Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition or SCADA systems monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes. Because of its immeasurable benefits, many organizations now have their own SCADA systems in place. Here are the 7 Golden Rules for a successful SCADA implementation and operations.

1. The
Golden Rules of
SCADA Success
Supervisory Control And Data Acquisition or SCADA systems monitor and control industrial, infrastructure, or facility-based processes.
Because of its immeasurable benefits, many organizations now have their own SCADA systems in place.
Here are the 7 Golden Rules for a successful SCADA implementation and operations
Golden Rule #1:
Golden Rule #2:
Choose your
system wisely
Get network
integration right
There are two main things
that should be taken into
consideration when purchasing a
SCADA system: a) Which provider
to opt for: legacy providers,
historical reputation and peer
preference are all factors that
play a part in this; and b) Sectorspecific needs: making sure that
the system you choose is aligned
to the requirements of your
organisation and sector is key.
Migrating from one system
to another can often lead to
significant downtime as well as
data loss, damaged data integrity
and accurate data transfer. In oil
& gas or petrochemical facility,
such losses could be detrimental
to consumers or potentially
catastrophic, so making sure
that integration is carried out
efficiently and with contingency
planning in play is vital.
Golden Rule #3:
Prepare for
environmental
hazard
If remote terminal units (RTUs)
are based out in the open,
extreme conditions will eventually
take their toll. Improving the
durability of SCADA equipment
is paramount for regions
such as Asia with scorching
temperatures during the day,
cold nights and abrasive and
inhospitable conditions. For
maximum performance, periodic
maintenance should be carried
out in-line with a 10 – 15 year
equipment lifespan.
Golden Rule #4:
Golden Rule #5:
Plan for replacement
of obsolete units
Keep security
threats at bay
The obsolescence of integral
parts of the SCADA framework
is inevitable with the march of
time and quick-fire advancements
in technology, so having a
replacement plan is a must to
prevent loss of money and time.
This downtime can also be
minimized by initially selecting
a SCADA package that improves
usability, maximises flexibility and
provides for future expansion.
Just like their biological cousins,
computer viruses evolve as
quickly as their uploaders are
diligent, and threat profiles
are updated with frightening
constancy. Having regular and
thorough auditing strategies
is one way to make sure that
security threats are always in
check and your SCADA systems
are up to the task.
SCADA Asia 2013 gathers top industry thought leaders and expert speakers from Power & Electricity,
Water, Gas, Railways and Oil & Gas Sectors. To find out more, visit www.scadasummit.com
To attend the conference, email enquiry@iqpc.com.sg or call +65 6722 9388.
Golden Rule #6:
Assess your
vulnerability
regularly
Given the myriad threats
that exist out there, it is still
difficult to quantify exactly how
vulnerable a SCADA system is
to an attack. Assessments can
be made to reduce the causes
of vulnerability through threat
simulation, and the most classic
of these methods is the use
of attack trees. An attack tree
may be an extremely complex
analysis of thousands of different
potential pathways from root
threat to attack completion, yet
it would be impossible to cover
all the possible routes so running
regular checks is absolutely
necessary.
Golden Rule #7:
Ensure
interoperability
without sacrificing
security
Many SCADA systems use their
own dedicated and proprietary
communication protocols as
opposed to shared and open
systems. Within wide-ranging
networks, the interoperability of
different systems is crucial to the
smooth running of the framework
as a whole. The use of open
systems represents the best
way to ensure that devices can
communicate with each other on
a “level playing field.” However,
open protocols also come with
a greater risk of infiltration
from rogue devices. Striking a
balance between interoperability
and security must be a primary
concern that all companies must
deal with on an individual basis.