Tag Archive for: Load management

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Electrical data security

Data center data security reliability depends on many different factors. For example, from the energy supply and operational reliability of the power supply. This is what we refer to in this blog as electrical data security. Electrical data security conditions must be constantly monitored to achieve Tier 1 – 4 levels. It is advisable for you to monitor parameters of power quality, energy and fault current detection as well as cyber security together.

Figure 1: https://www.hpe.com/ch/de/what-is/data-center-tiers.html (31.1.2020); Source: Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG (own design)

Electrical data security and the problem

Various studies have shown that poor network quality causes costs. These run into the billions every year. As early as 2007, the Pan-European LPQI Power Quality Survey estimated that the damage amounts to the equivalent of $150 billion annually. In the meantime, the challenges this poses for everyone have steadily increased. And that’s especially true for data centers.

The basic requirements for a data center

There are many requirements to consider when planning the power supply for a data center:

  • Secure location in terms of energy supply and environmental conditions
  • High energy efficiency to minimize operating costs
  • Maximum availability due to redundancies (UPS, generators)
  • High security (fire protection, access, defense against cyberattacks)
  • System stability and reliability of the devices used
  • Possibility for later expansion
  • Compatibility with the standard e.g. according to DIN EN 50600,etc.
  • etc.

Possible solutions for electrical data security

1. investment protection through good power quality (PQ)

Figure 2: Power quality simplified; Source: Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG

2. system protection by residual current and fault current monitoring

The risk

Residual current monitoring (RCM) in low-voltage networks (e.g. data centers) that is not detected or is detected too late represents a significant safety risk:

  • Fault currents and insulation decay are caused by defective / bad components (e.g. switching power supplies, LEDs, server systems, PV, etc.)
  • In the data center should / must not be switched off in the event of a fault!
  • Overheated cable insulation causes a fire risk!
The solution

Detection of risky fault currents by means of permanent residual current measurement, thereby increasing the safe operation of electrical systems.

Figure 3: Residual current monitoring Source: Camille Bauer Metrawatt AG

Advantages
  • Time-consuming manual checks are no longer required (shutdown issue)
  • Continuous monitoring instead of status quo
  • Legal security with regard to the law, auditors (asset protection) and insurance companies
  • Permanent damage prevention to people and equipment

3. electrical data security through cyber security

Threat from cyber attacks

Figure 4: Threat of cyber attacks

The topic of cyber security is becoming increasingly important due to the constantly growing level of networking. Especially in the areas of critical infrastructure. Due to the threat situation, effective cyber security is essential there. Thus also very specific in data centers and considered under the topic of “electrical data security”.

You can find the complete blog post on cyber security here

Find complete solutions for your data center here

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Cyber security is essential

The topic of cyber security is becoming increasingly important due to the constantly growing level of networking. Especially in the areas of energy and SmartGrid. Due to the threat situation, effective cyber security is essential there.

Cyber security is essential

Cyber security is essential

Potential risks (data theft & data manipulation)

  • Hacking & Cracking
  • Listening
  • Datamining
  • Theft of passwords and other information
  • Unauthorized access (intranet, end devices, servers, …)
  • Modification of data & data telegrams
  • Delete data
  • Changing configurations
  • etc.
Data flow in the context of the 7 network layer
The seven network layers

The seven network layers

  • Electrical interconnections must communicate with each other
  • Integration into the World Wide Web (www)
  • Integration of more measuring points
  • Users on grid level 7 (local distribution grid <1kV) become (app) specialists (e.g. SmartHome, energy procurement, …)
  • SmartGrid applications are becoming popular and also demanded
  • Planning with simulation and trends are becoming increasingly important for the networks
  • Dynamic load management (e.g. Redispatch, …)

The basic problem of cyber security

Risks cyber attacks

Risks in the energy infrastructure during cyber attacks

  • Individual approaches take up only partial aspects of essential cyber security
  • IT experts mostly have a technical focus and less on the overall context
  • ISO/IEC27001 on cyber security provides a complete, holistic management system and is very complex
  • IEC62443 on cyber security is in principle only applicable to the subarea of industrial automation
  • There is still no IT security standard according to IEC for power quality instruments as well as power monitoring devices at device level. This is currently in the committees of EC TC 85 / WG 20 – Equipment for measuring and monitoring of steady state and dynamic quantities in Power Distribution Systems under the project title: “Cybersecurity aspects of devices used for power metering and monitoring, power quality monitoring, data collection and analysis “is discussed.

Potential solutions on cyber security

Cyber security is essential - and here are the solutions

Cyber security is essential and here possible solutions are presented

In this blog, solution approaches are to be found at the level of measuring devices, which are also used in sub-areas of software solutions. From this, approaches from ISO/IEC27001 (Annex A; Reference measure objectives and measures) can be found, such as. For instance:

  • Access control for systems and applications
  • Cryptographic measures
  • Physical and environmental security
  • Protection from malware
  • Data backup
  • Logging and monitoring
The following approaches should make a significant contribution to a significant increase in safety at the level of measuring instruments:

Learn more while klicking.

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Infrastructure from the manager’s perspective

Would you like to see energy infrastructure from a manager’s perspective? This is how you might want it to be as a business manager or even as an overall responsible manager. In fact, this allows you to monitor specific individual performance indicators of a factory, a single plant, an entire complex, etc. Last but not least, to possible benchmark with other comparable companies or locations.

The Areal View: The interactive & areal view from the manager’s perspective

 

Interactive Areal View

The Areal View of the SmartCollect SC² offers you an interactive display from different perspectives. For this purpose, you can define photos, graphics, floor drawings, renderings, infographics, and much more as backgrounds. Depending on your needs and available budget, you can store the views both in a 2D format and in an interactive 3D model.

 

Floor plan data center

Example floor plan of a data center for visualization from the manager’s perspective

 

Floor plan

Example floor plan of a single floor from the manager’s perspective

The advantage of interactivity

In the overall view of the Areal View, you keep the overview from the bird’s eye view. However, if you want to take a closer look at individual objects or even analyze them, click on the area and open the details. There, the complete measuring point is grouped in various panels, just as it was set up for you. You can view real-time data in a trend history. In addition, you will be able to define historical time periods and contextualize the measurement data to each other. This allows you to perform meaningful and beneficial comparisons and analyses. Synchronized zoom functions and various selection options of individual data support you. This makes it possible to keep the full overview in a simple way.

Full Dashboard

Dashboard of a measuring point with trend and analysis functions

And if you are no longer satisfied with your individual display in the course of the application, then simply adapt it again to your new circumstances. Because flexibility in visualization is part of the SmartCollect SC² as an easy-to-use HMI. And if you want to align yourself according to ISO 50001, then the energy monitoring system of the SmartCollect SC² will help you advantageously.

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Single Line Diagram (SLD)

For the visualisation of infrastructures, a so-called “interactive single line diagram” (SLD) is an excellent tool. Various options in the interactive single-line diagram of the SmartCollect SC² are recommended for this purpose:

  • Overview of the actual infrastructure

    “I want to create transparency of my plant. Today I am blind.” This is often the reason why companies are generally interested in visualisation. The first challenge is then usually to present the system in a fundamental way.

    Single Line Diagram (SLD)

    Interactive single-line diagram with additional display of performance data, power quality events and alarms

  • Designation of the individual system components

    Over the years, you will notice that the infrastructure has changed. You replace old equipment, new equipment is added, designations change, and so on. The overall documentation, however, has not adapted to the changes. In this way, you can pick up the dynamics of the system in the systemic single-line diagram of the SmartCollect SC² and display them always updated. Switching devices, relays, fuses, measuring objects, measuring points, consumers, feeders, etc. suddenly become visible. For group properties, we are also happy to go beyond regional borders.

  • Display of the relevant measured values

    Measurement data

    Here it is important to remember: “Less is more”. Show only the essential values relevant to this view (e.g. I, U, PF, P). Too many values impair the overview and cannot be resolved by the viewer. In addition, the performance of the software is impaired due to the large amount of data. And finally, much will be of little use to you.

  • Interactive call-up of a measuring point

    For a more in-depth view or even analysis of individual measuring points, you can click to look deeper into the measuring point. This either

    • on a pop-up window of the meter,

      Pop-Up WebGui

      Pop-up integration of a measuring device

    • by calling up an individually defined dashboard with trend and analysis function

      Full Dashboard

      Dashboard of a measuring point with trend and analysis functions

    • or even deep at the web GUI level.
      WebGUI-Integration

      Level WebGUI of a measuring device. In this case, it is advisable to have a distinctive cyber security, such as that available with Camille Bauer devices.

      All depending on the functionality of the measuring devices, of course.

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New Release: SmartCollect® SC²

SmartCollect® SC² is a scalable HMI/SCADA software. Unlike the usual less visually appealing SCADA software systems, SmartCollect®SC² is built on an ultra-modern platform with a web-based 2D/3D graphical user interface. In addition to the high user-friendliness of SmartCollectt®SC², the system offers powerful communication and software interfaces as well as flexible expansion options.

The software is currently available in 4 editions:

  • Starter Edition
  • Standard Edition
  • Professional Edition
  • Enterprise Edition

In addition, the software can be equipped with a modern Energy Monitoring System (EMS) as a plug-in.

Key Features of Software:

  • Interactive single line diagrams
  • Functional dashboards
  • Secure web based design
  • Event and warning messages
  • Flexible data communications
  • Integration of devices from different manufacturers
  • Interactive 2D/3D views
  • EMS: Energy Monitoring System (Dashboard & Reporting)
  • Sophisticated zoom functions
  • Custom WebGUI integrations

 

 

 

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The AI is already doing that…

eBook

Energy management, device management, workload management and security – four areas where the use of AI has already proven its worth.

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PQ meters looking for trouble!

“Electricity comes out of the socket” and why should it be of different quality? Does this mean that not all electricity is the same?

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System for power quality, energy management and pump automation

Actual situation

In a large urban city, the technology for supplying fresh water is getting old. Although the pumping stations and the infrastructure are in good condition, the maintenance and repair costs are continuously and extremely increasing. Electrical monitoring of the entire system is only available to a limited extent, and if so, only partially. Read more

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