IEC 61850 Introduction to Semantics & Naming Nomenclature

Objective

This module first describes the differences between syntax, semantics, namespaces, and nomenclatures. It clarifies the differences between private and public namespaces, and advises the participant in terms of establishing a standard IEC 61850 naming nomenclature, which maintains user’s flexibility (e.g. free allocation of logical nodes) and still adheres to the Substation Configuration Language (SCL) schema. Real-world naming nomenclatures from past projects will be referenced, and participants can see the pro's and con's of the various methods used by past IEC 61850 users. 

One of the first steps into IEC 61850 is establishing a standard naming nomenclature that describes how the user’s equipment and functionalities are to be described/modeled using IEC 61850 data models.  It’s important to maintain semantics that are familiar to the user's personnel including  engineers, technicians and operators.  Users may opt to adapt a pre-existing nomenclature - generally applied for bit-orientated data - that attempts to bolt-on IEC 61850 semantics; or they may opt to start with a new nomenclature that is better suited for object-orientated protocols such as IEC 61850. Participants will understand how to pursue either approach. 

Detailed Description

• Clarifies terminology used when discussing IEC 61850 semantics. Explain the differences between naming nomenclature vs. semantics vs. syntax vs. namespace.
• Introduction to the hierarchical data structure defined within IEC 61346, which provides a standardized method as how to structure systems and generate reference designations for industrial systems, installations, equipment and industrial products. 
• Introduction to the product naming model versus functional naming model, and explains the intent and interaction of each methodology. It's paramount that participants understand the purpose of each model and transformation between functional naming and product naming. 
• Discuss when it's best to retrofit  existing naming nomenclatures, and when it's best to retire a legacy nomenclature and start with a new IEC 61850 based naming standard. 
• Discuss the differences between private and public namespaces and the use case for each.
• Discuss the fixed vs. flexible semantics and identify the data constructs that are configurable, including the limitations (e.g. # characters) for each.
• Participants will work through a real-world example (breaker-and-a-half topology) and showcase the various methods that we can model this common bus arrangement using both functional naming and product naming methods, summarizing the pro's and con's of each alternative. The breaker-and-a-half arrangement is known to be a more challenging example, which explains how these overlapping logical functions and sub functions can be modeled using the various IEC 61850 constructs.  It summarizes the benefits of each approach and clarifies the importance of having a flexible binding/association between the functional naming model and the product naming model. 
• Each vendor has unique naming constraints, and this module will discuss  the various naming conventions supported by major vendors, including Siemens, ABB, GE, etc. 

IEC 61850 Mixed Systems (Edition 1 & Edition 2)

Objective

This is an advanced training module that allows participants to gain a better understanding on the implications that are associated with building mixed IEC 61850 systems, which incorporate both Ed.1 and Ed.2 IEDs. These hybrid systems have unique constraints and special provisions that need to be made to ensure the interoperability of these mixed systems. The purpose of this module is to better prepare the IEC 61850 user community when having to support mixed systems.

For users who have already integrated IEC 61850 Ed.1 within their systems, and wish to capture the additional functionality that Ed.2 offers, a mixed system may be inevitable. Backwards compatibility is made possible through the use of pre-defined “rules” that tools/IEDs must adhere to when transforming SCL files between Ed.1 and Ed.2 environments. 

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Explain the current constraints (e.g. shared namespaces) and how the working group intends to address backwards compatibility.
• Explain how the Substation Configuration Tools (SCT) and IED Configuration Tools (ICT) are meant to handle the two sets of SCL files; the Master (Ed.2), and the "Downgraded Master" (Ed.1), which is currently being discussed within the IEC 61850 Working Group.
• Covers the following information as it relates to IEC 61850 Mixed Systems:
  • Summary of Changes Between Ed.1 and Ed.2
  • Summary of Terminology & Namespaces
  • IEC Technical Committee 57, Working Group 10 Perspectives on Hybrid Systems
  • SCL Modeling Considerations for Hybrid Systems
  • SCL Engineering Process Considerations for Hybrid Systems
• Summarize some of the proposals taking place within the IEC 61850 Working Group, such as the management of the model and its associated namespaces. It will also clarify the terminology that is used within the standard so users can easily differentiate between SCL Version, SCL Revision, SCL Release, etc.
• Explains the concept of “Rules”, which are currently being established by the IEC 61850 Working Group that will allow for a consistent transformation process (downgrading) between Ed.1 and Ed.2, that aims to resolve potential interoperability issues, such as incompatible common data classes (CDC). These rules will be summarized, and the module will discuss what users can do to better prepare for these mixed systems.

IEC 61850 Introduction to Process Bus

Objective

The objective of this module is to take a closer look at IEC 61850's Process Bus and discuss the inherent design implications (e.g. isolation of multi-cast signal) that comes along with deploying digital substations. Participants will be exposed to all aspects of the process bus, including the complimentary standards on time protocols (e.g. IEC 61850-9-3) and network architectures (e.g. IEC 62439-3). 

Detailed Description

• Identification and prioritization of IEC 61850-9-2 Process Bus Use Cases.
• Explanation of the proper subscription methods for sampled values.
• Introduction to the supervision logical node (LSVS) for sampled value streams.
• Introduction to the cyber-security implications associated with IEC 61850-9-2 Process Bus.
• Explanation of sampling rates and the differentiation between IEC 61850-9-2 Ed.1, Ed.2, and LE. 
• Introduction to the precision time protocol and explanation of IEC 61850-9-3, IEC 61588, IEEE 1588, IEEE C37.238, etc. 
• Introduction to Power Profile Level 1, Level 2, etc.
• Introduction to IEC 61869-9 (Digital interface for instrument transformers) and IEC 60044-8 (Electronic current transformers) and explain how it applies to newly manufactured electronic current transformers having an analogue voltage output or a digital output, for use with electrical measuring instruments and electrical protective devices at nominal frequencies from 15 Hz to 100 Hz.
• Introduction to the concept of virtual merging units for the "summation" of sampled values.

IEC 61850 For Distributed Energy Resources

Objective

This is an advanced training module that provides participants with the information required to properly specify and engineer an IEC 61850 based system, which is tailored for Distributed Energy Resource (DER) applications, such as the interconnection of wind power, solar power, and other inverter based power sources. 

As the electrical grid continues to evolve, DER such as storage and advanced renewable technologies will help facilitate the transition to a smarter grid.  Deploying DER with IEC 61850 allows for a consistent manner to interconnect and coordinate these distributed power sources. 

This module will explain how the IEC 61850 data models, communication services and other design principals carry over to the various DER domains. We will describe how the inverter-based functions and informative versions of the IEC 61850 data model are meant to be applied to these applications.  

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

User Selects 1 of the Following Types of Resources: 

1. Wind Farm - Focus on IEC 61400-25 & IEC 61850-7-420
2. Solar/PV -  Focus on IEC 61850-90-7 & IEC 61850-7-420
3. Electric Vehicles - Focus on IEC 61850-90-8 & IEC 61850-7-420
4. Batteries -  Focus on IEC 61850-90-9 & IEC 61850-7-420
5. Microgrids -  Focus on IEC 62898 & IEC 61850-7-420

Applicable to ALL Modules:

• Describe the functions for inverter-based Distributed Energy Resources (DER) devices, including photovoltaic systems (PV), battery storage systems, electric vehicle (EV) charging systems, and any other DER with a controllable inverter. 
• Summarize the IEC 61850 data models to be used in the exchange of information between these inverter- based DER devices and the utilities; or any other entities which are tasked with managing the volt, var, and watt capabilities of these inverter-based devices.
• Discuss the design implications for manual, automatic and semi-automatic DER systems, and where each mode is best fit. 
• Explain the difference between the two types of conceptual architectures (electric coupling point vs. point of common coupling). 
• Explain the three levels of sophistication for DERs, as defined by IEC 61850-90-7:
  • Tightly-Coupled Interactions
  • Loosely-Coupled Interactions
  • Broadcast/Multicast Interactions

Applicable to Microgrid Module:

Provide technical guidelines for Microgrid planning and design activities. This module provides a standard definition of the Microgrid , which is to be an AC electrical system with load and distributed resources that can satisfy customer needs in terms of power quality and reliability. This module explains how Microgrids are classified into connected microgrids and isolated microgrids, and references the IEC 62898 standard along with other Smart Grid standards such as IEC 62913 will be made throughout this module, and correlated to real-world Microgrid projects.

The Microgrid module covers:

1. Determination of the purpose for building the microgrid.
2. Resource analysis of intermittent and dispatchable resources in the local area, while predicting the maximum available generating capacity from them.
3. Generation and load forecast.
4. DER planning, including determining the ratio of renewable energy and types of DER.
5. Planning of microgrid power system and control/protection/communication system. 
6. Forming multiple feasible microgrid planning proposals based on the above steps. 
7. Technical, economic, and environmental evaluation of the different proposals. 
8. Forming the optimal decision on microgrid planning

IEC 61850 Introduction to NERC CIP & Cyber-Security Considerations

Objective

The objective of this module is to expose participants to the NERC CIP and other cyber-security requirements. We will reference the evolving standards including the IEC 62351

This course will introduce cyber security design considerations and methods to help secure your PACS and ensure it's compliant to the NERC CIP requirements.  Our instructors have a solid understanding of what is needed to demonstrate compliance, which has been condensed into this one day course.

Detailed Description

• Introduction into the NERC CIP security framework with an emphasis on the requirements that may challenge most PACS deployments (e.g. firmware management, configuration management, user password management, device password management etc). 
• Overview of the various IEC 62351 standards for data and communications security as it relates to the power systems management and associated information exchange, including:
  • IEC 62351-1: Introduction to security issues
  • IEC 62351-2: Glossary of terms
  • IEC 62351-4: Profiles including MMS
  • IEC 62351-6: Security for IEC 61850
  • IEC 62351-9: Key Management
• Introduction into symmetrical/asymmetrical keys, private/public keys, and the other authorization and authentication methods (e.g certificates).
• Discuss the differences between implicit (by protocol) and explicit (by port) authentication.
• Introduction to role based access controls (RBAC) and access control lists (ACL), and how best to integrate these into enterprise level solutions such as Windows Active Directory. Participants will be provided with example Windows Active Directory architectures, and will discuss the concepts of forests, root domains, domain controllers, object units, etc. 
• Introduction to the Lightweight Directory Access Protocol (LDAP), including an explanation of how it allows the sharing of information about users (e.g. single sign-on), systems, networks, services, and applications throughout a user's IT/OT network. 
• Overview of the techniques and options available for firmware, configuration, password, and fault-file file management. 
• Introduction into ethernet security protocols such as Transport Layer Security (TLS) and IPSec.

IEC 61850 Basic Application Profiles

Objective

This is an advanced module that discusses the fundamental concepts behind an evolving initiative that is referred to as IEC 61850 Basic Application Profiles (BAP). The IEC 61850 standard offers a broad range of models and services for communication networks and systems in power utility automation. Due to this broad coverage of utility automation applications, it is up to the user/integrator to select and choose specific "options" from the standard that are required to fulfill the end requirements. Every IEC 61850 project implements only a subset of the entire IEC 61850 standard, which is collectively referred to as a BAP.  

The BAPs intend to reduce the complexity and improve the interoperability for a specific user application (e.g. Reverse blocking, breaker operation, GOOSE isolation) over the long-term. In order to achieve both these goals, a properly defined profile and adequate testing considerations are required. This module explains:

1. What is a BAP? 
2. Why do we need BAPs?
3. How do we test and specify BAPs?

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Explains the concept of "profiles"  from a standards bodies perspective, which deems a “profile” to be used to describe a subset of an entity (e.g. standard, model, rules). Describe the concepts of standard profiling for CIM and IEC 61850 standard series. 
• Introduction into Basic Application Profiles (BAPs) and Basic Application Interoperability Profiles (BAIOPs), and the difference between both. 
• Provides an introduction into profiling concepts and methodologies for the development of profiles for providing interoperability. The module describes the specific needs and requirements of the standard application domains and derives profiling concepts respectively.
• Discuss how a IEC 61850 BAP contains only mandatory data attributes, and how optional attributes will be added through variations/derivatives of BAPs. In addition to the data model, the BAPs will specify applicable communication services that are required to achieve the user's basic functionality. 
• Summarize the motivation/objectives for the use of profiles, including:
  • To achieve interoperability within a system, but also interoperability to external systems.
  • To achieve a business goal.
  • Allows packaging of reusable subsets.
  • Supports the flexibility to evolve according to markets needs.
  • Differences because of modeling concepts.
• Explain how BAPs streamline the specification and engineering process by fast-tracking the engineer's starting point on their configuration; as well as maximizing interoperability by ensuring all mandatory/optional attributes have been specified and have undergone conformance testing. 
• Explain the concept of BAP's from the user's perspective and discuss the composition of a BAP and how best to define your specific requirements via BAPs.
• Summarize examples of BAP's including reverse blocking schemes, distributed breaker failure schemes, etc. 

Introduction To Specific IEC 61850 Applications (Customized Modules)

Objective

Some participants may be interested in a particular application or subject matter, and the objective of this module is to provide participants with the flexibility to select a customized set IEC 61850 applications/subjects that can be tailored to your needs. This is a generic basic training module that is meant to be tailored to any user's requirements, and the list of applications/subjects are only examples. Applications and subject matters that are not specified on www.61850University.com are also welcome, and we are happy to tailor a curriculum to your specific needs. 

This basic module covers a broader range of user-defined subjects, however if a user is interested in a specific application/subject, the AT10 module may be better suited, since that module goes into greater detail. 

Detailed Description

Please select 4 of the following subjects. There will be roughly 1/4 day spent on each topic. 

1. Concept of Basic Application Profiles
2. Substation-to-Substation Signaling (Tele-Protection, Tele-Control)
3. IEC 61850 Proxy Servers (Data Concentrators)
4. PMU's and Synchrophasors (SIPS & Remedial Action Schemes)
5. IEC 61850 Logic Modeling & IEC 61131-3
6. IEC 61850 For Distributed Energy Resource Applications
7. IEC 61850 For Microgrid Applications
8. Precision Time Protocol 
9. Configuration Management
10. Web Services & Service Orientated Architectures
11. Any User-Defined Subject

General Updates on the IEC 61850 Standard

Objective

Identification of the current working/approved version of configuration files is paramount to the safe and secure operation of the Bulk Electric System. The primary goal of this module is to provide participants with the means to differentiate between the working/commissioned copy vs. issued for construction copy vs. issued for approval copy vs. work in progress copy, etc. This is an advanced module that focuses on the configuration management for protection, automation, and control systems. Management of IED configurations have significantly increased with the advent of "Smart" electronic devices.  IEC 61850 has introduced an additional set of SCL files that need to be managed, in addition to the proprietary configuration files and firmware files. Furthermore, NERC CIP V5 states:

"The Responsible Entity shall establish and document a process of change control and configuration management for adding, modifying, replacing, or removing Critical Cyber Asset hardware or software, and implement supporting configuration management activities to identify, control and document all entity or vendor- related changes to hardware and software components of Critical Cyber Assets pursuant to the change control process."

The adoption of IEC 61850 (e.g. Smart) IEDs, in combination with the roll-out of NERC CIP V5, is creating a paradigm shift that is forcing users to develop a configuration management strategy that addresses these inherent challenges. The module will focus on addressing the following strategies: 

1. Configuration Management & Change Detection Techniques
2. Configuration File & SCL File Management and File Exchange Techniques
3. Firmware Management
4. User/Role & Device Password Management
5. Fault File Management

This module describes configuration management from the NERC perspective, which requires users to have solid configuration management and vulnerability assessment controls in place to protect their bulk electric system (BES) cyber assets and BES Cyber Systems. This module will explain how to create a "baseline configuration", which is intended to clarify precisely when a change management process must be invoked and which elements of the configuration must be examined. This module explains how to automate these configuration management processes, including the generation of the reporting/auditing requirements.  The module is structured in the following sections:

1. Configuration Identification
2. Configuration Control
3. Configuration Status Accounting 
4. Configuration Audit

Detailed Description

• Summarize the principles behind configuration management, and explain the difference between proprietary configuration files, IEC 61850 SCL files and firmware files, and how each is best managed. 
• Discuss the fundamental concepts behind configuration management, including recommendations for each component:
  • Configuration Identification
  • Configuration Control
  • Configuration Status Accounting 
  • Configuration Audit
• Summarize NERC CIP V5 requirements as it relates to configuration management, change detection, password management, firmware management, and fault file management. 
• Discuss the various IEC 61850 elements that are available to monitor and control the configuration management functionalities.
• Explain how past users have managed their master configuration files, and how they've managed to keep their "in-service" configuration files synchronized with their back-office configuration files. Participants will learn the various approaches to categorize their configuration files, and understand the strengths and weaknesses to each method. 
• Discuss the use of the metadata from each type of configuration file, and how this data can be utilized within a configuration management system.  Participants will gain an appreciation for the use of SysLog Files, and how they can be manipulated/massaged to extract NERC CIP reporting requirements. 
• Participants will be introduced to assets discovery techniques using URI attributes, as well as the continuous monitoring techniques required to achieve the change detection requirements. Participants will be capable of automatically aggregating and analyzing their security data and alert on suspicious events and/or modifications that may impact their compliance status.  Participants will be shown sample reports that were automatically generated, along with dashboards that fully document their compliance with NERC CIP security controls and processes.
• Discuss the IEEE Std 1686:2013 (Intelligent Electronic Devices Cyber Security Capabilities) standard and the functions and features to be provided in IEDs to accommodate the participant's critical infrastructure protection programs. The security regarding the access, operation, configuration, firmware revision and data retrieval from an IED are addressed. We will explain the concepts behind role based access and the use of Windows Active Directory, and participants will be comfortable differentiating between "user passwords" and "device passwords". 
• Discuss the IEEE C37.231 (Recommended Practice for Microprocessor-Based Protection Equipment Firmware Control) standard and how participants may read/audit their firmware inventory so they have a real-time view on the status of their IED firmware. 
• Discuss the IEEE C37.111 (Common Format for Transient Data Exchange (COMTRADE) for Power Systems ) standard and how participants can actively monitor IEDs for the creation of new fault files, as well as the file transfer options associated with extracting these files from the substation to a central repository. We will also discuss  IEEE C37.232 (Common Format for Naming Time Sequence Data Files (COMNAME) standard and how participants ought to use a standard naming for time sequence data files, such as files produced by digital fault recorders, power swing recorders, power quality monitors, etc, which includes a survey response on how others have named their COMTRADE files, which is a key piece of metadata. 

Advanced IEC 61850 Applications (Customized Modules)

Objective

Some participants are interested in a particular applications or subjects and the objective of this module is similar to BT10 where participants can select their preferred applications/subjects. This module goes into much greater details and provides working examples to reference as it relates to the participant's preferred subject/application. Similar to BT10, this advanced training module is intended to be customized to the participants needs, and may include up to two of the list subjects/applications, but it may also cover other subjects/applications that are not listed. Please contact for further details. 

This is a generic advanced training module that is meant to be tailored to the user's preferred subject and the list of applications/subjects are only examples. Applications and subject matters that are not specified on www.61850University.com are also welcome, and we are happy to tailor a curriculum to your specific needs. 

This advanced module covers a narrower range of user-defined subjects, however if a user is interested in a broader set of applications/subjects, the BT10 module may be better suited, since that module covers more topics. 

General IEC 61850 Updates include similar information received in the 61850 University.com Membership, and is presented in a training module format. This module covers:

• Allows participants to keep abreast of recent developments within the standard, which enables them to anticipate future amendments to the standard. 
• The information provided within the debriefing presentation covers a wide range of topics, which is dependent upon the Working Group's agenda items, and has included the following topics in the past:
  • IEC 61850 User Feedback Punchlist/Issue Register
  • Resolution to open Technical Issues (TISSUES)
  • SCL modeling of function and sub functions task force
  • SCL modeling of PLC logic task force
  • Basic application profile task force
  • IEC 61850 functional acceptance testing task force
  • Alarm management task force
  • IEC 61850 mixed systems (Ed.1/2)
  • Use and management of private namespaces
  • Specification and integration of new input elements (inRef/extRef)
  • Specification and integration of mode/behaviors data objects
  • Propagation of quality attributes
  • Use of binding and proper subscription mechanism for report control blocks, GOOSE, and Sampled Values
  • Modeling of client services

Detailed Description

User Selects 2 of the Following Subjects: 

1. NERC CIP & Cyber Security Considerations
2. Substation-to-Substation Signaling (Tele-Protection, Tele-Control)
3. IEC 61850 Proxy Servers (Data Concentrators)
4. PMU's and Synchrophasors (SIPS)
5. IEC 61850 Logic Modeling & IEC 61131-3
6. Precision Time Protocol -NTP vs.  IRIG vs. PPS vs. PTP (Utility Domain) vs. PTP (Power Domain)
7. Web Services & Service Orientated Architectures
8. General IEC 61850 Updates  
9. Any User-Defined Subject 

Fundamentals of IEEE Std 1815(tm) (Distributed Network Protocol, DNP3)

Objectives

The objective of this module is to teach participants the fundamentals of the most widely-used utility communications protocol in North America, including its message structure, services, data objects, conformance subsets, options, cyber-security mechanism, configuration file format.  It also covers the IEEE Std 1815.1TM mapping between DNP3 and IEC 61850.

Detailed Description

Overview

•    Explanation of what DNP3 is, including when and where it is most often used, what the characteristics of the SCADA environment are, and how DNP3 addresses that environment.
•    Definition of the basic concepts of DNP3 such as data points, synchronization of databases, metadata, wildcard requests, and the proper application of its multiple data retrieval mechanisms.
•    Introduction to the history of DNP3 including its creators, its administrators and the structure of the DNP Users Group, plus major events in the protocol’s development.
•    Comparison between DNP3 and other utility protocols such as IEC 60870-5, Modbus and IEC 61850 and explanation of what makes it distinctive.
•    Example scenarios of where DNP3 is used, including substations, feeders and SCADA masters.

Structure and Lower Layers

•    Description of the layer structure of DNP3, beginning with a tutorial on the OSI model and how DNP3 layers relate to that model, and illustrating which protocol stacks are used in which situations, including over Internet protocols.
•    Features of the physical layer of DNP3, including bit framing, frame integrity, and collision avoidance.
•    Features of the data link layer of DNP3, including comparison to IEC 60870-5, frame types, addressing, cyclic redundancy checks and other frame integrity checks, acknowledgements, link resetting and flow  control.
•    Features of the Transport function, including message segmentation

Data Model and Semantics

•    Concepts of the application layer including headers, function codes, fragmentation and resassembly, requests, responses, and unsolicited responses, and error handling
•    Concepts of the data model including object headers, object groups and variations, static vs. event data, data classes, data polling options, data freezing and analog deadbands
•    Structure of the data model focusing on qualifiers, ranges and options in presenting data
•    Introduction to data management including buffering, confirmations, unsolicited response initialization, throttling message storms and interactions between polled and unsolicited messages
•    Overview of the most common DNP3 data objects and their structural parts including quality flags, timestamps, control options, status flags and internal indications
•    Explanation of the operation and semantics of DNP3 controls

Using the Protocol

•    Explanation of DNP3 time synchronization options and when they are used
•    Description of how DNP3 is used with Internet protocols including when to use TCP and UDP, the DNP3 approved port numbers, connection management and endpoints, and how DNP3 is used with IP terminal servers.
•    Introduction to the DNP3 document set, its structure, history, and update process including subset definitions, technical bulletins, test procedures, device profiles and application notes
•    Introduction to how to specify and use DNP3 including the details of the subset definitions device profiles and requirements for compliance.
•    Introduction to the DNP3 test procedure process, methods of certification, and requirements for testing.
•    Explanation of how DNP3 is evolving.

Advanced: DNP3 Secure Authentication (DNP3-SA)

Objectives

The objective of this module is to teach participants the concepts and application of the Secure Authentication addition to DNP3, including its capabilities, requirements, options and use.  It includes an introduction to the basic cyber-security concepts behind the protocol and an overview of test procedures and compliance.

Detailed Description

Security Tutorial

•    Security concepts such as replay and denial of service threats, the security triad, security controls and where they are used
•    Applications of security technology such as authentication, authorization, key distribution, role-based access control and non-repudiation.  Explanation of which of these features DNP3-SA addresses.
•    Overview of cryptography concepts including symmetrical vs. asymmetrical encryption and their strengths and weaknesses, message authentication codes, digital signatures, certificates, and public key infrastructure
•    Explanation of challenges in creating security protocols, including the choice of which layer to apply security.

Protocol Description

•    Listing of the objectives of DNP3-SA, what problems it was designed to solve, and its relation to other standards.
•    Design concepts such as critical functions, sequence numbering, error message reporting, and security statistics
•    Message definitions, including objects and function codes
•    Basic authentication using message authentication codes, challenge/reply, and aggressive mode
•    Remote key management including symmetric and asymmetric methods
•    Choice of algorithms and cryptographic suites
•    Software implementation through state machines and error handling

Applying the Protocol

•    Introduction to the DNP3-SA test procedures including algorithms, configuration parameters
•    Implementation issues:  symmetric vs. asymmetric, pre-shared vs. remote update, use over TLS, use over data concentrators, and redundancy
•    Using the documentation including the DNP Users Group tutorial
•    Exploration of several key management scenarios
•    Introduction to the DNP3 Key Management Protocol (DKMP), under development
•    Integrating DNP3 authorities and key  management authorities
•    Responsibilities of utilities and vendors

Advanced: Using IEEE Std 1815.1TM to Create DNP3-to-IEC 61850 Gateways

Objectives

This course introduces the IEEE Std 1815.1 standard for mapping IEEE Std 1815 (DNP3) to IEC 61850, including its history, use cases, structure and use.

Detailed Description

•    Introduction to the differences between DNP3 and IEC 61850, particularly their data models, configuration file formats, and configuration processes
•    Description of the challenges in mapping DNP3 to IEC 61850 
•    Identification of the objectives and conceptual architecture of the IEEE Std 1815.1
•    Description of the use cases identified in IEEE Std 1815.1, their sequence and data flow, including retrofit and greenfield cases
•    Introduction to the sections of the standard including mapping of common data classes, mapping of services, cyber-security requirements, the gateway architecture, leaf mapping rules, and XML file formats
•    Explanation of the details of the mapping, including enumerated values, quality flags, and error conditions
•    Walk-through of some common data class mappings
•    Walk-through of the mapping of the many control service models and error cases
•    Details of the security approach and requirements
•    Details of the XML file formats

IEC 61850 Specification & Design Concepts

Objective

The objective of this module is to introduce participants to the specification and engineering processes prescribed by IEC 61850, including the explanation of the various tools and SCL files used throughout the specification and engineering phases of the project. The participant will have a solid understanding of the workflow process for both bottom-up and top-down approaches. 

Detailed Description

• Explanation of the fundamental differences between top-down engineering and bottom-up engineering approaches, and the pro's and con's of each. 
• Introduction to the existing SCL files, including the ICD, CID, IID, SCD, SED, SSD and future SCL files such as the ISD. 
• Explanation of the rules that are enforced between tools, which permit some tools to configure certain sections of the SCL file. 
• Explanation of the fundamental differences between specification files and engineering files.
• Introduction to the various configuration tools, including the system specification tool (SST), the system configuration tool (SCT), the IED configuration tool (ICT), and in some cases the Logic Editor, and Documentation Tool. 
• Provide real-world examples of how IEC 61850 IEDs were specified and engineered. We will walk through an end-to-end process for a top-down AND bottom-up example, and participants will see how the SCL files are created, and exchanged between tools and IEDs. We will also discuss what a "round-trip" engineering process is, and when it is required. 
• Analyze real-world examples that showcases how the files are generated and exchanged between tools.

Objective

This is an advanced training module that intends to introduce participants to the detailed aspects of IEC 61850's specification and engineering processes. This module is for users who wish to gain a detailed understanding of IEC 61850's work flow processes, including how the SCL files are created and exchanged between the various tools. 

Attendees will have an opportunity to participate in a complete specification process, which exhibits how the top-down engineering process is to occur. Participants will configure an entire IEC 61850 system starting through the rendering of a single line diagram, to the creation of the SSD file;  the the instantiation into the SSD file to create the SCD file and associated IID/CID files, and finally the uploading of the CID to the IED to showcase how the top-down engineering approach is to be completed. The focus of this exercise will be the interface points where the importing and exporting of the SCL files take place, as well as what quality assurance checks should be enforced upon exchanging these important files. 

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Refresher on the basics of IEC 61850's specification and design processes.
• Refresher on the purpose of each tool, including the system specification tool (SST), system configuration tool (SCT), and the IED configuration tool (ICT), and depiction of the overall workflow process from a conceptual point of-view. 
• Participate in a lab exercise where attendees complete a top-down configuration that includes the creation of both specification and engineering SCL files. 
• Complete a crash course on Helink's STS Tool.
• Work with the Helink's System Specification Tool to create the SSD files. 
• Work with the Helink's System Configuration Tool to create the SCD files. 
• Work with the Vendor(s) of your choice to create the IID and CID files. 
• Complete a lab exercise by uploading the CID files to the associated IEDs and complete a simple interoperability test to demonstrate how the entire process comes together. 

** We will try to accommodate the participant's preferred Vendor and IED platform.

IEC 61850 Data Models

Objective

The objective of this module is to introduce participants to the fundamentals behind IEC 61850's data model and the mark-up language (XML) that is used to model the PACS functionalities.  Participants will understand the importance of object-orientated programming and the added-value of inheriting a self-describing data model. This module describes the core set of XML rules used for encoding SCL documents in a format which is both human-readable and machine-readable.

Detailed Description

• Introduction to the hierarchical data model explaining the allocation of logical devices and logical nodes to their respective physical device.
• Decomposition of the logical node, including explanation of common logical node, statuses, settings, measured values,  controls, and descriptions.
• Introduce the logical node groups with a focus on popular logical nodes such as C, M, P, S, T, and X. 
• Introduction to the special logical node classes and their purpose including LPHD, LD0, LN0, etc.
• Identification and explanation of each data construct, including logical devices, logical nodes, data objects and data attributes, and the rules of association/inheritance. 
• Explain the difference between mandatory,  optional and conditional data objects and data attributes
• Introduction to the common data classes and their intended use with each data object.
• Introduction to the functional constraints and their intended use with each data attribute. 

Objective

This is an advanced training module that provides participants an opportunity to learn the most advanced aspects of IEC 61850, and analyze it at the most elemental level.   Many of the details discussed will be transparent to an end-user, but for those interested in understanding these details, this module is for you. Participants will undergo a brief refresher on the fundamentals, and depending on interest levels, the module will either focus on the data modeling or the communication services. Unlike training module  AT2 - Specification & Engineering Process - which is heavily focused on the interface  - this module is focused on the configuration within each tool, with a hands-on exercise that allows participants to establish a connection with an IEDs and demonstrate interoperability.

IEC 61850's theoretical concepts will be described in detail and validated by practical exercises within the hands-on workshop. We understand a vital part to any learning process is having an opportunity to apply the concepts to an actual project configuration.  This module allows participants to go through the full configuration process and apply these concepts to build functional applications with IEDs of their choice. 

The testing and commissioning aspects will briefly discuss the following, however the majority of this material is covered within AT5 - Advanced IEC 61850 Testing & Commissioning

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Refresher on the fundamental principles behind IEC 61850's data modeling and communication services. 
• A significant part of time is spent looking at the recommendations made within IEC 61850-7-5 and IEC 61850-7-500, which explains the use of logical nodes for modeling applications and related concepts and guidelines for substations. This is a technical report that is in development and is intended to provide guidelines and explanations; how the logical nodes defined in IEC 61850-7-4 are recommended to be combined and used to model applications from substation automation domain.
• Participants will gain a solid understanding of IEC 61850's models and classes, communications, message structures and the step-by-step configuration, completing the round-trip engineering process. 
• Participants will complete a hands-on workshop that includes hands-on configurations for:
  • Configuring DataSets - Grouping your FCD/FCDA
  • Configuring Buffered/Unbuffered Control Blocks -  Grouping your datasets
  • Configuring GOOSE/Sampled Values  - Grouping your datasets
  • Establishing client/server (MMS) associations using IEDs and/or simulators
  • Establishing publisher/subscriber (GOOSE/SV) associations using IEDs and/or simulators
• Covers the advanced aspects of IEC 61850 and breaks it down into the most elemental form. Focus on pragmatic/common issues that have emerged in past real-world IEC 61850 projects, which correlates these lessons learnt to the standard to see how they may have been misinterpreted. 
• Participants will be presented with past issues that have emerged in projects (along with supporting configuration files), and are tasked to analyze and classify them as one of the following: 
  • Standard Issue - The root cause is the IEC 61850 standard, which will need to be updated. 
  • Implementation Issue - The root cause is the vendor's implementation of the standard within their IED/Tool.
  • Integration Issue - The root cause is the user's integration of the standard.

IEC 61850 Communication Services

Objective

The objective of this module is to introduce participants to the fundamentals behind the IEC 61850's abstract communication service interface (ACSI) defined in IEC 61850-7-2, as well as the communication mappings defined in IEC 61850-8-1 for MMS and GOOSE communications. This module covers the core communication profiles that must be adhered to when exchanging information using client/server and publisher/subscriber communication interfaces.

Detailed Description

• Introduction to the abstract communication service Interfaces (ACSI), including explanations of the client/server and publisher/subscriber models.
• Explanation of the proper subscription methods for Report Control Blocks, GOOSE and Sampled Value messages.
• Introduction to the fundamentals of MMS and TCP/IP communication profiles defined in IEC 61850-8-1.
• Introduction to GOOSE messages and the concepts behind this peer-to-peer communication, which is often referred to as digital wiring. 
• Introduction to MMS communication services and the concepts behind this client/server communication. 
• Introduction to client/server communication models, including buffered/non-buffered reporting and logging
• Introduction to publisher/subscriber communication models, including GOOSE and Sampled Value messages.
• Introduction to the trigger methods including an explanation of data changes, data updates, quality changes, integrity periods, and general interrogations.
• Introduction to the ASN.1 encoding rules and the information that may be required for users to decode these messages with network analyzers, etc. 
• Introduction of control class models like Select Before Operate, with explanation of direct and enhanced security.
• Introduction to datasets, including an explanation of functionally constrained data objects (FCD's) and functionally constrained data attributes (FCDA's) and when to use each. 

Objective

This is an advanced training module that provides participants an opportunity to learn the most advanced aspects of IEC 61850, and analyze it at the most elemental level.   Many of the details discussed will be transparent to an end-user, but for those interested in understanding these details, this module is for you. Participants will undergo a brief refresher on the fundamentals, and depending on interest levels, the module will either focus on the data modeling or the communication services. Unlike training module  AT2 - Specification & Engineering Process - which is heavily focused on the interface  - this module is focused on the configuration within each tool, with a hands-on exercise that allows participants to establish a connection with an IEDs and demonstrate interoperability.

IEC 61850's theoretical concepts will be described in detail and validated by practical exercises within the hands-on workshop. We understand a vital part to any learning process is having an opportunity to apply the concepts to an actual project configuration.  This module allows participants to go through the full configuration process and apply these concepts to build functional applications with IEDs of their choice. 

The testing and commissioning aspects will briefly discuss the following, however the majority of this material is covered within AT5 - Advanced IEC 61850 Testing & Commissioning

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Refresher on the fundamental principles behind IEC 61850's data modeling and communication services. 
• A significant part of time is spent looking at the recommendations made within IEC 61850-7-5 and IEC 61850-7-500, which explains the use of logical nodes for modeling applications and related concepts and guidelines for substations. This is a technical report that is in development and is intended to provide guidelines and explanations; how the logical nodes defined in IEC 61850-7-4 are recommended to be combined and used to model applications from substation automation domain.
• Participants will gain a solid understanding of IEC 61850's models and classes, communications, message structures and the step-by-step configuration, completing the round-trip engineering process. 
• Participants will complete a hands-on workshop that includes hands-on configurations for:
  • Configuring DataSets - Grouping your FCD/FCDA
  • Configuring Buffered/Unbuffered Control Blocks -  Grouping your datasets
  • Configuring GOOSE/Sampled Values  - Grouping your datasets
  • Establishing client/server (MMS) associations using IEDs and/or simulators
  • Establishing publisher/subscriber (GOOSE/SV) associations using IEDs and/or simulators
• Covers the advanced aspects of IEC 61850 and breaks it down into the most elemental form. Focus on pragmatic/common issues that have emerged in past real-world IEC 61850 projects, which correlates these lessons learnt to the standard to see how they may have been misinterpreted. 
• Participants will be presented with past issues that have emerged in projects (along with supporting configuration files), and are tasked to analyze and classify them as one of the following: 
  • Standard Issue - The root cause is the IEC 61850 standard, which will need to be updated. 
  • Implementation Issue - The root cause is the vendor's implementation of the standard within their IED/Tool.
  • Integration Issue - The root cause is the user's integration of the standard.

IEC 61850 Substation Automation Network Concepts

Objective

The objective of this module is to introduce participants to an important underlying technology that underpins IEC 61850's functionality - Ethernet. Participants will gain a solid understanding of the OSI 7 Layer Model; the various types of physical network architectures including PRP/HSR/RSTP; virtual networks including VLAN/VPN details; and network management details such as SNMP. Participants will be provided sufficient information that allows them to better specify and manage their PACS networks. 

Detailed Description

• Introduction into IEC 61850's conceptual network architectures, including an explanation of the Station Bus and Process Bus. Participants will understand which "level" their devices will be integrated (e.g.  Station Level, Bay Level, Process Level).
• Introduction into the various network architectures including PRP, HSR and RSTP with a side-by-side comparison that benchmarks the redundancy protocols against each other. 
• Participants will understand the importance of allowing the reliability and availability targets to dictate the network architecture, and participants will complete an exercise that allows them to derive the targeted MTBF, and then build a corresponding network topology that achieves the MTBF requirement. 
• Introduction to the networking guidelines established in IEC 61850-90-4, which defines the best practices in terms of designing and installing substation networks, including provisions for construction requirements and how to physically protect the communication infrastructure. We also address issues such as network topology, redundancy, traffic latency and quality of service, traffic management by multicast and VLAN, network-based clock synchronization and testing of the network.
• Introduction into network isolation and filtering techniques such as VLAN, multi-cast filtering, as well as the configuration of VPNs for engineering access, etc. Participants will understand the difference between port-based vs. tagged based VLANs and IEEE 802.1p/q for VLAN prioritization and quality. 
• Overview of the bandwidth limitations (10/100/1000 Mbps) for each physical media (copper, multi-mode fiber, single mode fiber).
• Introduction into important Layer 2 addressing functionalities, including broadcasting, multicasting, and unicasting.
• Overview of the structure and syntax of the IEC 8802.3 Ethertype frame, and how the PRP/HSR append the relevant redundancy control trailer to these standard frames.
• Introduction to recommended IP addressing schemes, and the difference between IPv4 and IPv6, including the implications to end-users.
• Introduction to SNMP and its use for collecting and organizing network management information about IEDs on the PACS network and for modifying that information to change device behavior. Participants will understand the difference between SNMP managers and agents, and the SNMP variables that are defined in the Management Information Base (MIB). 
• Overview of the purpose of subnet masks, gateways, firewall, among other networking fundamentals, including standardized MMS ports/sockets. 

Objective

This is an advanced training module that provides participants with an in-depth curriculum on the network components of the Protection, Automation, and Control System (PACS), including a practical experience where participants are tasked to design, configure and test a IEC 61850 based PACS network. 

Participants will also be provided a crash course on the Wireshark tool, and will have an opportunity to capture network traces, and apply Wireshark's customized filters to streamline the testing and troubleshooting process.

The focus of this module is the testing the functionality/performance from a LAN/IT perspective, however for testing the functionality/performance of the IEC 61850 components we recommend AT5 - Advanced IEC 61850 Testing & Commissioning Considerations. 

**Participants of the advanced modules will be asked to complete a 3-5 minute survey to identify their preferred subjects and their level of competency, which will be used in developing the curriculum. 

Detailed Description

• Refresher on the fundamental aspects of data networks within substation environment, including construction provisions such as fiber optic break-out trays, physical protection of fiber optics, termination types, etc. 
• Discuss the composition of the SNMP MIB, and how to best test the SNMP traps
• Complete Wireshark crash-course that explains the main functionalities of this open-source tool.
• Explain the concept of capturing network traces and the use of Wireshark's dissectors and custom filter expressions to streamline the testing and troubleshooting process. 
• This hands-on workshop is geared towards personnel who are designing, testing and maintaining the PACS LAN, and who are responsible to diagnose network issues in an efficient and effective manner. If you are expected to resolve any of the following PACS LAN issues, this module is for you!
  • Identify problematic infrastructure devices
  • Optimize the network
  • Measure bandwidth use for an application or user
  • Find that needle in the haystack
  • Find the cause of slow file transfers
• Participants will be provided a functional description of the network and will be tasked with designing, configuring and testing the network to meet the functional design specifications. 
• Participants will create customized filter expressions to diagnose problematic network issues. Sample traces will be provided where participants can practice troubleshooting real-world traffic. 
• Discuss the different network testing methods including network taps, port-mirroring, etc. 

Smart Grid Use Case Analysis via Standardized Methodologies & Templates

Objective

This executive module is best suited for executive and senior managers who are involved in the planning of their Smart Grid strategy. This module focuses on the following two aspects:

1. Explain the generic use case models used to define the various Smart Grid applications via a standardized approach defined within IEC 62913 and IEC 62559, and derive a systematic approach to conduct an objective analysis (e.g. score card) for each Smart Grid use case. Participants will walk away with a solid understanding of what constitutes a use case, and understand the various methods of defining these use cases. They will be provided a use case template that will help them in defining and classifying their company’s IEC 61850 use cases. 
2. Identifies specific, real-world Smart Grid use cases that are achieved using open-source standards such as IEC 61850. This includes a practical exercise that allows participants to walk through a distribution automation (FLISR) example, which has participants applying the generic models taught in the first portion of the course. Participants will identify the actors, constraints, priorities, etc. and provide a business recommendation for that specific Smart Grid use case. 

Participants will be capable of differentiating between complimentary use cases and competing use cases. Participants will be comfortable breaking down their Smart Grid initiative into manageable use-cases, and defining them in a standardized fashion using standard templates. 

Detailed Description

• Discuss the generic smart grid requirements and conceptual model defined by NIST/SGIP and IEC 62913, and compare and contrast the two architectures.
• Describe and apply the generic use case methodology defined within IEC 62559, which provides a standardized method to describe use cases. 
• Describe and apply the generic Smart Grid requirements from IEC 62913, which details how to describe specific smart grid applications using the standardized use case methodology defined in IEC 62559.
• Describes a common approach to define generic smart grid requirements. Participants will understand the standardized methodology, and become familiar with the IEC's standard use case template, which provides a method and tools for describing generic use cases. This is necessary to help ensure a consistent and homogeneous description of requirements for the different areas which make up the Smart Grid environment.
• Explain how some use cases are best defined in terms of the technology versus the functionality. We will discuss how best to define the technical and functional requirements, which will help in framing your Smart Grid use cases. 
• What constitutes a use case? We will develop a use case framework that provides attendees with a template to use for their real-world use-case analysis. 
• We will discuss the key components of the use case, including the actors, precursors, assumptions, risks, scope, cost-benefit, financial valuation (NPV), complimentary use cases, competing use cases, etc. 
• Using real-world Smart Grid use cases, we will walk through examples and participants will have an opportunity to define a use case, whereby the results can be compared and contrasted to other participants. 
•  

A IEC 61850 Crash Course From A Manager's Perspective

Objective

This module is tailored to senior business and/or technical managers who are seeking a higher-level understanding of IEC 61850 from a business perspective. The emphasis will be placed on the financial implications, business justification, organization culture, workflow processes, and does NOT focus on the technical drivers. A PESTEL analysis (political, economic, social, technological, environmental and legal) will be completed and participants will better understand if/when they are ready to integrate IEC 61850, and where it fits best into their Smart Grid strategy. It provides participants with a crash-course on IEC 61850's business fundamentals, and arms managers with critical information required in making informed, high-level decisions. 

Participants will be comfortable raising informed questions that challenge the technical Team to factor in ALL implications to the business case, such as increased hurdle rate on high-tech/innovative investments, inefficiencies during the trial periods and pilot projects, etc. 

Detailed Description

• Explain what a communication protocol is and what purpose it serves. 
• Discuss what differentiates IEC 61850 from its counterparts and explain the current status of the standard and what considerations ought to be taken to prepare for this technology. 
• Discuss the scope of IEC 61850 and where it fits into the Smart Grid Roadmap. 
• Discuss the value of having standardized (e.g. templates) when interconnecting the various types of distributed energy resources (e.g. wind, solar, etc.).
• Briefly discuss the history of IEC 61850 and how it evolved to what it is today, and how it's mapped to stable, well proven underlying technologies such as Ethernet and MMS. 
• Introduce specific IEC 61850 use cases for each of the applicable domains (Distributed Generation, Bulk Generation, Transmission, and Distribution). 
• Discuss why many see IEC 61850 as a disruptive technology, and how it's been used in other organizations as a platform/project for business units/departments to collaborate and "rally behind". It may be an opportunity to develop team building skills, and foster an environment for a cross-pollination of ideas between functional departments (Protection, Automation, SCADA, Asset Management, IT, etc).
• What’s next? Discuss the long-term horizon for IEC 61850 and what applications (e.g. PMU, System Integrity Protection Scheme) are being deployed. 

GROUP DISCUSSION:

• Discuss where participants think it is best to “enter” into  IEC 61850. Greenfield projects? Brownfield projects? Station Bus? Process Bus? We will discuss where others have identified the “low-lying fruit” and where they opted to commence their IEC 61850 journey. 
• Discuss how past participants anticipated IEC 61850 impacting their financial statements, and compare actual versus forecasted savings.  We will also examine the impact on the payback periods in comparison to legacy protocols. 
• Explain the implications to the organizational structure when integrating IEC 61850, and how this impacts the work flow processes. Discuss how the internal/external processes will be impacted by most organizations.
• Examine the lessons learnt from other users who have integrated IEC 61850. Discuss whether the forecasted costs were in-line with the actual costs; what were the implications to the project schedule; and are most expanding or contracting their IEC 61850 implementations.

The Holistic IEC 61850 Business Case - Incorporating the Soft and Hard Aspects

Objective

This module is empowers senior business and/or technical managers with the tools/skills to develop a detailed IEC 61850 Business Case that supports their corporate strategy, and correlates the anticipated savings to their balanced corporate scorecard. The objective of this module is for participants to become familiar with the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM), and gain confidence in deriving forecasted cash flows to derive the NPV for their respective IEC 61850 use case(s).

Participants will witness how the various combination of use cases can provide value with the shortest payback period, and will learn how to complete a quantitative analysis to evaluate these emerging technologies.  This executive training module provides participants with a consistent framework that produces unbiased results that can be used as a basis for their decisions. 

We will walk through the entire process from identifying the functional design requirements; complete a refresher course on the CAPM and the time value of money; clarify the financial terminology that will be used; explain the change management practices to manage the cultural aspect; identify optimal use cases and derive the NPV for each so they can be justified and prioritized accordingly.

Participants will learn common frameworks such as PESTEL Analysis, Porter’s Five Forces, Kotter’s Change Management Analysis to address the soft aspects of a IEC 61850 initiative, but equally important, participants will have a solid understanding of the financial modeling that is essential in conducting an objective analysis, which covers the hard aspects. 

Detailed Description

Behind any successful IEC 61850 implementation lies a solid business case that provides shareholders with the financial justification that instills confidence when making innovative investments such as these. Shareholders expect to see a robust financial model that supports these “disruptive” types of initiatives, which call for fundamental stepped changes within their organization. Rightfully so, the shareholders will seek a higher return on these high-tech ventures. This module provides users with the skill-sets to financially model the various IEC 61850 and Smart Grid uses cases.

This module focuses on the following three aspects of the corporate strategy, where attendees will build a business case that is tailored to a fictitious corporation. 

1. Financial (Primary Focus)
2. Organization Culture (Secondary Focus)
3. Technical (As Required)

This module provides the participants with a template and checklist to build from when putting forward their IEC 61850 Business Case to their respective stakeholders/shareholders. Participants will leave:

• Feeling comfortable developing a business case that covers the financial, cultural and technical aspects associated with adopting IEC 61850.
• Understand the various metrics to manage and monitor.
• Knowing how to derive the NPV using these metrics.
• Knowing how to interpret the results of individual NPV calculations.
• Knowing how to interpret the grouped NPV calculations that may constitute multiple use cases. 
• Understand the value of addressing both the soft and hard aspects, while making recommendations that ensure the corporate ambience/culture is ready and accepting of IEC 61850. 

The module will transition into defining the terminology that is commonly used when building a business case, and provides a refresher as to how these financial metrics are derived and are linked to each of the financial statements using sample statements. We will discuss how the various aspects of IEC 61850 can be correlated to each of these financial metrics, and explain the general concepts of the Capital Asset Pricing Model (CAPM). 

GROUP EXERCISE:

We will then walk through the process of deriving a Net Present Value (NPV); for example IEC 61850 use cases (individual and grouped), and contrast these to the targeted Internal Rate of Return, Pay Back Period, Corporate Scorecard, etc.  We will provide three, example IEC 61850 use-cases and participants will complete their analysis using these real-world examples (with normalized data) that calculates the NPV and compares this to a baseline NPV (e.g. legacy solution). Participants will be tasked with identifying the best combination of the three use cases, and will be asked to derive a condensed business case that explains their reasoning. 

A IEC 61850 Crash Course From An Operator's Perspective

Objective

This module is tailored to field engineers, technicians, operators and the emphasis will be placed on the operation and maintenance aspects, and does NOT focus on the technical components.  It provides participants with a crash-course on IEC 61850's fundamentals at a point where the participants will become comfortable with the underlying concepts behind this modern technology. It will cover sensitive issues such as the safety and reliability of IEC 61850 based systems, and how they increase the overall safety and reliability of the substation. 

Participants will be comfortable with the terminology/acronyms used when articulating issues to other personnel, and will be in a better position to challenge and improve the engineer's IEC 61850 design.  

Detailed Description

• Explain what a communication protocol is and what purpose it serves. 
• Discuss what differentiates IEC 61850 from its counterparts and explain the current status of the standard and what considerations ought to be taken to prepare for this technology from an operations and maintenance point of view. 
• Discuss the scope of IEC 61850 and where it fits into the overall PACS system. 
• Discuss the value of having standardized documentation and symbology that is used to depict the IEC 61850 information, such as GOOSE matrices, HMI displays, etc. 
• Briefly discuss the history of IEC 61850  and how it evolved to what it is today, and how it's mapped to stable, well proven underlying technologies such as Ethernet and MMS. 
• Introduce common IEC 61850 issues found within the field (e.g. loss of communication) and how best to manage these situations. 
• Introduce participants to common troubleshooting techniques, which describes tips on how to differentiate issues between the client problems, server problems and network problems. 
• Introduce participants to common networking tools that are used when troubleshooting these PACS systems. 

A Practical Guide To Testing & Troubleshooting IEC 61850 Based Systems

Objective

The objective of this module is to introduce field engineers, technicians, and operators to one of the most important aspect of IEC 61850, which is the testing and troubleshooting aspects.  This course uses non-technical terminology that explains the testing/troubleshooting considerations in a trivial manner that can be easily understood by personnel without any IEC 61850 experience. This course is effectively a combination of the following modules, which have been tailored for field personnel. 

1. BT1 - Introduction to IEC 61850 Fundamentals & Principles
2. BT7 - Introduction to IEC 61850 Testing & Commissioning Considerations
3. BT8 - Introduction to Substation Automation Networking Concepts

Participants will become familiar with the terminology that is used in IEC 61850-10-3, and be comfortable with the various testing mechanisms provided by IEC 61850 that can emulate the functionality of traditional FT links, test blocks, etc.  Participants will recognize the added-value features such as the capability to monitor the associations between client/server and publisher/subscriber. The goal is for participants to walk away with a full understanding of IEC 61850's latest set of testing mechanisms and be comfortable with the safety and reliability of these new testing methodologies.

Detailed Description

• Overview of  industry's best practices when validating IEC 61850's report control blocks, GOOSE messages, Sampled Value messages, supervision functions (e.g. service tracking agents) and other end-to-end functionalities. 
• Overview on the development of IEC 61850 testing documentation and processes, and participants will analyze Inspection & Test Plans (ITP) used for real-world projects, and will have an opportunity to develop their own ITP.  

GROUP EXERCISE:

• Provide real-world example test setup with breaker-failure scheme, and clarify how this scheme would be tested in an off-line vs. on-line scenario. Participants will understand how to isolate a physical device without disturbing the adjacent, in-service IEDs. 
• Explain the concept of "testing the test mechanisms" and how this negative testing should be part of the test methodology.
• Participants will have an opportunity to contribute towards the full testing and commissioning process including:
  • Preparation of QA Documentation (ITP)
  • Taking Equipment Out-of-Service
  • Placing Equipment Back Into-Service

A Guide To The Operation and Maintenance of your Specific Substation Automation System

Objective

This is a customized module that develops a customized training curriculum for your specific PACS systems. The training module will cover the operation and maintenance aspects of their various systems, and are provided the course curriculum to conduct training to other internal staff and/or incorporate into the corporation's training curriculum. This module is specific to the PACS system(s) used by the participant, and can be customized to any vendor solution. 

Prior to the course, we will review the design and configuration of your PACS system(s) and  develop a curriculum that is specific to your design and operation principles. This curriculum will be turned-over to participants to conduct further internal training to your Team, and provides a narrative in terms of describing the operational behavior of your system(s), including the HMI, data concentrator, gateway devices, managed switches, fault recorders, etc. Participants will be introduced to the various tools used to configure and test these systems. 

Detailed Description

The detailed content of this course is dependent on the type of system(s) that will be covered. The price includes the presentation of the training material to the participant and their team. Additional fees apply to analyze the user's system and create the applicable documentation. 

DNP3 Training Modules

Objectives

The objective of this module is to teach participants the fundamentals of the most widely-used utility communications protocol in North America, including its message structure, services, data objects, conformance subsets, options, cyber-security mechanism, configuration file format. It also covers the IEEE Std 1815.1TM mapping between DNP3 and IEC 61850.

Detailed Description

Overview

• Explanation of what DNP3 is, including when and where it is most often used, what the characteristics of the SCADA environment are, and how DNP3 addresses that environment.

• Definition of the basic concepts of DNP3 such as data points, synchronization of databases, metadata, wildcard requests, and the proper application of its multiple data retrieval mechanisms.

• Introduction to the history of DNP3 including its creators, its administrators and the structure of the DNP Users Group, plus major events in the protocol’s development.

• Comparison between DNP3 and other utility protocols such as IEC 60870-5, Modbus and IEC 61850 and explanation of what makes it distinctive.

• Example scenarios of where DNP3 is used, including substations, feeders and SCADA masters.

Structure and Lower Layers

• Description of the layer structure of DNP3, beginning with a tutorial on the OSI model and how DNP3 layers relate to that model, and illustrating which protocol stacks are used in which situations, including over Internet protocols.

• Features of the physical layer of DNP3, including bit framing, frame integrity, and collision avoidance.

• Features of the data link layer of DNP3, including comparison to IEC 60870-5, frame types, addressing, cyclic redundancy checks and other frame integrity checks, acknowledgements, link resetting and flow control.

• Features of the Transport function, including message segmentation

Data Model and Semantics

• Concepts of the application layer including headers, function codes, fragmentation and resassembly, requests, responses, and unsolicited responses, and error handling

• Concepts of the data model including object headers, object groups and variations, static vs. event data, data classes, data polling options, data freezing and analog deadbands

• Structure of the data model focusing on qualifiers, ranges and options in presenting data

• Introduction to data management including buffering, confirmations, unsolicited response initialization, throttling message storms and interactions between polled and unsolicited messages

• Overview of the most common DNP3 data objects and their structural parts including quality flags, timestamps, control options, status flags and internal indications

• Explanation of the operation and semantics of DNP3 controls

Using the Protocol

• Explanation of DNP3 time synchronization options and when they are used

• Description of how DNP3 is used with Internet protocols including when to use TCP and UDP, the DNP3 approved port numbers, connection management and endpoints, and how DNP3 is used with IP terminal servers.

• Introduction to the DNP3 document set, its structure, history, and update process including subset definitions, technical bulletins, test procedures, device profiles and application notes

• Introduction to how to specify and use DNP3 including the details of the subset definitions device profiles and requirements for compliance.

• Introduction to the DNP3 test procedure process, methods of certification, and requirements for testing.

• Explanation of how DNP3 is evolving.

Cyber Security Modules (DNP3 SA IEC 61850)

DNP3 Secure Authentication (DNP3-SA)

Objectives

The objective of this module is to teach participants the concepts and application of the Secure Authentication addition to DNP3, including its capabilities, requirements, options and use. It includes an introduction to the basic cyber-security concepts behind the protocol and an overview of test procedures and compliance.

Detailed Description

Security Tutorial

• Security concepts such as replay and denial of service threats, the security triad, security controls and where they are used

• Applications of security technology such as authentication, authorization, key distribution, role-based access control and non-repudiation. Explanation of which of these features DNP3-SA addresses.

• Overview of cryptography concepts including symmetrical vs. asymmetrical encryption and their strengths and weaknesses, message authentication codes, digital signatures, certificates, and public key infrastructure

• Explanation of challenges in creating security protocols, including the choice of which layer to apply security.

Protocol Description

• Listing of the objectives of DNP3-SA, what problems it was designed to solve, and its relation to other standards.

• Design concepts such as critical functions, sequence numbering, error message reporting, and security statistics

• Message definitions, including objects and function codes

• Basic authentication using message authentication codes, challenge/reply, and aggressive mode

• Remote key management including symmetric and asymmetric methods

• Choice of algorithms and cryptographic suites

• Software implementation through state machines and error handling

Applying the Protocol

• Introduction to the DNP3-SA test procedures including algorithms, configuration parameters

• Implementation issues: symmetric vs. asymmetric, pre-shared vs. remote update, use over TLS, use over data concentrators, and redundancy

• Using the documentation including the DNP Users Group tutorial

• Exploration of several key management scenarios

• Introduction to the DNP3 Key Management Protocol (DKMP), under development

• Integrating DNP3 authorities and key management authorities

• Responsibilities of utilities and vendors

Using IEEE Std 1815.1TM to Create DNP3-to-IEC 61850 Gateways

Objectives

This course introduces the IEEE Std 1815.1 standard for mapping IEEE Std 1815 (DNP3) to IEC 61850, including its history, use cases, structure and use.

Detailed Description

• Introduction to the differences between DNP3 and IEC 61850, particularly their data models, configuration file formats, and configuration processes

• Description of the challenges in mapping DNP3 to IEC 61850

• Identification of the objectives and conceptual architecture of the IEEE Std 1815.1

• Description of the use cases identified in IEEE Std 1815.1, their sequence and data flow, including retrofit and greenfield cases

• Introduction to the sections of the standard including mapping of common data classes, mapping of services, cyber-security requirements, the gateway architecture, leaf mapping rules, and XML file formats

• Explanation of the details of the mapping, including enumerated values, quality flags, and error conditions

• Walk-through of some common data class mappings

• Walk-through of the mapping of the many control service models and error cases

• Details of the security approach and requirements

• Details of the XML file formats

Networking & Time Synchronization for Power Utilities

Tier I and II combined

Tier I and II combined in 5 days. For more information, please see Tier I and Tier II.

IEC 61850 Fundamentals

The objective of this 3-day classroom session is to provide a fundamental understanding of IEC 61850 so users are comfortable with the concepts of the standard. It provides the underlying frameworks for the other two tiers to be built upon.

Background Information & Basic concepts

•    History of the standard
•    Business Benefits/Drivers
•    Comparison to other standards
•    Implications to Organizational Structure
•    Core Component and Structure of the Standards
•    Conformance testing process & guidelines on how to interpret test certificates

Data models

•    Hierarchical Data Model
•    Semantics of the Standard

Communication Services

•    MMS (Manufacturing Message Specification)
•    GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event)
•    SV (Sampled Values)
•    PTP (Precision Time Protocol)

Project management & engineering process

•    System Configuration Language (SCL) Files
•    System Configuration Tools (SCT) vs. IED Configuration Tools (ICT)

Networking architecture & cyber security

•    PRP (Parallel Redundancy Protocol)
•    HSR (High-availability Seamless Redundancy)
•    RSTP (Rapid Spanning Tree Protocol)
•    Cyber Security Aspects

Testing & commissioning

•    Mode/Behaviour
•    Quality Attributes
•    Simulation Flag
•    Testing Tools

Advanced training with workshop

The objective of this 3-day session is to complete the hands-on configuration of IEC 61850's key mechanisms, including classroom sessions that cover the advanced aspects. This course covers the configuration of these mechanisms in isolation, and is pre-cursor to Tier Ill training.

Sampled Values hands-on session

•    Configuration of a stand-alone merging unit to publish Sampled Values streams (80 and 256 samples/cycle). Using contemporary tools to analyze transmitted streams
•    Subscription of process bus relay to a Sampled Values stream and performance testing
•    Using Sampled Values simulation tools to produce Sampled Values streams, visualization and analysis through vendor-independent tools

GOOSE hands-on session

•    Implementation of reverse interlocking scheme utilizing GOOSE communications
•    Testing the performance of process bus relay with GOOSE output utilizing contemporary test sets
•    Implementation of bus transfer scheme utilizing GOOSE communications

Reporting, logging, control and setting group control models hands-on session

•    Configuration and application of control models (direct control with normal/enhanced security, SBO with normal/enhanced security)
•    Configuration and application of reporting (buffered/unbuffered reporting)
•    Configuration and application of logging and file transfer models
•    Configuration and application of setting group control model

IEC 61850 project implementation

The objective of this 3-day session is to complete the full specification, design, configuration, and testing of
a demo IEC 61850 project, which allows users to gain an insight into every aspect of an IEC 61850 implementation:
•    Specification Process using Helink STS system configuration tool
•    Design & Configuration Process, including configuration of communication network using Helinks STS and various IED configuration tools
•    Testing & Commissioning Process using contemporary IEC 61850 tools

During the course participants gain experience in studying IEC 61850 technical specifications on IEDs (PICS, MICS, TICS, PIXIT) to understand limits, which could be imposed in real applications. They implement specific protection and control functions (breaker-failure, reverse interlocking, bus transfer scheme, switchgear interlocking, etc.) and integrate IEDs in process control system using IEC 61850 services.
Now you are qualified to implement digital substations!