The full form of SCADA is Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition. SCADA systems were employed for the first time in the 1960s. It is a computer system that gathers and interprets real-time data. SCADA controls the functioning of machinery used in processing, manufacturing, growth, and other processes. It is used to govern and track equipment and production processes in a variety of domains, including telecommunications, transportation, waste and water management, energy production, and gas and oil processing. It interacts directly with components, including motors, valves, sensors and pumps using human-machine interface (HMI) software and log events in a log file.
SCADA systems are used by industries for various tasks:
To govern the organization of industry both locally and in remote places.
To map, gather, and analyze real-time data.
There are three basic components of SCADA
Inputs and Sensors: Controls and measures the parameters of the device; can be analogue or digital
Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs) or Remote Terminal Units (RTUs): Converts the data collected from inputs and sensors to a form that is understood by the SCADA system and operators
Human-Machine Interface (HMI): Display the results collected from the device.
SCADA systems can be as simple as those used to monitor the weather conditions of a small or complex office building or as complex as those used to monitor the operation of a nuclear reactor or municipal water system. It involves both software and hardware, and because different firms have different demands, their SCADA systems may differ. Nonetheless, some qualities are always shared by all systems.