Protocols & Drivers

This is where the magic happens!

Overview - RTU protocols and driver setup
Your RTU application may simply be an 'end point' and only need to interface with a SCADA host or other master device - or it may need to 'sing and dance'...
1- Select what you need
The RTU Configuration Tool allows selection of protocols and hardware.
2 - Create a project in WorkSuite
Then define IO points, create some logic and additional variables eg. this waste water pump station controller accumulates pump statistics and computes derived flow totals from change in wet well volume.
3 - Setup DNP3 slave for this example
Use the Fieldbus Configurator to add the DNP3 slave protocol, create a channel (how to communicate), create a 'session' (who to communicate with), then set application layer parameters (messaging rules).
4 - 'Variables of interest'
Variables (data points in the RTU database) can be 'exposed' to one or more protocols, by referencing them in either the fieldbus editor (simple protocols like Modbus), or including them in a 'profile' (advanced protocols like IEC61850 and DNP3). For DNP3 slave, the variables of interest are dragged in to the DNP3S profile, where they can be associated to object types, given a point address, event class, reporting limits etc.
5 - Prove it works
Connect the RTU to the SCADA host and prove the data values are transferred correctly. If you need to troubleshoot the message contents - use the RTU web interface utility to capture network data packets for viewing in Wireshark to quickly resolve issues.
6 - Make it smarter!
The WorkSuite logic tools allow you to interact with the RTU communications tasks, to enhance the monitoring and control of your data transfer processes. This example DNP3 slave RTU is monitoring the unread events buffers and is able to manipulate point object properties (event class, reporting thresholds etc) and network interface properties (IP address of the host and peer slaves that it may be communicating with).
Conclusion - enjoy having a 'future proof' RTU...
Your RTU requirements will evolve over time, so when you need more I/O, comm ports, protocols or RTU functionality - know it can be easily implemented in a Brodersen RTU.
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Our modular RTU architecture allows a flexible hardware solution – just add the modules required.  Our range of protocols and drivers work the same way – choose the functionality you need for now and feel safe that if your requirements change (who said that never happens…), add more functionality later.

Click on an icon below to find out more about a particular protocol or driver, or scroll down for more information…

Meeting Application Requirements

RTU application requirements vary greatly.  A simple application may require basic data logging functionality, a more advanced application may include logic control and remote communications with field devices and a SCADA host.  A complex application may include hardware and communications redundancy and multiple protocols.  You may have a few data points and only need one protocol to transfer the data, or you may have a few data points and need to use multiple protocols, or more likely you have many data points and need multiple protocols!  

The Brodersen suite of protocols and drivers allows you to easily create a simple data logger, protocol translator, data concentrator, slave or master device, slave and master device, or even emulate other vendors protocols by developing your own driver using the application logic tools included in WorkSuite (via serial, TCP and UDP interfaces).

List of available Protocols and Drivers

Protocol NameRTU32M/N
Allen-Bradley DF1X
DLMS/IEC1107 
DNP3 Master & Client
X
DNP3 Slave & ServerX
DNP3 WITS ServerX
Ethernet/IP + Flex IO–Point I/OX
HSR/PRP + Teaming/BondingX
IEC60870-5-101 Master & SlaveX
IEC60870-5-103 MasterX
IEC60870-5-104 Server & Client – KEMA certifiedX
IEC61400-25 
IEC61850 Client – KEMA certifiedX
IEC61850 Server (incl. GOOSE) – KEMA certifiedX
Modbus Client/Server & Master/SlaveX
MQTT ClientX
Omron HostLink X
OPC UA ServerX
PRP + Teaming/BondingX
SNMP AgentX
Siemens S7X
TIME synchronization PTP, NTP, SNTPX