieve greater reliability
and enhanced functionality.
Clients can get full access for customisation of their own SCADA application. All
data is housed in a database historian within the cloud. As needs evolve, the system
can be fully convertible at any point in the future to a traditionally-hosted solution
on a company's dedicated servers.
Cloud computing can support SCADA applications in two fashions:
- The SCADA application is running on-site, directly connected to the control network
and delivering information to the cloud where it can be stored and disseminated,
or
- The SCADA application is run entirely in the cloud and remotely connected to the
control network.
The first method is by far the most common and is illustrated in Figure 1. The control
functions of the SCADA application are entirely isolated to the control network.
However, the SCADA application is connected to a service in the cloud that provides
visualization, reporting, and access to remote users. These applications are commonly
implemented using public cloud infrastructures.
The implementation illustrated in Figure 2 is common to distributed SCADA applications
where a single, local SCADA deployment is not practical. The controllers are connected
via WAN links to the SCADA application running entirely in the cloud. These applications
are commonly implemented using private or hybrid cloud architectures.
Typical Applications..
- Utility ( Electricity, Water & Gas ) SCADA
- Automatic Meter Reading
- Building Management System
- Renewable (Solar, Wind, Small Hydro Plant)
- Asset Management / Condition Monitoring
Benefits of cloud computing for SCADA
- High efficiency - Cloud is based on clustering and virtualization, offer
high efficiency and high utilization due to the sharing of pooled resources, enabling
better workload balancing across multiple applications
- High availability- Another benefit of clustering is that applications can take advantage
of a high availability architecture that minimizes or eliminates planned and unplanned
downtime, improving user service levels and business continuity
- On-demand resources - Users are able to add resources on demand as and when needed with no downtime
- Fast deployment - With ready, standard, reusable and shared IT backbone, application deployment is greatly accelerated and new application can be run in a few minutes
- Ease to Maintain - As it centrally managed, it becomes easy to manage updates and patches, and provides testing advantages through the ability to clone machines