SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

DS Agile v5.1

Digital Control System for electrical substations

As power networks are

becoming more efficient
and intelligent, substation
automation systems need
to offer smarter and more
secure solutions.
Alstom's DS Agile v5.1
Digital Control System
now adds advanced
cyber-security capabilities
to the ultimate hardware,
software and
communications
technologies under
IEC 61850 standards.

The complete solution for substation

protection, automation and control

WIDE-AREA AUTOMATION
STANDARDISATION

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

Scalable solution
High level of standardisation
IEC 61850 inter-operability
NERC-CIP compliant
cyber-security
Reliable redundant
architectures
Wide-area automation
Global teams for project
delivery and support

Based on IEC 61850, the international

standard for digital data communications and systems interoperability in
substations, DS Agile facilitates
complete integration between the
different devices, ensuring an optimal
use of data.

COMPLETE RELIABILITY
The DS Agile digital control system
provides the ultimate reliability via fully
redundant architectures, like Alstom's
Self-Healing Ring and Dual-Homing
Star, or the recently developed
interoperable Parallel Redundancy
Protocol (PRP "RedBox'). Thanks to
the wide range of Alstom switches, the
possibility of an outage is practically
eliminated.

DS Agile v5.1 enables rapid data

exchange and communications between
all control and protection IEDs, not only
across the substation and the substation
gateway, but also through Wide-Area
Control Units (WACU) that can manage
realtime automation taking into account
the topology of multiple substations.
The WACU solution developed by Alstom
Grid makes inter-substation automation
and protection possible, helping protect
your assets and optimise power flows.

PROJECT DELIVERY AND SUPPORT

Alstom has experienced teams located
worldwide, with a proven track record in
project management, engineering,
application support, maintenance and
training. Our experts can provide
assistance in any of these areas, allowing
users to make the best use of DS Agile.

Grid-SAS-L3-DS_Agile_v5.1-2879-2014_09-EN. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should
be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided
without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authority, is strictly prohibited.
Alstom contributes to the protection of the environment. This leaflet is printed on environmentally friendly paper.

DS AGILE v5.1 FUNCTIONS

DATA CONCENTRATION AND PROCESSING

CONTROL

One of the main functions of the DS Agile is to concentrate and process data:
the information can come from a variety of sources, both analog and digital. For
example, when re-using legacy equipment, analog data can be acquired directly from
current and voltage transformers and digital data can be acquired over serial
communica-tions links or via hardwired links.

Once a control operation is initiated by

an operator -locally or remotely-,
multiple checkings are performed by the
system before the effective issue of the
control order or signal, in order to make
it fully secure. For instance, interlockings
are ensured by logical equations or as
the result of a dynamic topological
analysis coupled with expert rules.
Interlocks are managed as close to the
process as possible in order to provide
the best security of operation.
Interlocking conditions are graphically
displayed on the operators screen in
order to immediately identify the locking
conditions (if any), allowing the operator
to make the appropriate changes before
issuing the order.

DS Agile manages many types of data from the substation's primary and secondary
equipment such as: tapchanger and switchgear positions, control signals,
measurement values, disturbance records, settings, etc. Each item of qualified data is
uniquely referenced in the system configuration tool in order to ensure full consistency
of the information, as well as allowing it to be re-used in other parts of the system.

MONITORING AND ANALYSIS

Among the numerous DS Agile standard features, diverse functions for local or remote
monitoring and analysis of collected data are available. Key situational information is
offered by the embedded LCD screen of the C264 bay controller, that is able to display
single-line diagrams, alarms, measurement values and lists of event sequence.
Additionally, une or more screens can be added at substation level in order to get more
sophisticated monitoring. The user can then benefit from colour displays for easier
awareness and maintenance, comprehensive alarm annunciator screens and accurate
fault localisation within the system. Other features include advanced reporting, duallanguage display and disturbance record analysis.



  





   



Typical components of a DS Agile system

AUTOMATION
An operator can configure specific
control sequences or automation
schemes, across one or more sites (e.g.
automatic reclosing, System Integrity
Protection Schemes (SIPS), load
shedding). Such applications can be
based on local or remote data. Similarly,
the outputs can perform local or remote
actions. Programmable logic can be
implemented using either
Programmable-Scheme Logic (PSL) or
Programmable-Logic Controller (PLC)
methods. PSL is used for fast
automation applications and it is
available within the C264 bay controller.
Since PSL is event-driven, there is no
cycle time. The optional PLC tool is fully
compliant with IEC 61131-3 and it can
be used for complex or sequential
automation applications, not only at bay
level (in the C264) but also at intersubstation (or inter-system) level
through the programmable Wide-Area
Control Units (WACU A400 series).
DS Agile v5.1 provides additional in-built
libraries of automation functions,
including functions for feeder protection,
automatic reclosing and voltage
regulation of parallel transformers.

SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

DS AGILE v5.1

DS AGILE v5.1 ARCHITECTURE

HOMOGENEOUS

RELIABLE

DS Agile v5.1 offers a unified architectural framework for building multiple

solutions tailored to the real needs of
almost any application. It allows for
progressive upgrading of the system
design according to the evolving
requirements in terms of functions, size,
performance, etc.

System availability is a function of the reliability of each individual component and the
architecture in which they are combined. DS Agile v5.1 accommodates a variety of
redundancy solutions, ranging from the switch redundant power supply to the
complete redundancy of each component, including configuration database
redundancy.

EXTENDABLE
A DS Agile solution can be contained
within a single standard panel or be
geographically distributed, depending on
the application. The DS Agile system
architecture is structured in a series of
hierarchical levels. Each level maintains
a given performance in terms of
transmission time, dependability and
automation independently of the other
levels. It therefore ensures that the
system can be extended consistently and
securely.

STANDARDISED
The combination of modern, multifunctional and highly programmable
IEDs together with fast communications
greatly improves the capabilities for
producing a standard bay. A standard
bay is a product made of standard
hardware, software and engineering
libraries (automation, graphical
representations, wiring interface and IED
composition). It can then be customised
to the exact requirements of the project
through changes to the database.

A DS Agile solution can be engineered from a few integrated components or have its
functions split into several components, thus offering a balance between functional
availability, cost and compactness.
In addition to the self-checks carried out by each component, DS Agile v5.1 offers a
variety of system test modes such as 'device maintenance management' and 'data
forcing' to further increase the overall availability.

COMMUNICATIONS PROTOCOLS
Physical communications between components are based on both ethernet and serial
RS links in order to cope with different applications such as the reuse of existing
devices and the integration of third-party equipment. DS Agile v5.1 supports the most
extended serial protocols (T103, DNP3, and MODBUS) in order to interface with
existing devices and it can be fully integrated within a remote control scheme. When
using MiCOM Alstom devices, the same link can be used to retrieve settings or
disturbance records. Communications with remote control centres is possible through
IEC 60870-5-101, IEC 60870-5-104 and DNP3, or other older protocols on demand.
State-of-the-art communication technologies based on client-server and peer-to-peer
links such as IEC 61850 is standard across the whole architecture of the DS Agile
system. It relies on fast ethernet networks and offers new perspectives in terms of
distributed functions, performance and flexibility. DS Agile enables innovative
automation schemes and the flexible addition of new application clients.

DS Agile v5.1 Operator Interface (System view)

SIMPLE ARCHITECTURE
Printer

The DS Agile base architecture interconnects a Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)

-like Alstom's C264 controller- or a
substation PC with a group of Intelligent
Electronic Devices (IEDs) such as
protection relays or measurement and
recording devices.

Maintenance
and configuration





This centralised architecture is typically

used within a distribution substation, a
wind farm or at a bay level of a
transmission substation (a feeder, for
example).

Simple, C264 RTU-based architecture

DS Agile OI
+ H15x switch



  



COMPLETE ARCHITECTURES
DS Agile C264
BCU
H35x
switch

DS Agile
A30x
Gateway
+ H15x switch

 
  

DS Agile self-healing ring

redundant ethernet-based architecture

MiCOM P40 Protection relays



  



T1000
switch

T1000
switch

H38x/H36x
switch

DS Agile
C264 BCU

DS Agile PRP / dual-homing star

redundant ethernet-based architecture

MiCOM P40
Protection relays

The ethernet network may be local to a

substation -typically for a transmission
application- or it can interconnect
dispersed sites commonly found in
industrial or infrastructure applications
through Wide-Area Control Units.
The client-server communications
exchange avoids any central point
between local and remote control (as
found in the simple architecture) and
allows for tailored redundancy of the
client and/or server.

DS Agile OI
+ H18x/H16x
switch

DS Agile A30x
Gateway
+ H18x/H16x switch

A DS Agile complete architecture is built

around an ethernet network that links
the components from the base
architecture with an Operator Interface
(OI), a gateway and protection and
control IEDs.

 
  

The full architecture is also typically

implemented as a way to make an
existing installation evolve progressively
via new technologies. The older system
then becomes a slave to an IEC 61850
converter and new devices can
successively be plugged into this
network.

SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

DS AGILE v5.1

DS AGILE v5.1 COMPONENTS

MICOM ALSTOM Px40 PROTECTION IEDS

A typical DS Agile solution integrates

many Intelligent Electronic Devices
(IEDs) such as protection relays,
measurement centres, bay controllers,
etc. In addition to those supplied by
Alstom, DS Agile is fully open to the
integration of third-party devices so
that existing devices in the field and
user preferences can be
accommodated.

Alstom Grid provides a complete family of protective relays for transmission,

sub-transmission, generation and industrial substations.

When third-party devices are integrated,

strict tests are realised in order to
validate functional interoperability limits,
data retrieval, control capabilities and
remote settings.

Typical protection applications include:

Voltage/Frequency
Auto reclose and breaker failure
Busbar
Transformer
Line differential
Distance
Generator
Motor
Feeder
Phasor measurement
System integrity protection schemes

C264 MODULAR SUBSTATION

BAY CONTROLLER

ALSTOM MEASURING AND

RECORDING IEDS

The C264 bay controller is a

sophisticated modular computer that
supports many applications and
functions for substation control,
communications, monitoring,
protection and automation.

The new Alstom Reason range of IEDs

can be integrated in DS Agile v5.1 for
fast, highly accurate, real-time fault
recording and analysis, power quality
measurements and trend recording Ideal for analysing network faults,
reactions of protection IEDs, dynamic
network stability and long term trends.

Typical applications include:

Bay control
Remote Terminal Unit (RTU)
IED gateway / Data concentrator
Automation PLC & PSL
Sequence-of-events recorder (SOE)
Measurement centre
Power quality monitoring
Integrated feeder protection
Automatic voltage regulation
Synchro-check

MiCOM P40 Agile protection IEDs

Reason RPV311 Digital fault recorder

H-SERIES SWITCHES
Alstoms H-series ethernet switches use a combination of advanced redundancy
protocols and fibre-optic connections to ensure the reliability, availability and
dependability of substation communications networks - All this while maintaining the
flexibility of being able to connect to standard ethernet networks and thus ideal for
substation refurbishment or upgrades.
They are available as standalone,
embedded and PCI card (for integration
into a PC) versions.
New additions to Alstom Grid's
H-series range for DS Agile v5.1
include GOOSE switches and Parallel
Redundancy Protocol (PRP) switches,
also called "RedBox".

C264 substation / bay controller

Additionally, DS Agile offers integration

with off-the-shelf communications
components.

MiCOM H38 PRP "RedBox"

redundant ethernet switch

DS AGILE GATEWAY

WIDE-AREA CONTROL UNIT

(WACU)

Combining full compliance with

IEC 61850, hot-standby redundancy and
ease of commissioning, the DS Agile
A301 Gateway offers a powerful solution
for interfacing bay level devices
(measurement, protection or control),
station level devices (DS Agile clients
and servers) and upper level systems
(Network Management Systems or
Digital Control Systems).
The A301 is ruggedised, solid-state and
designed to work within stringent
substation environmental conditions
(EMC complianc eaccording to the
IEC 61850-3 standard, etc.).

Based on the A301 Gateway, the new

DS Agile A401 WACU allows the same
gateway functionalities as well as
substation inter-voltage and intersubstation exchange through IEC 61131
PLC automation.

DS Agile A-series Gateway / WACU

DCS OPERATOR INTERFACE (OI)

The state-of-the-art DS Agile OI user
interface is integrated in the DS Agile
v5.1 system.
This proven HMI provides efficient and
secure access to information and
archives, tailored to the substation
environment and the end-users specific
requirements.
Key modules include:
Real-time display
Single-line diagrams
System component status
Alarm viewer
Sequence of events

Alstom's DCS Operator Interface

This wide-area automation capability

becomes highly valuable whenever the
implementation of multi-substation
control is needed. Real application cases
of the WACU include, for example,
islanding a section of the grid under nonstability conditions, automating the
configuration of multiple substations
across railway lines or exchanging data
between the generation subsystem and
the transmission inter-tie substation in
the connection of a power generation
source to the grid.

SYSTEM ENGINEERING TOOLS

DS Agile Configuration Editor (SCE)

Alstom's DCS engineering software

tools cover the complete lifecycle of the
electrical application including system
engineering, IED engineering,
substation automation, network
analysis, system maintenance and IED
maintenance all integrated with a
consistent look and feel.
The DCS Equipment Simulator (ES) can
reproduce a missing or existing device,
or group of devices, in order to test any
user action or automation procedure
before running on site.

SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

DS AGILE v5.1

DS AGILE v5.1 CYBER SECURITY STRATEGY

Being integrated in the utility IT system and infrastructure, the
substation digital control system can be the target of
deliberate or inadvertent attacks from different sources,
whether external or internal to the IT system.
A defense in-depth strategy including multiple layers of
security is implemented in DS Agile to counter these attacks
and limit their impact, increasing the substation cyber-security
in line with the recommendations from international standard
bodies, regulators and known IT good practices such as NERC,
NIST, IEC, IEEE, etc. The different technical countermeasures
used to ensure cyber threat detection, prevention and
protection of the DS Agile LAN are organised as a defense indepth strategy.

DS AGILE NETWORK PROTECTION

Protection against external threats begins with limiting the
number of access points to the DS Agile LAN architecture.
The access point is generally a router combining Virtual
Private Network (VPN) to communicate with remote
systems, LAN Firewall to allow only specific protocols
communication between specific devices / zones and
Authentication proxy functions. The firewall's built-in IDPS
(Intrusion Detection and Prevention System) is configured to
detect, block and report malicious traffic.
Remote maintenance is done by adding a jump box
(standard PC) in the substation's DMZ ("demilitarized zone")
and, from there, accessing a restricted list of devices and
applications on the private zone. This allows securing the
traffic to the substation IEDs.
Finally, host firewalls running on Windows PC allow only the
required communication flows between authorised PCs, while
the Ethernet switches also participate to reduce threat impact
on the network by organising the LAN traffic.

DS AGILE HARDENING
Hardening aims at reducing the number of possibilities a threat
has to disrupt or take control of the DS Agile software.

OS Upgrade
The Windows PC in DS Agile are updated to the latest security
patch set provided by OS vendors before the DCS final testing.
System Hardening
Operator Interface (OI) and SCADA Gateways
The OI and Gateway are installed on Windows 7 PCs.
Unused USB ports are disabled in the BIOS or Windows.
Unnecessary user accounts and daemons / services are
disabled.
Many registry keys are setup to increase security and the
audit and password policies are set.
C264
All unused protocols are disabled; the C264 controller has
no USB port.
There are no backdoors or hardcoded user accounts that
give write access to the device.
A user session is automatically ended after a settable time
out.
Secure Protocols for SCADA link
The SCADA link is secured via the VPN feature of the router /
firewall. The VPN can transport IEC-60870-5-104 as well as
serial protocol IEC-60870-5-101.
Secure Maintenance Protocols
In addition to the standard maintenance protocols (such as
http, ftp and telnet), secure protocols are implemented to
increase confidentially and integrity (Ftps or sftp, rdp over
https).
Software Integrity
All Alstom software is free of malware and digitally signed to
guarantee authenticity and integrity at installation time.
Authentication, Authorisation, Accounting (AAA)
Authentication
All users are required to authenticate for interacting with any IED.
Users have individual accounts and passwords (no shared accounts).
Password complexity is reinforced and its storage strictly managed.

Authorisation (Role-Based-Access-Control, RBAC)

DS Agile implements RBAC to fully manage the authorized users.
Each user account is assigned one or more roles and associated
non-overlapping rights.

Auditability
Router / Firewall securing communication with remote centres
and bringing a single mandatory path to the DCS LAN

All basic security events are logged on each device.

No sensitive information (such as passwords) are logged.

SUBSTATION AUTOMATION SYSTEMS PRODUCT SOLUTIONS

DS AGILE v5.1

MALWARE PREVENTION

When it comes to protecting and controlling critical

DS Agile uses two techniques in each of its Windows PC to improve malware

assets, good products are not enough.
prevention, anti-virus and whitelisting, depending on the PC role (real-time or
non-real-time functions).

On top of our excellence in state-of-the-art products,

Anti-virus
Alstom Grid can also provide you with:
An antivirus can be installed at the customer request on each Windows PC.
However, antiviruses have some drawbacks, like the need for regularly updating the
malware signature database or the consumption of CPU and memory resources of
the PC, thus this solution is less recommended for PCs running "real-time"
applications such a Gateway or HMI.

DS AGILE DEFENSE IN-DEPTH

STRATEGY
Alstom has strongly reinforced the
substation cyber security by
implementing in DS Agile this
differentiated defense in-depth
strategy with emphasis on
prevention and detection at each
level in the DS Agile architecture.

Application control (Whitelist)

Contrary to antiviruses that work with a allow by default policy, whitelisting
software have a deny by default policy. Only software that is present in the
white list is allowed to be executed. This approach is particularly adapted to the
substation automation system where the system being stable, the whitelist
seldom changes. The result is that malware, which are processes, cannot run on
the protected system.
All Windows PC in the DS Agile system come with whitelisting software installed and
configured. Following whitelist activation, only software digitally signed by Alstom
can be installed or updated on the PC. This guarantees its integrity and authenticity.

When it comes to protecting and controlling your critical assets, good products are not enough.
On top of our excellence in state-of-the-art products, Alstom Grid can also provide you with:
Strong systems design and manufacturing
Highly experienced project execution teams located worldwide
Support and advice to make existing installations evolve
Long-term maintenance, refurbishment and asset life-extension
Technical training programs
After-sales services with worldwide regional coverage

For more information

please contact Alstom Grid:
Alstom Grid Worldwide Contact Centre
www.alstom.com/grid/contactcentre/
Phone: +44 (0) 1785 250 070
Visit us online: www.alstom.com

Grid-SAS-L3-DS_Agile_v5.1-2879-2014_09-EN. Information contained in this document is indicative only. No representation or warranty is given or should
be relied on that it is complete or correct or will apply to any particular project. This will depend on the technical and commercial circumstances. It is provided
without liability and is subject to change without notice. Reproduction, use or disclosure to third parties, without express written authority, is strictly prohibited.
Alstom contributes to the protection of the environment. This leaflet is printed on environmentally friendly paper.