PURPOSE:
The Texas SCADA Testbed (TST) is a cutting-edge research facility dedicated to advancing the operational technology (OT) that underpins critical infrastructure such as power grids, manufacturing facilities, traffic control systems, and oil and gas pipelines. The TST is designed to enable up-tempo, reconfigurable research through virtualization of physical components wherever possible. The facility was developed by a team of highly skilled OT engineers selected from the Cyber Leader Development Program (CLDP), and offers research opportunities to a wide range of organizations, from academic institutions to the Department of Defense.
At the core of the TST is a state-of-the-art supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) system, which provides a time-series database management system and user access to control via a human-machine interface (HMI). The SCADA system commands a series of programmable logic controllers from three leading manufacturers in the industrial control system (ICS) market – Siemens, Rockwell (Allen-Bradley), and Beckhoff. The TST’s network is integrated with the Texas Cyber Range (TxCR), which offers remote researchers off-site access to the testbed.
The TST’s OT network, which includes the SCADA system and programmable controllers, is supported by an information technology (IT) network comprised of production servers that use Xen-Orchestra to manage four virtual machines hosting engineering workstations running Windows 11 and Linux. These workstations are equipped with popular engineering software such as Studio5K, TIA Portal, TwinCAT 3, and Ignition Designer.
The TST’s enterprise network, which encompasses both OT and IT, employs a variety of internet and industrial fieldbus protocols, including TCP/IP, Ethernet/Industrial Protocol (EN/IP), ProfiNET, and Modbus TCP/IP. Overall, the TST offers a cutting-edge platform for applied research into critical infrastructure technology, and serves as a valuable resource for organizations looking to stay ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving field.
For more information, contact:
Justin Leiden
[email protected]