Why Do You Need A SCADA Master Plan?

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Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition— SCADA—systems have been around for over half a century providing real time data from the field to operators. Over time SCADA systems have evolved from rudimentary tools with limited scope housed on large clunky computers to complex data gathering networks housed on multiple servers with access through the internet. SCADA systems initially captured field data in the form of static reports that required time consuming analysis and review in order to make decisions. Today’s SCADA systems incorporate a growing plethora of monitoring devices and sensors that provide a staggering number of inputs and outputs. From chemical usage, to power consumption, to inlet–outlet pressures, and so on. Our SCADA systems have evolved. In most cases this evolution is derived by patching together disparate systems custom designed for specific individual purposes in order to achieve total system control.

Our SCADA systems have become vital to our operations. Ask yourself what would happen if your SCADA system failed? Even partially?

Step Back And Take A Look At The Big Picture...

Is your SCADA system functioning as best as it can for today? For the future? Are you operating at peak efficiency? Does it incorporate information such as historical data, seasonal trends, time of day, etc. in order to forecast system demand? Are you receiving Regulatory reports and trend analysis for review automatically? Are you collecting enough or too much data? Are your operators reeling from the information presented to them? Are they facing alarm overload? Are components obsolete? Are your systems open to nefarious attacks? Is your SCADA infrastructure showing signs of ageing?

A well developed SCADA Master Plan will provide the answers to these questions and much more.

Think you can go it alone? Think again, securing a seasoned consultant will provide knowledge and experience that you won’t have internally. They will have an inherent ability to rigorously consider alternatives, to analyse upcoming technologies and innovations, to foresee future industry trends, and to ensure what they recommend is demonstrable and not just 'pie in the sky' contemplation. SCADA master planning is a complex process and is best left to the experts who live and breathe it on a daily basis.

What do we have and how to we use it?

A full and comprehensive inventory and analysis of your existing SCADA systems will help those creating the master plan to understand what you have and how you got to where you are now. Your driving factors, Your needs, the trials and tribulations Your organization has had to face and has overcome. This includes your alarming, security, data use, data movement, data storage, concerns and issues that you face, how SCADA ties in with your business systems, the internal and external stakeholders involved, and so on. By evaluating what you have and how you use it consultants can determine what’s required to get you where you want to go. This history is essential in moving forward as no two SCADA systems are alike—nor will your master plan resemble any other.

Where do you want to go and what should you consider?

In today's world, most organizations only use a fraction of the functionality present in their SCADA systems. The capabilities are boundless and could be used to enhance efficiency and effectiveness in your organization. Cloud computing, robotics, interlinked enterprise software, cyber security, and so on, will only add to the ever increasing capabilities. Now is the time you need to look at new concepts and technologies— futurology if you will.

For example, a SCADA system with built in control strategies to manage power use and flow thereby reducing equipment and maintenance cost and increasing energy efficiency. Or a system that forecasts a refill date and time for backwash chemicals, communicates this to the organization's enterprise accounting and purchasing system, orders it and then schedules delivery based upon operator availability. Or a system that detects a pump motor shaft failure well before it happens, orders the new part and has it delivered at the same time as it schedules maintenance crews to arrive on scene. Or a system that identifies inflow and infiltration before it worsens and pinpoints the area that’s failed and schedules the line to be inspected at off-peak hours.

Your selection of an experienced consultant will pay dividends here. Knowledge of wide ranging current industry practices, emergent technologies and trends in hardware and software, energy sustainability, portable devices, robotics, and so on will all come into play.

The end product should be a reliable, robust, expandable, and secure system using demonstrable technologies and trends. It should be designed to incorporate product or technology availability, ease of integration, avoidance of obsolescence, ability to replace components with minimal impact and standardization across the organization to enhance maintainability and cost of delivery. It should estimate system life cycle and strategies to maximize viability. It should provide redundancy and disaster recovery strategies. It should provide measures to track regulatory compliance, operational efficiency, service levels, business parameters, and so on.

What will it take to get there?

By utilizing the information gathered through the master planning process your consultant will be able to determine the steps required to get you to your goal. A strategic plan should outline short term objectives to address immediate issues, medium term objectives to move you into new territory and set the stage for your final outcome, and long term goals and budgets required to complete the plan. It should Identify ongoing system maintenance requirements, staffing needs, and expertise required. The plan should provide a required scope, a budget, a timeline, and resource requirements to move your operation from its current state to your desired state following best practices and supporting your organization's business requirements and dependencies.

What is the end result?

The end result should be a comprehensive SCADA plan that addresses all aspects of your operational system.

A goal without a plan is just a wish
—Antoine de Saint-Exupery (1900-1944)

From technological advancements, to communications strategies, to physical and computer system security, to staffing levels and budgeting. The master plan must articulate a long-term vision that takes full advantage of automation technologies and advancements. It will establish a path forward and should leverage SCADA as a tool to achieve your organization's business, operational, technical, and security goals.

Can you afford to be without one?


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