RAPID SCADA
Administrator's Guide
Part 1. Software Overview
Contents
Software Purpose and Characteristics ........................................................................... 2
Software Architecture ................................................................................................ 3
Description of Applications .......................................................................................... 4
Examples of Systems ................................................................................................. 8
Rapid SCADA 4.5
Software Purpose and Characteristics
Rapid SCADA provides creation of automated systems of the following types:

Industrial automation systems.

Home automation systems.

Energy accounting systems.

Security and fire alarm systems.

Access control systems.

Any systems that contain controllers, sensors and relays.
Rapid SCADA is software that automatically collects data communicating with
controllers, processes data and provides information to a dispatcher. Rapid SCADA supports
commonly used communication standards such as Modbus protocol and OPC that allow
using a huge amount of various devices. The list of supported devices can be extended by
developing additional drivers.
Rapid SCADA consists of the set of application and libraries. The software is a
platform which allows flexible system configuration to meet the customer needs. Rapid
SCADA is open source software, its internal data formats and communication protocols are
documented. This approach simplifies integration of Rapid SCADA with other applications to
create complex enterprise-wide solutions. Functionality of Rapid SCADA can be enhanced by
adding custom modules that implement required features.
Access to information and control functions in Rapid SCADA is restricted according to
user rights. The ability to use Active Directory for user authentication significantly increases
the safety of storing passwords. User rights management using Active Directory eliminates
the system administrator from manual input user logins and passwords.
The following table contains the main characteristics of the software.
Characteristic
OS family
Maximum number of input channels
Maximum number of output channels
Maximum number of communication lines
Maximum number of devices
Minimum current data writing period
Minimum archive data writing period
Maximum archive data storing period
Automatic archive data backup
Active Directory authentication option
The applications communication protocol
Writing application actions and user actions to log files
Option to disable telecontrol commands
Extensible functionality
The software is open source
Value
Microsoft Windows
65535
65535
65535
65535
1 second
30 seconds
10 years
Yes
Yes
TCP
Yes
Yes
Yes
Yes
2
Software Architecture
The architecture of Rapid SCADA is multi-tier and distributed (see Figure 1).
Applications can run on a single server or multiple computers across a network. Controllers
can use communication channels of different types for connecting to a system. Major factors
that determine the system configuration are number of equipment locations, distance
between them, estimation of end-user activity, restrictions of external systems.
Figure 1. Software architecture
Rapid SCADA includes the following main applications:
1. SCADA-Web is a web application that displays information to a dispatcher via
browser in different forms (tabular, schematic, diagrams, reports) and provides
sending commands;
2. SCADA-Server
manages
the
archive
database,
performs
mathematical
calculations and provides information to the client applications;
3. SCADA-Communicator interacts with controllers, transmits data to SCADAServer.
Providing data access using web technology significantly simplifies the deployment
and maintenance of the system, which is especially important for a large number of users.
As devices controlled by a system are commonly used electricity meters, heat
meters, fire and security alarms, access controllers and other equipment.
3
Description of Applications
SCADA-Administrator Application
SCADA-Administrator is designed to manage the configuration of the system (see
Figure 2). Configuring is a process of editing the configuration database, which is a
structured description of the entire automated system.
Figure 2. SCADA-Administrator application
Key features of SCADA-Administrator designed for fast creating and comfortable
modifying the configuration database are listed below:
1. Import and export between different configuration databases allows reusing
developments.
2. Channels clone function minimizes manual input.
3. Automated creation of channels based on the available devices.
4. Backup the configuration database.
4
SCADA-Web Application
As described above SCADA-Web is a web application that displays information to a
dispatcher via browser in different forms (tabular, schematic, diagrams, reports) and
provides sending commands. Reports are generated in commonly used Microsoft Office
formats.
Figure 3. SCADA-Web application
User is able to choose a view (for example, table or scheme) and a date to access
archive data. To show a diagram of an input channel click an item icon in a table or an
appropriate element in a scheme.
SCADA-Web is available from any computer connected to an organization network
without any software installation. Access is managed by a system administrator who defines
user rights.
Functionality of SCADA-Web can be extended using additional modules and web
pages. For instance, SCADA-Faces module allows displaying a photo of a person passing
through the checkpoint. This module is used in access control systems. Developers can
download Rapid SCADA source code and the documentation describing how to implement
extra modules.
5
SCADA-Server application
SCADA-Server manages the archive database, performs mathematical calculations
and provides information to the client applications. SCADA-Server writes data to the main
archive and makes the backup copy simultaneously.
Figure 4. SCADA-Server application
SCADA-Server consists of a Windows service and a graphical shell. The shell is
shown in Figure 4. The service does not have user interface. It operates continuously in the
background regardless of user login and logout.
The application monitors user connections and checks user rights while processing
requests and passing commands. Information about the application state and performed
actions is stored in text log files. SCADA-Server is designed for non-stop running.
Additional server modules allow extending the functionality of the SCADA-Server
according on customer requirements.
6
SCADA-Communicator Application
SCADA-Communicator interacts with controllers and transmits data to SCADAServer. Communication with controllers connected to a system is executed in parallel across
multiple lines. SCADA-Communicator receives current data, archive data, events from
controllers and sends commands to controllers. The application helps troubleshooting issues
with communication lines and devices.
Figure 5. SCADA-Communicator application
SCADA-Communicator consists of a Windows service and a graphical shell. The shell
is shown in Figure 5. Information about the application, communication lines and each
connected device is stored in log files. SCADA-Communicator is designed for non-stop
running.
Developers are able to implement their own device libraries (drivers) to interact with
a variety of controllers.
7
Examples of Systems
Rapid SCADA allows you to implement a wide range of systems. The first example
(see Figure 6) illustrates the energy accounting system of the building. The system contains
electricity meters and heat meters. Using MOXA NPort device server gives the software
direct access to serial devices from anywhere on the network, improves system control
efficiency and reduces wires length.
Figure 6. The energy accounting system based on Rapid SCADA
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The second example illustrates the implementation of the access control system (see
Figure 7). The system controllers and proximity card readers are produced by Parsec
Company. The out of the box functionality of Rapid SCADA is extended by the additional
applications that provide access control management and generation analytical reports
containing departments and staff statistics.
Figure 7. The access control system based on Rapid SCADA
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