Growing Popularity of 'Internet of Things'

We all know how internet has made our lives easier than it used to be a decade ago. If we talk about business organizations, the use of internet has made business transactions much more quick and efficient than it used to be earlier. Businesses can easily get in touch with prospective clients sitting in far off places and make deals with them through internet. The latest concept of 'internet of things' has helped business organizations in more than one way.Through this, different objects/machines are connected to each other in such a way that one can receive and send data through them. In other words, it allows machine-to-machine communication between several devices. According to an estimate, the number of devices that can be connected through an IoT network is around thirty billion. This is the main reason why more and more industries and technologists are using this concept.

Business organizations are incorporating the concept of Internet Of Things in various departments, be it inventory control, asset tracking, individual tracking or security. It allows them to know about the condition as well as the location of the devices.  For example, a device such as a ship allows communication and relay of information to the business manager, who can then use this information to cut down cost and maximize revenue within the business. Another benefit of the concept of iot is that it helps to track and target individual consumers on the basis of the information provided by the devices.

Iot has not only benefitted business organizations, but individuals and society as well. Individuals can use this concept for safety, finance and health purposes. Since IoT allows automation of devices, healthcare sector can use it to monitor health of the patients. For example, a chip can be implemented into a patient and be used to check signs and symptoms of a disease or illness.

Difference between SCADA and DCS

As the internet bandwidth gets higher and higher, the difference between SCADA(Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) and DCS(Distributed Control  Systems) is diminishing. Although a subtle line of discretion will always remain in their working, they are fast fading into each other. The basic difference, as suggested by the names, is that DCS is merely a control system, while SCADA is a control system too but it has the power to acquire data as well.

SCADA has been around for long, ever since Modbus became the preferred Machine to Machine (M2M) protocol. It was the top controller for low level intelligence machines, but it became a bit haphazard for a single system to control another system every second. Thus DCS started acting as a subordinate to SCADA. DCS was assigned most of the detailed work and its tasks were to take orders from and report to SCADA.

But the computers are so fast these days that the line of difference between Web Based SCADA and DCS is blurring fast. The difference is now only the region where you’re working, some workplaces call it SCADA and some call it DCS. But even after narrowing the margin, it is important to note how the two systems are actually different from one another. SCADA’s intelligence is distributed and even if communication is lost to the central hub, it can continue to control and monitor. DCS meanwhile, focuses on local problems and won’t be able to work if the communication goes haywire.

Basically, at control level a DCS is mainly concerned with the distribution control characteristics like control behaviours in field levels or local levels. SCADA on the other hand deals with control functions not only at the field or local levels but also at a supervisory level.