Retos.net – SCADA/HMI

Retos.net^® is the own product of QLine, it is an open SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and HMI (Human Machine Interface) system of a software application which works under Microsoft Windows environment.

 

Retos.net ^®plays a key role in a wide range of telemetry applications created by QLine. The great application potential of Retos.net ® has partly resulted from smart and flexible solutions of a SCADA kernel, partly from the internal support of a large number of connectable PLC, RTU equipment and an efficient management of communication networks.

 

Examples of usage:

 

Possibilities of usage of Retos.net^® are given by a smart architecture that supports its usage in a wide range of applications. The solution of RETOS SCADA software can be basically characterized by a slogan "Anytime, Anywhere, Any communication, Any data"

Typical examples:

• The SCADA control centre
• Local control centre of technological production with control centre and several PLC units.
• Telemetry centre for managerial large scale utility net systems (water, gas, electrical power).
• Monitoring system integrating a number of local control systems into one unit with a number of users on the IT network.
• Data gathering centre for energy trade systems
• Metering Data centre for automatic data reading (AMR)

Retos.net^® – SCADA/HMI – product description

 

Retos.net^® has all the features of the SCADA products. It monitors and controls the technological systems from the unsophisticated units, comprising only a dozen control points, to large complexes consisting of several local centers and tens of thousands of signals.

 

Retos.net ^® offers its users a simple and unified view over all the measured or calculated data obtained from large range of sources (telemetry and communication systems) as are e.g. a waste water treatment plants, power plants, gas works, waterworks, power distribution, etc.

 

The basis of Retos.net^® is so-called SCADA system kernel (also marked as a system station), which runs as a set of services within the operating system - Windows. The system kernel provides a data gathering and data storage in the operational repository – e.g. MS SQL 2012 Express. Various functional modules (which represent basic user functions, such as Process visualization, Trends, Alarms handling, Reporting, etc.), cooperate with this basis and may or may not be installed for the final customer.

 

Retos.net ^® can be run in a virtual server environment such VM ware or Hyper-V. SCADA server has connection to the remote telemetry outstations via virtual ports of a device server. The running on Hyper-V technology is limited by support for MS. NET 3.5, some version of the OS - such as Windows 10 , Windows Server 2012 and higher, Datacenter – a list on request.

 

Security – management of access rights

 

For the structured management of access rights in applications RETOS is used the model by the system security policy environment of Windows - work with users and groups defined in domains.

 

RETOS uses the same security policy as Windows Operating System, there is no need to duplicate or to create groups and users. The security policy can be applied to all Retos objects and actions, eithers a device RTU or alarm confirmation. Access rights can be set individually for each user and each object. RETOS distinguishes among these objects: nodes, stations, process variables​​, archives and everything that can be edited and modified by Retos Explorer.

 

Retos.net^® – SCADA/HMI - system platform

 

Operating system

A basic platform for a server is a configuration with a standard PC, running Windows 10/ 2012 and higher. All the basic software modules Retos.net^® runs as services on the background of the operating system.

Data repository

All values are deposited in SQL database tables. Retos.net^® has been currently working with all ordinary Database engines, such as Oracle or Microsoft SQL. A user, while creating tables, is just limited by selecting a database and computer hardware. For a definition it is not necessary to know any SQL commands. A user uses simple dialogues in RetosExplorer tool to set and create the tables.

Retos.net ^® uses the basic data repositories for its activities.

• Defining database with a definition of the whole process infrastructure - RTU, PLC related variables, the assigned properties and parameters of the communication connection – an internal SQL database.
• The Data repository of measured values ​​- all measured values, ​​gathered from RTU infrastructure, are stored in a SQL database, where they are, through the API (web service), available to the integration layer for further processing. Rules for writing data to the repository are included in the definition database. A data acquisition is controlled by a Retos - Scheduler.
• A database of Events - All the defined asynchronous events on the device level and the transmission system are stored here. Events are sorted according to the character in various journals (alarms, data gathering logs, the activities of operator, etc.

Storing data in the database is controlled by the module RETOS Storage. RETOS stores the information in database tables. These database files are then used for Communication logs, Trends and Reports. Data is stored either synchronously (periodic table) or asynchronously, depending on a defined event ("event" tables). The method and type of archiving could be set up for each defined variable.

Retos.net^® – SCADA/HMI – product versions

RETOS is applied according to telemetry role in three models of applications - SCADA server, Workstation for Operator, Workstation for Manager. These SW modules are separate packages, representing the set of SCADA functions. But SCADA server is connected with Workstations, which can be operated independently on a single machine or separately anywhere on the network.

The minimum configuration of the kernel Retos.net^® (SCADA server) is composed of several services and drivers, running on the background of an operating system. A user-login is not necessary for the running kernel activities Retos.net^®.  The system can automatically respond to a self-shutdown of the computer operating system such as the voltage drop signalized by a backup power source.

The Kernel and the dependent programs are supervised by internal "watchdog", which supervises their activities and, in case of problems, it periodically attempts to remedy.

Retos.net^® – SCADA/HMI – basic user versions

 

SCADA server – system station

The server part Retos.net^® (a system station) includes a SCADA kernel, databases and drivers. The all operational data are gathered in the control center from the telemetry networks and stored in a common data repository. An intranet portal of telemetry is usually created on the server, where the operational informations are available to other authorized users. An access to information is controlled on user identity, created by logging into the network.

 

The basic modules are, apart from the kernel and application interface, the following user components:

• A set of drivers PLC, RTU
• OPC DA server
• Retos Web Portal

Dispatcher Workstation

A dispatcher workstation (heavy client) Retos.net ^® is a set of applications running under Windows, representing the SCADA user functions. Usually these are:

• Retos WMag – process visualization module
• Alarms handling Client
• Events browser
• Retos Explorer –administration of telemetry infrastructure
• WMag editor - GUI (process visualization) edit
• Trends browser

Manager Workstation

A Manager Workstation (a thin client) Retos.net ^® – needs only usual Web browser (Internet Explorer, Modzilla, etc.).The thin client is a set of functionalities of a RETOS Web Portal, representing essentially the same user SCADA function as the Dispatcher Workstation, but without the control functions and system configuration.

 

Retos.net^® – SCADA/HMI – Data collecting subsystem - communication interfaces

 

The scope of support of communication possibilities is a powerful feature of Retos.net ^®. Own drivers of RETOS supports most protocols and transmission channels which are commonly used in telemetry systems.

Transmission media

RETOS supports data transfer over a fixed line (RS232, RS422, RS485), Ethernet, WiFi, telephone network lines (AT modem, GSM 2G-4G), private radio networks etc.

The main communication protocols

Retos supports connecting devices and subsystems by frequently used communication protocols, such as MODBUS- TCP, MODBUS-RTU, EPSNET, M-Bus, Siemens RK 512, Siemens PPI, DMB, S-BUS or OPC.

 

Retos.net^® has implemented standard interfaces such as OPC client and OPC server for integration of local systems with RETOS into larger systems centers.

The comfort of connection is the advantage of RETOS. With the above technique it is possible to transfer data within a few minutes. Another advantage of RETOS is a simultaneous communication with multiple type of devices with different protocols. One Retos server with homogeneous environment manages heterogeneous transmission networks.

 

RETOS system contains resources for monitoring the activities of drivers, which allows you to quickly and efficiently debug problems with errors in communication.

 

Retos.net^® has implemented device drivers for most of the main automation's producers (ABB, Allen Bradley, Foxboro, SIEMENS, SCHNEIDER, SAIA, TELEMECANIQUE and Rockwell) and local producers (TECO, CONEL, RACOM, DCOM, AMIT and others).

Retos.net^® – overview of licensing

The license of each version Reros.net ^® are provided in the range of sale price list of versions that can be individually supplemented by items from the price list of components.

		Retos.net	Retos.net	Retos.net	Retos.net
Version		Start	Mini	L	XL
Limits	Limits
	Data points	400	2000	5000	unlimited
	Device drivers	1 type RTU/PLC	2 types RTU/PLC	3 types RTU/PLC	unlimited
	Number of workstations (Dispatcher +Manager)	1 + 1	2 + 5	2+ 10	unlimited
	Feature
SCADA kernel	Archiving into SQL database	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Visualization	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Trends	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Alarms handling	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	Reporting	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
	External warnings: e-mail, SMS	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Dispatcher workstation	Full access to user and management functions from the client application.	1 user	1 user	5 users	unlimited
Manager workstation	Access to user functions from the web browser.	1 user	5 users	10 users	unlimited

General Conditions

 

License to apply to one computer, prices on request.

 

Above any licensed parameter can be purchased separately licensed component.
The price for the driver other than PLC and RTU give on request (to mention only the most commonly used protocols).

The following optional features may be purchased for the base license of a Retos instance:
•   Time tables
•    Interface to Powershell
The communication protocols can be wrapped into a single framework protocol (details on request).