White Paper

SQL
SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

The Next Big

Thing in SCADA
How SQL is Redefining SCADA

Not only can SQL databases work effectively

with SCADA, but utilizing SQL unlocks the full
potential of what SCADA software can do.

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

How SQL is Redefining SCADA

If you get a group of control systems professionals in the same room, you are
bound to start a heated conversation if you ask, “What do you think of blend-
ing SQL databases with supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) soft-
ware?” Some may be indifferent to the subject, while others will be adamantly
opposed to the use of SQL and SCADA, and a vocal few may even gush about
how SQL is changing the way they use SCADA.

Whatever your knowledge level and feelings about are designed to handle both small and very large
SQL databases, one thing is clear: A general misun- amounts of data effectively. As a result, relational da-
derstanding and mistrust of SQL databases exists in tabases are extremely popular, so much so that they
the controls system community. There are some valid pretty much define what the word “database” means.
reasons many feel SCADA and SQL don’t go together, When you think of a database, you are more or less
but there are enormous benefits for those who over- thinking of a relational database.
come the fear of using SQL with SCADA.
The real power of a relational database comes from
its ability to search out data across multiple tables
SQL Database Basics
and relate data sets together by virtue of a shared
Before we get into the benefits of using SQL we need field type. For example, if you had three different
to cover some basics of SQL relational databases. tables that contained contact information grouped
Specifically, what relational databases and SQL are, together by social security numbers (SSN), then you
and how they relate to each other. could search all tables for the information associated
with each SSN. A relational database would return
What is a Relational Database?
all data associated with the SSN you searched,
A database is a central clearinghouse for information.
regardless of what tables or databases the informa-
It digitally stores any variety of information you can
tion was stored in.
imagine, from secure financial records, or sensitive
controls data, to information on who has late library
books. A database is not defined by what kind of
SSN # CELL HOME Relational databases
information it stores, but rather the structure in which
search for common
it stores data. 584... 916... 916...
data across multiple
Every true database requires a database manage- 592... 972... 972... tables and databases.
ment system (DBMS), and a relational DBMS is the
most widely used. A relational database is one that
stores information in the basic structure of tables SSN # MAIL WEB
made up of rows, columns, and cells. Think of it like a
584... me@... desi...
big spreadsheet, just way more flexible and powerful.
592... 3g@... phot...
Since relational databases group data into tables,
each individual data point is related to the data
around it. Structuring information in this way makes
SSN # CITY STATE
it easier to organize and retrieve data rapidly,
especially when large amounts of data are involved. 584... Sac... CA...
Relational databases are very flexible because they
592... Dal... TX...

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

SQL SQL

PLC
PLC PLC
PLC

Why has a well-developed

and supported information
technology so widely embraced
by so many industries been
seemingly ignored by those
who develop SCADA software?

What is SQL? The Rift Between SQL

SQL is an acronym that stands for Structured Query and SCADA Software
Language. SQL is a programming language designed
In the 1990s and early 2000s, SQL databases were
for managing data in relational database manage-
firmly established as a new standard in the informa-
ment systems. Since its initial development, SQL has
tion technology industry. With the Dot-Com Age in
continued to grow in popularity and is the most
full swing, SQL databases were being used in greater
widely used database language in the world.
and greater frequency because of their ability to
SQL’s popularity is due in large part to its simplicity. rapidly handle massive amounts of information. Their
SQL only has a few basic operations that allow it to popularity has had a transformative effect on numer-
manipulate and select data. Through the combina- ous industries and has helped to shape the fortunes
tion of simple commands, SQL can perform a myriad of some of the biggest tech companies in the world,
of useful functions with data – making it an extreme- such as Oracle, IBM and Microsoft.
ly powerful and flexible database language.
Although SQL databases are usually behind the
The most common operation in SQL is a “query”. A scenes, they are there nonetheless. Most enterprise
query is used to retrieve data based on a specific set systems such as ERPs (enterprise resource planning),
of criteria. Queries can select any amount of data and CRMs (customer relationship management)
from the database in just about any combination you have been driven by SQL databases for years. In
can imagine. today’s modern business world there is scarcely a
day that goes by that the average person doesn’t
The term “SQL database” can be a little misleading.
interact with a database in some way.
SQL is not a kind or brand of database. SQL has
been adopted as the standardized programing Yet the industrial automation software industry has
language for relational databases, and as a result been noticeably absent from this trend – but why?
relational databases and SQL have become synony- Why has a well-developed and supported informa-
mous with each other. So the term “SQL database” tion technology so widely embraced by so many
means a relational database that understands industries been seemingly ignored by those who
SQL, which makes up a majority of the databases develop SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisi-
used worldwide. tion) software?

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

Why SCADA Software Passed on SQL Traditional SCADA applications have a lot of data to
It’s difficult to say exactly why the rift between deal with and are primarily designed to display the
SCADA and SQL developed, but there are some data in real time. However, data that is not tracked
clues to why their paths never met. Around the cannot be analyzed, so SCADA software had to find
time that SQL databases where maturing, SCADA some method of storing data. In the absence of
software was also going through a transitional using SQL databases, traditional SCADA resorted to
period. One of the challenges it faced was continu- a couple of different methods of tracking time-series
ing to provide real-time data as plants grew bigger, data: PLC storage and process historians.
processes got more complex, and data became
PLC Data Storing
more and more plentiful.
One means of tracking time-series data is to store it in
Maybe SCADA software developers determined that, the PLC. This method has several problems, the most
at the time, SQL databases couldn’t handle the load important being that PLCs simply aren’t designed to
fast enough. Maybe SCADA companies didn’t want store data. The simplicity and limited storage space of
to develop software that involved the use of tech- a PLC make it a very poor location to store time-series
nology that was unfamiliar to their current custom- data. While using the PLC to store data that comes in
ers. While all of these reasons likely contributed to high-speed bursts is okay, using a PLC as a long-term
SCADA software developers ignoring SQL, the most repository for time-series data is simply not efficient;
probable explanation is simple economics: Proprie- it’s just the wrong tool for the job.
tary technologies make money while open technolo-
Process Historians
gies generally do not.
A more robust solution is the use of a process histo-
While it’s hard to pin down the exact reason why rian. A process historian is specially designed to store
SCADA software missed the boat in adopting SQL, time-series data. These historians come in all types
it is easy to see that the companies that developed and are optimized to handle large amounts of time-
SCADA software rejected SQL databases and moved series data quickly. However, there are some major
in another direction. drawbacks to using a process historian – the most
problematic being their proprietary nature.
The Wall Separating IT and Controls
Every historian is different, which means they save
The industrial automation industry deals with huge data in different formats that are often proprietary
amounts of data. Information from the plant floor is to the company that made the historian. There is
captured from PLCs (programmable logic control- no standardized language for historians, which can
ler) and passed to the SCADA system in the form of make working with them and supporting them
real-time data. Time-series data is produced as data difficult. Since historians are not standardized and
points, measured at successive time intervals; they often are structured in a proprietary format, they
typically contain a value and a time. Even simple don’t communicate well – if at all – with other data-
processes can potentially have hundreds, if not bases. The lack of easy communication effectively
thousands, of data points to follow – such as tank walls off historians from the rest of the enterprise
temperatures, scale weights, and pressure readings. system and puts them on their own data island.

Controls guys are fluent in PLC programming while

IT guys are extremely comfortable with SQL. As
a result, neither side fully understands the other,
which can really affect teamwork and productivity.

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

least of which is getting controls guys and IT talking

again. Each side will see the other more and more
as their greatest asset, and not a hindrance. This
can improve communication and foster innovative
problem-solving, benefiting each department and
the company as a whole.

Dispelling SQL Myths

Although the majority of the IT world is already sold
on the power of SQL databases, the controls commu-
nity remains largely unconvinced. This is due mainly
to some ideas about SQL databases that have stayed
prevalent despite the maturity of the technology.
Myth #1: SQL Databases are Too Expensive
The idea that SQL databases are too expensive is
likely a notion that was carried over from the early
days of SQL. Like any new technology, databases
were relatively expensive when they first hit the com-
Breaking Down the Wall
mercial market. However, times have changed and
Nothing kills a relationship quicker than lack of
databases have become much more commonplace.
communication, and in a sense this is what has hap-
Now, purchasing a SQL database is very affordable
pened between industrial control and information
and there is some very good open-source DBMS soft-
technology (IT) professionals. Each gravitates to their
ware available for free. SQL databases are also easily
own knowledge base when solving problems. So
scalable, so companies big and small can get started
when SCADA problems arise, both professions see
without a huge price tag attached.
solutions from their own viewpoint; neither one sees
each other eye to eye. Another cost misconception associated with using
SQL databases is the expense of hiring and training
They just don’t speak the same language. The controls
staff to maintain the databases. But this isn’t neces-
guys are fluent in PLC programming while IT guys are
sarily a big expense because most companies already
extremely comfortable with SQL. As a result, neither
have IT personnel who are familiar with SQL, and
side fully understands the other, which can really af-
since SQL database are so popular, it’s easy to find
fect teamwork and productivity.
well-trained professionals with the necessary skills.
IT is often hesitant to support SCADA systems built on
proprietary technologies that don’t play nice with
the rest of the enterprise. In response, many con- You don’t have to be a full-fledged
trols guys view IT as a roadblock to getting things
done. This can lead to all kinds of problems , but
database administrator in order
what’s there to do about it? How can you break down to work with a SQL database.
the wall between controls and IT? You’ve got to get
communication flowing again, and that must start
Myth #2: SQL Databases are Too Complex
with a common language.
There is a common misconception that databases
Since most enterprise systems are already speaking are very big, heavy, and complex. Some think that
in terms of SQL databases, it makes sense to get the you have to be an IT specialist just to use a data-
SCADA system on the same page. If time-series data base. While there is a lot to databases, the truth is
is stored in a SQL database it can easily be related that they are simpler than most people think. You
to other data across an entire enterprise system. don’t have to be a full-fledged database adminis-
This can yield a variety of positive results, not the trator in order to work with a SQL database. Many

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

applications – such as MySQL – are designed to

make it easy for beginners to get started using
Using a modern SCADA system
SQL databases. that fully utilizes SQL databases
SQL is a well-developed technology so there can can offer such major advantages
be a lot to learn. This often dissuades many people
from getting into it. The thought is that there is too over traditional SCADA that it can
much to learn, so it’s easier to just to stay away from
it. While there is a lot of information out there about literally redefine the way people
SQL, there are also numerous resources available to think about SCADA.
those who want to learn. Finding help with SQL can
be as easy as going down to the local bookstore
or doing a quick search online. There are abundant Time-series data in traditional SCADA is formatted
resources available to those willing to look. in nonstandard ways; because of this, it is difficult for
other enterprise systems to understand time-series
Myth #3: SQL Databases and SCADA Don’t Mix
data. SQL-driven SCADA software transforms time-
The roots of this myth go back several years and stem
series data into a more palatable format for the
from the divergent development paths for SCADA
rest of your enterprise, making it easily readable
and SQL technologies. SCADA developers decided
by other database-driven systems. SQL databases
against using SQL databases to store controls data
also share a standardized connection, which makes
and instead focused solely on displaying controls
it easy for controls information to be layered with
information. The result of this has been that many
information from other areas of the enterprise, such
SCADA software packages perform controls func-
as ERP systems.
tions, but have unsatisfactory data tracking and
analysis tools. This has resulted in an array of expen- Combining of control and enterprise information
sive and unwieldy control system add-ons that try to is where the real advantages of SQL-driven SCADA
do what SQL databases already do extremely well. systems come to light because it can put your
time-series data into context with the rest or your
The perception that SCADA doesn’t function well
enterprise. The ability to easily compare and relate
with SQL databases is simply a false premise that
time-series data with any other data across the entire
has been perpetuated by SCADA software develop-
business opens up a virtually unlimited number of
ers who are unwilling or unable to change. The truth
new possibilities for using controls data to improve
is that not only can SQL databases work effectively
efficiency and profitability.
with SCADA, but utilizing SQL unlocks the full poten-
tial of what SCADA software can do. This can make time-series data infinitely more valu-
able to a company, enriching it from a cumbersome
How SQL is Changing SCADA necessity to an invaluable asset.
Using a modern SCADA system that fully utilizes SQL Empowers You to Ask
SQL databases offers such major advantages over Questions of Your Data
traditional SCADA that it can literally redefine the Relational databases were designed from the
way people think about SCADA. Some of the biggest ground up to serve not just as repositories for
effects that SQL can have on SCADA are how it can data, but also as powerful engines to ask questions
enrich time-series data, empower the ability to ask of data. The structure of a SQL database and SQL’s
vital questions, and save huge amounts of time. simple, flexible commands make it extremely easy to
ask just about any question that you can imagine.
SQL Enriches Time-Series Data
One of the key differences between traditional The ability to ask questions of your data is extremely
SCADA and modern SCADA systems that utilize empowering, and it can be used endlessly to find
SQL databases is the concept of taking PLC important answers that can positively affect the
data and putting it into a relational database. profitability of a company.

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SQL: The Next Big Thing in SCADA

Take a look at an example to see the benefits of ask- take a lot of time, resulting in a loss of production
ing questions (and being able to find the answers!). and potentially costing the company huge profits.
Let’s say a company wanted to see what the acid
If, however, the company had been properly tracking
levels of their tanks are (PLC data) based upon what
data in a SQL database that easily connected with the
raw materials vendor they used (ERP data). They also
other enterprise systems, they would have a much
wanted to see how that affected the quality of the
easier – and faster – answer. They would be able to
product (quality data) and then in turn see how all
run the above query in the database and receive the
those factors influenced the sale of the product
results in milliseconds, giving the company the answer
(ERP data).
almost instantly.
The answer to this question could reveal all kinds of
interesting and important information. The com- The New SCADA
pany could discover which tanks were producing
Simply put, data belongs in a SQL database and
higher acid levels, or that the use of raw materials
controls data is no exception to this. The speed and
from a certain vendor was resulting in poorer sales
power of modern information technologies dictate
of the product. There are any number of facts that
the speed of business, and traditional SCADA soft-
can come to light when data is questioned – facts
ware has been left behind. Doing today’s business
that can inform important decisions that affect a
with yesterday’s technology just doesn’t make sense
company’s bottom line. Having controls data easily
in the modern fast-paced manufacturing industry.
accessible in a SQL database makes questions like
this possible to ask, and easy to answer. The power of SQL databases is changing the defini-
tion of what a SCADA system can and should be.
SQL Results in Huge Time Savings
SCADA systems that take full advantage of SQL
In business time is money, and having con-
databases have flexibility, power and speed that tradi-
trols data in a SQL database can save a large
tional SCADA can’t offer. Companies that embrace the
amount of time. To illustrate this, let’s take
use of SQL with their SCADA systems stand to gain a
a look at some simple questions and how long it
huge advantage over their competition.
might take to answer them.
Continuing from the previous example, let’s say
the company has a recall on some of their product
because it was discovered to have high acid levels.
Now they could recall their entire production, result-
ing in huge losses, or they could narrow down the
cause of the problem and identify which product
shipments were actually affected. To do this they
would need to find the acid levels in all their tanks,
and cross reference that with the product batches
they produced, along with what shipment resulted
from those batches and where they went.
If this company did not track controls data at all, it
SQL
would simply be out of luck. If they did track it but
could only keep it on spreadsheets, the company
would be forced to manually go through all of their
data to try to find the answer they needed. Depend-
ing on the size of the data set, this could take hours,
days, or even weeks.
If another variable was entered into the equation, the
search would have to begin all over again. This would

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