SCADA

Acronym for supervisory control and data acquisition, a computer system for gathering
and analyzing real time data. SCADA systems are used to monitor and control a plant or
equipment in industries such as telecommunications, water and waste control, energy, oil
and gas refining and transportation.

SCADA systems include hardware and software components. The hardware

gathers and feeds data into a computer that has SCADA software installed. The
computer then processes this data and presents it in a timely manner. SCADA
also records and logs all events into a file stored on a hard disk or sends them to
a printer. SCADA warns when conditions become hazardous by sounding alarms.
Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) refers to industrial control systems (ICS)
that are employed to control and keep track of equipment or a plant in industries like
water and waste control, telecommunications, energy, transport, and oil and gas refining.
SCADA is a computer system used to gather and analyze real-time data. This data is
processed by the computer and is presented on a regular basis. SCADA also saves and make
logs for every event into a log file that is saved on a hard drive or is sent to a printer. SCADA
gives warnings by sounding alarms if situations develop into hazardous scenarios.

Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA)

They include both software and hardware components. The hardware collects and enters
data into a computer with SCADA software.
SCADA systems consist of:

Field data interface equipment, generally programmable logic controllers (PLCs) or

remote terminal units (RTUs). These connect to field sensing devices, local control
switchboxes and valve actuators. Field-data-interface equipment forms the core part of
SCADA systems.

A communications system. This is employed to move data between different pieces

of field data interface equipment and control units, and the computer systems
employed in the SCADA central host. The system may be telephone, radio, satellite,
cable, and so on, or a combination of any of these. The communications network is
designed to offer the way by which the data can be transmitted in between the fieldbased RTUs and the central host computer servers.

A central host computer server(s). This is often known as a master station, a SCADA
center, or a master terminal unit (MTU). The central host computer is usually a single
computer or a computer server network.

A set of standard and/or customized software systems. They are helpful in delivering
the operator terminal application and SCADA central host. This supports the
communications system, and monitors and controls the remotely located field-datainterface equipment.

Some of the software products usually used within the SCADA system include:

Central host computer OS

Operator terminal OS

Central host computer application

Operator terminal application

Communications protocol drivers

RTU automation software

Communications network management software