Interfaces and Protocols

Interfaces & Protocols

Whether your network operations requires metering tools, field crew monitoring, compliant interfaces for data exchange, or mapping points to your GIS, we offer a number of interface and protocol applications that integrate seamlessly with the SurvalentONE ADMS platform.

Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Interface

The AMI Interface allows the ADMS system to obtain meter data by interrogating the AMI system using the MultiSpeak protocol. The user can request readings from any meter and display the data on-demand in the SmartVU map. Users can also define schedules for the ADMS system to automatically interrogate the AMI system for specific meter data. The received data is stored in the analog points. This data can be used by other applications such as voltage readings for voltage reduction algorithms.

Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL)

AVL is an interface that enables the location of GPS transponder equipped vehicles to be displayed on a map within SmartVU. The location of the vehicle is updated real-time within SmartVU so the user can see the actual location of the vehicle on the system map.

External Clock Interface

External Clock Interface synchronizes the computer time to that of the external (GPS) clock every minute. An alarm is raised if the system cannot read the clock.

IEC 61850 Communication Protocol

IEC 61850 is an advanced protocol developed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) to improve communication between the data-intensive intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) in modern electrical substations. By supporting faster data transfer rates and a wider range of information than previous protocols, IEC 61850 increases the speed and level of coordination between IEDs, expands the amount of information available to end users, and enhances the overall effectiveness of substation automation systems (SAS). Survalent IEC 61850 software complies with the latest version of the protocol, IEC 61850 Edition 2.

Inter-Control Center Communication Protocol (ICCP)

Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (ICCP)is an industry-standard protocol designed to share information with different vendors’ computer systems. It is typically used for data transfer between two or more SCADA/EMS master stations.

Lightning Strike Interface

SurvalentONE Lightning Strike helps utilities prepare and plan for potential outages caused by a lightening strike in their area and monitor them to assess the extent of damage caused to the distribution network.

SurvalentONE Lightning Strike Interface fetches real-time lightning strike information from external sources, filters it by utilities’ area of interest and then stores it in their SCADA database. Utilities can specify certain SCADA alarms that can be raised for lightning strikes detected within their area. The locations of the lightning strikes are displayed in Live Map mode, with color-coded lightning indications to show the approximate age of each strike.

MultiSpeak

MultiSpeak is an industry-wide open initiative sponsored by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) to facilitate development of software interfaces needed by rural electric co-ops and munis. It has developed uniform interface definitions for data exchange among commonly used software. Survalent provides MultiSpeak 3.0 compliant interfaces to other MultiSpeak compliant third party applications.

Network Database Access (NDA)

Network Database Access (NDA) is a client/server protocol that was developed by Survalent. The NDA API (application programming interface) is a library of functions that allows PC application programs to access the ADMS system using the NDA protocol. This API is provided in the form of a DLL (dynamically linked library) that is installed on the PC.

OLE for Process Control

OLE for Process Control is a non-proprietary technical specification that defines a set of standard interfaces based upon Microsoft’s OLE/COM technology. The OPC Client/Server application includes options for both OPC Client and OPC Server to make possible interoperability between automation and control applications, field systems and devices, and business/office applications.

Operations & Outage Accounting

The Operations and Outage Accounting function is based on the Event Data Recording facility which records all status changes and control operations in an event data file (retains events for up to 30 days). Operations and outage reports can be produced.

Secure Inter-Control Center Communications Protocol (Secure ICCP)

Survalent’s Secure ICCP encrypts data from SurvalentONE SCADA during transmission and communicates natively with the receiving system’s ICCP protocol, enabling Transmission System Operator systems to decode it without the use of an interface or front-end processor. Secure ICCP is quick to implement in-house, easy to maintain and use by Operational Technology resources, and compatible with existing infrastructure.

Simple Network Management Protocol (SNMP)

This scan task is designed to communicate with one or more devices using the Simple Network Management Protocol, a protocol used to manage devices connected to a TCP/IP network.

Workforce Management System (WMS) Interface

This interface provides the ability to connect to a third-party Workforce Management System. With this interface, operators can track the status of jobs and crews related to outage cases and tickets inside of SmartVU. Utilities also have the option of dispatching jobs to an external WMS; the WMS would track jobs and crew availability and update the OMS with changes.

Dynamic GIS Viewer

This interface provides the ability to publish analog and status point data to a Geographical Information System (GIS). SCADA points can be mapped to the GIS, allowing the user to view the actual status and/or analog values of the devices in their GIS map.

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