Search This Blog
Pinned Post
Why SCADA Will Never Die — It’s Just Getting an Upgrade
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Introduction
In modern industrial automation and process control, the term SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) is quite commonly used everywhere. However, in recent years, it has become trendy to call SCADA “outdated” or “obsolete.”
In reality, SCADA is not disappearing — it’s evolving. The fundamental concept of SCADA — supervising processes, acquiring data, and providing actionable control — remains as essential as ever. What’s changing is the architecture, not the idea. The rise of Web-SCADA and Cloud SCADA represents an architectural upgrade, not a replacement. SCADA continues to form the backbone of industrial automation, and will continue to do so, even as it embraces modern connectivity, scalability, and cloud-native paradigms.
In this article, we compare these types, highlight their applications, and show how Dicot’s offerings (Vision S and Vision Web) map into this evolving landscape
What is “Classic” SCADA?
Definition & architecture
SCADA is a control system architecture for supervision of processes, remote devices, and data acquisition. In a classic (or traditional) SCADA setup:
-
Field devices (sensors, actuators, PLCs, RTUs) reside at remote or local sites.
-
These devices communicate via serial, fieldbus, or Ethernet to local controllers or concentrators.
-
A central SCADA server or master station polls or receives data from field devices, aggregates it, stores it (historian), displays process graphics / alarms / trends, and allows operator interaction (setpoint changes, commands).
-
Operator workstations (HMIs) connect to the SCADA server, often via LAN or WAN links.
-
All computation, data storage, and control logic typically reside in on-premises servers or systems.
Key attributes of classic SCADA:
-
Low latency, deterministic behavior (because the network is designed and known).
-
Complete local control capability — even if internet connectivity is lost, local operations can continue.
-
Strong security perimeter at the network boundary (firewalls, VPNs, etc.).
-
Usually installed and managed by automation engineers; requires configuration and integration effort.
Applications
Classic SCADA systems are widely used in:
-
Power generation, transmission & distribution (electric utilities).
-
Water / wastewater systems.
-
Oil & gas pipelines or terminal operations.
-
Manufacturing plants (chemical, food & beverage, steel, etc.).
-
Infrastructure (e.g. traffic, tunnels, HVAC central plant control).
Anywhere one needs real-time monitoring, control, alarming, and integration across distributed field assets with deterministic performance, classic SCADA is the default.
Web-SCADA (Browser-based SCADA)
What distinguishes Web-SCADA?
Web-SCADA (sometimes called “web-enabled SCADA”) refers to architectures where the operator interfaces (HMI / visualization) are delivered via a web browser (e.g. Chrome, Firefox) rather than via dedicated client software. The server side may still be local or hybrid, but the clients are lighter (just a browser).
In a Web-SCADA:
-
The SCADA back end (data acquisition, historian, alarms) can still reside on local (on-premises) servers.
-
A web server or web engine exposes visualization pages (HTML/JS) that render process diagrams, trends, alarms, etc.
-
Thin clients (browsers) connect, so no heavy client installations are needed.
-
It potentially enables remote access via intranet or even via securely exposed web access (e.g. VPN, reverse proxy).
Advantages include:
-
Easier deployment and updates (you update the server, browser clients auto-reflect changes).
-
Cross-platform: any device with a browser (PC, tablet, mobile) can be used.
-
Lower client maintenance overhead.
-
Easier “remote access” from outside the plant (if securely exposed).
However:
-
Latency might be higher (particularly for heavy graphics or large datasets).
-
More dependency on network performance.
-
Additional security concerns, since more surface (web) is exposed.
Applications & use cases
Web-SCADA is useful when:
-
You want easier access from diverse devices (e.g. plant engineers accessing from tablets or remote sites).
-
You have multiple users distributed geographically needing access through a web interface.
-
You want to simplify client deployment and updates.
-
Hybrid scenarios — local control still happens, but dashboards or summaries are accessible via web.
It fits mid-size plants, distributed facilities (e.g. multiple plants), or where remote monitoring is important but full cloud is not yet adopted.
Cloud SCADA (Cloud-based / SaaS SCADA)
Definition & architecture
Cloud SCADA, or cloud-based SCADA, pushes more of the infrastructure into the cloud (public or private). The core SCADA / data acquisition, processing, and storage may reside on cloud servers or be orchestrated via hybrid edge + cloud architecture.
Typical characteristics:
-
Field devices (PLCs, gateways, IoT controllers) send data to cloud endpoints (via secure gateways, MQTT, REST APIs, etc.).
-
The cloud platform handles data ingestion, storage (historian), visualization, analytics, alarms, reports.
-
Users access dashboards, control, reports via web (browser) or mobile interfaces.
-
Some edge or gateway logic may remain local to handle latency-sensitive tasks or manage connectivity loss.
-
The cloud provider handles server infrastructure, scaling, maintenance, backups, redundancy.
Advantages:
-
Minimal local infrastructure needed (less on-premise servers).
-
Scalability: you can expand capacity without hardware upgrades.
-
Accessibility from anywhere (global access).
-
Easier integration with other cloud services (analytics, AI, notifications).
-
Lower upfront investment in local servers and maintenance.
Challenges:
-
Latency and real-time control critical tasks may suffer if the cloud link is slow or unreliable.
-
Greater attention needed to connectivity, security, redundancy strategies.
-
Dependence on cloud vendor (vendor lock-in, cost, SLAs).
-
For critical control, local backup or edge fallback is often required.
Applications & use cases
Cloud SCADA is compelling when:
-
You have geographically distributed assets (e.g. remote substations, fleet of installations, distributed renewable sites) and want centralized monitoring.
-
You want to offer SCADA-as-a-service to many clients (e.g. OEMs offering monitoring to customers).
-
You want to leverage cloud analytics, dashboards, and machine learning on aggregated data.
-
You prefer pay-as-you-go model, less on-site infrastructure, and automatic scalability.
-
Use cases like remote irrigation systems, smart cities, distributed energy, remote asset monitoring or remote SCADA for SMEs.
In short, cloud SCADA is pushing SCADA toward a SaaS/IIoT paradigm.
Comparison: SCADA vs Web-SCADA vs Cloud SCADA
Here’s a comparison summary:
When choosing among them, many modern systems adopt hybrid or layered approaches: keep critical real-time control and data capture locally, while pushing dashboards, historical storage and analytics to cloud.
Dicot’s Offerings: Vision S and Vision Web
Dicot (an Indian SCADA / IIoT company) offers several products, among them Vision S and Vision Web, which illustrate the transition from classic to cloud-enabled systems.
Vision S (Enterprise / On-Premises SCADA)
Vision S is a powerful SCADA software for industrial automation designed for robust on-premises deployment. Some of its features and highlights:
-
Supports up to 60,000 tags
-
Supports 4000+ protocols, including OPC UA / DA
-
Unlimited user levels, audit trails (21CFR compliant)
-
Rich graphic libraries, live trending, historical database via PostgreSQL (or integration with 3rd-party DBs)
-
Report generation (print, PDF) with customizable reports
-
Recipe management, alarms (device & software), scripting (C language), scaling, multiple monitors, OPC UA server, etc
-
Web connectivity / APIs / custom integration (i.e. can link to web / remote)
Web-View allows user to have the same level of flexibility as Web-SCADA
So Vision S is tailored for robust industrial plants that need a full-blown, enterprise SCADA with large tag counts, reliable performance, and the ability to integrate with existing OT infrastructure. It fits the “classic SCADA” model (with potential for web connection) quite well.
Use cases would include large process plants, utilities, steel plants, chemical plants, where you need deterministic control, rich dashboarding, complex alarms, batch processing, secure deployment, etc.
Vision Web (Cloud / Web-based SCADA / IIoT)
Vision Web is Dicot’s cloud-oriented SCADA & IIoT platform. Some key points:
-
It is a Web-based cloud SCADA platform.
-
Features include HTTP API integration, MQTT API support, user levels & permissions, audit trails, 2 years of historical data storage, report generation, alarms, geo-tagging, derived / virtual channels, remote control, etc.
-
They tout “zero development time & cost” and ~100 ms latency.
-
Auto channel configuration, auto detection.
-
Security: 2FA, OAuth 2.0, data encryption.
-
Remote control capabilities are mentioned (i.e., commands can be sent, not only read).
-
It is also positioned for industrial data logging, remote monitoring, report generation, IIoT integration.
Because Vision Web is web/cloud centric, it aligns with the cloud SCADA paradigm: users can access via web, data is hosted (or orchestrated) remotely, and it’s well suited for distributed systems.
Vision Web Zero (a lighter variant) with 10 tags, as a simple, low-cost cloud monitoring / logging option is also available.
In effect:
-
Vision Web is the SaaS / IIoT side of Dicot: for remote asset monitoring, low to medium tag counts, multi-site dashboards, etc.
-
Vision S remains the heavy-duty, on-premises SCADA engine for large facility control.
Where we fit in the SCADA / Cloud continuum
You can see Vision S occupying the “classic SCADA / enterprise SCADA” space (with web connectivity) and Vision Web occupying the “cloud SCADA / web-based SCADA / IIoT” space. In many deployed systems, one might even combine them (e.g. Vision S handles local control and data acquisition, while selected data is pushed to Vision Web for remote monitoring, analytics, dashboards, and aggregated reporting).
Choosing among SCADA, Web-SCADA, Cloud SCADA (and Dicot’s products)
When deciding which architecture to pick (or which mix), consider:
-
Real-time / control requirements
If you have tight, latency-sensitive control loops, you want local SCADA or edge control. Cloud may not be viable for the control loop itself unless there’s an edge fallback. -
Connectivity & reliability
If your field sites have unreliable internet, computing must remain local (with buffered forwarding). Cloud SCADA works best where you have reliable connectivity or hybrid fallback. -
Scalability & expansion
If you expect growth in tag count, sites, or data volume, cloud or hybrid makes scaling easier. -
Client/device diversity & remote access
When multiple users, from diverse locations or devices, need access, web or cloud SCADA is favorable. -
Cost constraints & infrastructure
On-premise SCADA requires investment in servers, redundancy, backups, networking. Cloud shifts those costs to operational (subscription) and outsourcing. -
Security & compliance
With cloud or web exposure, security architecture must be robust (authentication, encryption, segmentation). Some regulated industries may prefer local control for compliance. -
Integration & analytics
If you plan to integrate with enterprise systems, cloud analytics, ML pipelines, or cross-site dashboards, having a cloud or hybrid SCADA offers advantage. -
Vendor ecosystem & support
The maturity of your SCADA platform, community, support, upgrade path etc. all play roles.
So, in many practical deployments, one sees a hybrid architecture:
-
A primary SCADA (on-premises, e.g. Vision S) doing heavy lifting, control loops, historical logging, real-time alarms.
-
A cloud/remote monitoring overlay (e.g. Vision Web) that receives selected data, provides dashboards, alerts, aggregated analytics, and remote visualization.
Dicot’s product line (Vision S, Vision Web, and smaller variants) appears designed to allow exactly this kind of stratified deployment.
Conclusion
Classic SCADA remains the backbone for reliable, deterministic control in industrial settings. Web-SCADA lowers client-side complexity by providing browser-based interfaces while retaining local server engines. Cloud SCADA shifts infrastructure, analytics, and dashboards to the cloud, enabling scalable, global access and integration.
But SCADA itself isn’t fading away — it’s transforming. The essence of SCADA — real-time monitoring, control, and data-driven supervision — is timeless. The platforms, protocols, and connectivity layers may evolve, but the philosophy stays intact.
SCADA isn’t outdated; it’s upgrading.
Dicot’s Vision S and Vision Web perfectly illustrate this evolution: Vision S delivers powerful, on-premises control and supervision, while Vision Web brings the same core principles into the cloud era. Depending on the size, connectivity, control requirements, and expansion plans of a deployment, one may choose or combine these — but in all forms, the heart of SCADA continues to beat strong.
- Get link
- X
- Other Apps
Comments
Post a Comment