Configuration of a process control system
View Patent ↗Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure automatically generate Virtual Local Area Network (VLAN) configuration data from a logical data flow between intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of a process control (PC) system in accordance with a standardized configuration representation of the system. The process IEDs, switches of an Ethernet switch-based communication network to which the IEDs are connected, and connecting cables are made aware of the assigned VLANs. Any performance analysis or diagnosis on these components can show design problems with VLANs and communication architecture already at engineering or communication system design time.
1. A method of configuring a process control (PC) system with a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) connected to at least one switch of an Ethernet switch-based communication network,
where a sender IED is configured to send different messages to different predetermined receiver IEDs, and where a switch of the communication network is configured to forward periodic multicast messages irrespective of the receiver IEDs, the method comprising:
retrieving, for the sender IED among the plurality of IEDs and for each message configured to be transmitted by the sender IED and from a standardized configuration representation of the PC system having logical data flow definitions, a Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (VLAN ID); and
assigning, for a receiver IED, a respective VLAN ID of each message destined for the receiver IED to an edge port of a switch of the communication network to which the receiver IED is connected.
2. The method according to claim 1 , comprising: assigning, based on information about a physical structure of the communication network obtained from the standardized configuration representation of the PC system, VLAN IDs to a trunk port of a switch of the communication network to which another switch is connected.
3. The method according to claim 1 , comprising: deriving, by a switch of the communication network and based on at least one message received during operation of the PC system, a VLAN ID of a trunk port of the switch to which another switch is connected.
4. The method according to claim 2 , comprising: evaluating a network load at a switch of the communication network, based on the assigned VLAN IDs and formal information about at least one message transmitted by the switch.
5. The method according to claim 2 , comprising: evaluating a network load at a cable connected to a port of a switch of the communication network, based on a VLAN ID of the port and formal information about at least one message transmitted by the cable.
6. The method according to claim 4 , comprising: retrieving, from the standardized configuration representation of the PC system, formal information about the at least one message transmitted, the formal information including a data change rate and a burst size for event based reports.
7. A configuration tool for a process control (PC) system with a plurality of intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) connected to an Ethernet switch-based communication network,
where a sender IED is configured to send different messages to different predetermined receiver IEDs, and where a switch of the communication network is configured to forward periodic multicast messages irrespective of the receiver IEDs, the configuration tool comprising:
means for retrieving, for each sender IED among the plurality of IEDs and for each message configured to be transmitted by the sender IED and from a standardized configuration representation of the PC system comprising logical data flow definitions, a Virtual Local Area Network Identifier (VLAN ID); and
means for assigning, for a receiver IED, a respective VLAN ID of each message destined for the receiver IED to an edge port of a switch of the communication network to which the receiver IED is connected.
8. The tool according to claim 7 , comprising: means for assigning, based on information about a physical structure of the communication network obtained from the standardized configuration representation of the PC system, VLAN IDs to a trunk port of a switch of the communication network to which another switch is connected.
9. The tool according to claim 8 , comprising: means for evaluating a network load at a switch of the communication network, based on the assigned VLAN IDs and formal information about at least one message transmitted by the switch.
10. The tool according to claim 8 , comprising: means for evaluating a network load at a cable connected to a port of a switch of the communication network, based on a VLAN ID of the port and formal information about at least one message transmitted by the cable.
11. The method according to claim 3 , comprising: evaluating a network load at a switch of the communication network, based on the derived VLAN IDs and formal information about messages transmitted by the switch.
12. The method according to claim 3 , comprising: evaluating a network load at a cable connected to a port of a switch of the communication network, based on a VLAN ID of the port and formal information about at least one message transmitted by the cable.
13. The method according to claim 5 , comprising: retrieving, from the standardized configuration representation of the PC system, formal information about the at least one message transmitted, the formal information including a data change rate and a burst size for event based reports.
14. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the PC system is a substation automation system.
15. The tool according to claim 7 , wherein the PC system is a substation automation system.