Systematic real-time traffic segmentation in substation automation systems

There are two types of real-time Layer 2 multicast traffic in an IEC 61850 substation. It is desirable to properly segment the multicast traffic in order to avoid overloading end devices that do not subscribe to the traffic. The traffic can be segmented based on VLANs and multicast address filters. However, the engineering of VLANs and multicast address filters in complex IEC 61850 substation systems requires meticulous effort to avoid errors. This paper presents a systematic approach to not only assign minimum number of VLANs and multicast addresses to real-time traffic in an IEC 61850 substation, but also to derive the appropriate VLAN and multicast address filter settings for all Ethernet switches in the substation. The derived switch filter settings ensure that the traffic reaches only its subscribers and thereby the proper operation of substation automation system.