Virtual automation network - reality or dream

Future distributed automation systems require more mechanisms for the geographically remote distribution of automation functions by various reasons, mainly to enable remote control, configuring, commissioning, parameterisation, maintenance of DCSs as well as to include remote experts or external knowledge for the plant operation and maintenance. The resulting DCS has to offer location-based and context-sensitive services to guarantee suitable local and remote functions for different user needs and requires real-time data transmission. Additionally, the safety and security aspects become more important. A VAN is a heterogeneous network consisting of wired and wireless local area network, the Internet, and wired or/and wireless telecommunication systems. The main gaps result from the extended requirements to introduce the wide area networks into a virtual automation network with all well-known behavioural requests: real-time behaviour of heterogeneous networks; functional safety and security over heterogeneous networks. The paper will discuss the needed mechanisms to bridge these gaps and to be offered by heterogeneous networks.