DNP3 Protocol | Speedgoat

Use Speedgoat real-time solutions to implement Distributed Network Protocol 3 (DNP3) connectivity with MATLAB & Simulink. DNP3 is vital for supervisory control, data acquisition, and monitoring in electric grids. The protocol also enables component interoperability in the water supply and the oil and gas industry.

Speedgoat DNP3 blocks for Simulink enable your control algorithms and simulation models to exchange data with remote terminal units (RTU), intelligent electronic devices (IED), and supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) systems. This empowers you to design and test smart grid applications as well as protection features in power stations.

Versatile support for DNP3 master and DNP3 outstation is provided with onboard Ethernet interfaces and plug-in Ethernet I/O modules (see Selection Guide below).

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About DNP3

DNP3 is a TCP/IP-based communication protocol. The DNP3 master acts as a TCP client connected to multiple TCP servers, so-called outstations. The master can access the outstation data, such as analog inputs, counters, and binary outputs, by sending read, control, and freeze requests. In addition to the actual value, responses from the outstation can include timestamp information and flags. The outstation can also send messages autonomously once a data point changes (unsolicited messaging). These events can be assigned to different event classes. Also, authentication ensures secure communication and reliable transmission of crucial information.

Selection Guide - DNP3

DNP3 Master	Simulink driver blocks and run-time license for DNP3 master
DNP3 Outstation	Simulink driver blocks and run-time license for DNP3 outstation

Hardware Selection Guide

DNP3 is supported with onboard Ethernet ports and plug-in Ethernet I/O modules (see list below). One Ethernet port can handle data transmission of multiple DNP3 nodes configured in the real-time application (master, slave or both together). Each DNP3 node requires a run-time license.

IO710	1 port	Performance real-time target machine
IO715	4 ports	Performance, Mobile and Baseline real-time target machine
IO791	2 ports	Mobile, Baseline, and Unit real-time target machine

Most of the Ethernet interfaces (both onboard and on I/O modules) also support various protocols, such as Modbus TCP, MQTT, OPC UA, EtherCAT Master, TCP/IP, Real-time UDP, PTP, and XCP over Ethernet.