M580 with BMENOR2200H TVDA REQUEST

[jouharn]

Does anyone have a sample architecture for an M580 PLC using BMENOR2200H modules in a Hot Standby configuration?

Also, what is the recommended approach for connecting to a DNP3 Master when the BMENOR2200H is configured as a DNP3 Slave?

Can data from the NOR module be transmitted to a DNP3 Master through a BMENOC module, or is a direct physical connection to the NOR module mandatory for DNP3 communication?

Any sample network architecture or implementation guidance would be greatly Appreciated.

[Siddiqui]

Hi @jouharn,

 There is one TVDA, “How Can I Build an Integrated Telemetry and Remote SCADA System?”, which covered the BMENOR2200H module in the M580 HSBY configuration setup.

Check the link below for more details: 

How Can I Build an Integrated Telemetry and Remote SCADA System?

In this TVDA, the BMENOR modules are configured as the DNP3 Server and communicate with the DNP3 (Client) Master station SCADA.

The sample architecture used in this TVDA is attached for your reference.

The BMENOR module Ethernet connection can be made either through the Control Ports (ETH1/ETH2) on the front of the BMENOR2200H or through an enabled backplane port. The backplane port is permanently connected to the M580 Ethernet backplane.

• For the flat networks using the BMENOR module backplane port: For these networks, the Ethernet network connections to the BMENOR2200H are achieved through the service port of a BMENOC0301/BMENOC0311 or a BMENOS0300 module or an M580 CPU service port.
• For the isolated networks using the BMENOR module front Ethernet Control ports: For these networks, the Ethernet network connections are achieved through control ports directly. Control ports are physically isolated from backplane ports (by 2 MAC addresses).
• For the logically isolated network: If the control ports are not enabled, a logically isolated network could also be achieved through a BMENOC0321 module with IP forwarding enabled. The installation of multiple controllers with BMENOR2200H and BMENOC0321 modules requires the use of a static routing table for the upstream system.
• The NAT feature is also available. For more details, I suggest you go through the BMENOR2200H user guide.

NOTE: When the BMENOR module is configured as a DNP3 or IEC 60870-5-104 (IEC 104) server and is used in an M580 High Availability (HSBY) architecture, the two BMENOR modules, one installed in the primary rack and the other in the standby rack, must be able to communicate with each other to synchronize events between themselves. The customer could choose which way the events could be synchronized, either using the backplane port or using the control ports, as shown in the figure below.

In the TVDA architecture, the front Ethernet control ports are used for synchronization of the events between two modules and for the DNP3 Master Station connectivity.

As you can see from the above explanation, there are multiple ways to access the BMENOR module; the best way depends on the customer requirement, current network design, and the desired level of network segmentation, security, and maintainability.

If you provide the exact customer requirement and the current network design then I can help you point out the best way to connect the BMENOR module but with the limited information that you shared In my opinion, you should use the BMENOR module front control port for the DNP3 connectivity, which provides the proper isolation between the networks, and make sure both modules are connected through the network for event synchronization and the Master station communication.

NOTE: The two front Control ports, as of now, do not support redundancy protocols (RSTP) that will be available in the future, so proper network design consideration is needed to avoid any storms or loops in the network.

I suggest you check the BMENOR module user guide to get more detailed information about the connectivity from the link below.

https://www.se.com/il/en/download/document/PHA90072/.

I hope the above explanation provides help. If you need further information or explanation, let me know or contact me through Teams.

Best Regards,

Wasif

[jouharn]

Thanks @Siddiqui for the detailed explanation and for sharing the TVDA architecture reference.

I understand the concept of using the BMENOR control ports for DNP3 Master /SCADA communication. However, my main concern is regarding the redundant communication design, particularly in scenarios where the communication paths need to use different IP subnets.

The objective is to provide redundant communication paths while maintaining network separation through different subnets.

My uncertainty is around the solution where the NOC modules are used for the upstream network connections, while the BMENOR communicates via its backplane port through the NOC modules.

Thank you for your guidance.

[Siddiqui]

Hi @jouharn ,

Thank you for your response and for clarifying the requirement.

To meet your requirement, check my comments below:

As I explained previously, the BMENOR backplane port is always connected to the M580 Ethernet backplane, and there is no way to disable this connectivity.

• You can configure the BMENOR module's front control port (ETH 1) in network A.
• You can add a BMENOC0321 module with the IP forwarding feature enabled, access the same BMENOR module backplane port through the BMENOC0321 control ports, and configure the BMENOC0321 control port in network B.

So now you have two paths to access a BMENOR module; both of them are in different networks. The BMENOC0321 IP forwarding provides logical isolation between the upstream SCADA connectivity and the M580 Ethernet backplane port.

FYI, when the BMENOR modules launched it came with the backplane port only; there were no control ports, and during that time the BMENOR module could be accessed in many ways, as I explained in my previous comments in a flat network. One way is to utilize the BMENOC0321 with IP forwarding enabled to access the NOR module through its backplane port.

NOTE:

• You need to add a static route on the SCADA PC to access the BMENOR through the NOC0321 through IP forwarding.
• Based on your network design and requirements, you need to decide which network is used to configure the exchange of events and synchronization between the NOR modules.
• I won't say that this is redundant communication with the same NOR module (backplane + Control Port). The BMENOR module is configured to have two independent DNP3 server channels that have the same database.
• The Master SCADA DNP3 client and DNP3 Server (BMENOR) module should be configured accordingly in terms of how these two paths are going to be utilized for data exchange and event exchange and how redundancy is achieved at the Master SCADA station.
• I recommend you perform the detailed test using the setup as explained above to make sure everything is working as expected.

Besides that, if you could share more details in terms of the overall network design and how many M580 HSBY sets with the NOR modules are in the network architecture, that will clarify the design basis.

I hope the above comments will provide help.

Best Regards,

Wasif