What is DNP3 Protocol?

DNP3 is used by utility companies to monitor process flows.

DNP3 is the abbreviation for Distributed Network Protocol. It is a suite of protocols used for communication between nodes in process automation systems. It is mainly used by utility companies--electricity, water supply and waste water companies. It is also used in the oil and gas industry.

History

The protocol was developed by Harris Distributed Automation Products. The standards are publicly available for free and managed by the DNP3 Users Group. This group is a collection of users and sellers of software following the protocols. The standards were created in Canada and specifically cater to an North American clientèle.

Confidentiality

The protocol was created for on-site communication. Security was assumed to be a physical responsibility and so was not integrated in the standards. In order to comply with buyer expectations, security features were added later. These are not part of the protocol but are integrated in proprietary implementations.

Function

The protocol is intended to packetize and address data passing between monitors placed at various points of a process flow, messaging to a central reporting tool. Errors or failures, throughput and goal achievement are flagged for data management enabling decision making and human intervention.

References

• Distributed Network Protocol :Overview of the DNP3 Protocol