Cisco Cisco Connected Grid Design Suite Substation Workbench Release 1.0 Technical References

A critical challenge for engineers is that it can be difficult to visualize the communications network in 
relation to the automated substation, to assure that IEDs remain connected and communicating with each 
other securely and as expected. Engineers are also challenged to identify where IP-enabled devices 
connect to the substation network, to understand how these devices may impact network reliability and 
throughput, and to identify their purpose. 

For years, substation engineers and control center engineers have had to deal with the lack of a 
harmonized and standardized information model to support substation design, modeling, and 
visualization. Control center systems and substation systems have followed different standards for a long 
time:

Control center Energy Management Systems (EMS) and Distribution Management Systems (DMS) 
follow IEC 61970, which is the CIM Model. 

Smart substations follow the IEC 61850 standard. 

Using different standards has created confusion and some obstacles to exchanging information in a 
unified fashion. 

Realizing that this bifurcation of model standards has had a negative impact on grid modernization 
projects as well as standards adoption, IEC working groups have made harmonizing IEC 61850 and IEC 
61970 a key focus. With harmonization: 

Substation primary devices will follow the harmonized IEC61970/61960 CIM model

Protection and control systems will have built-in association from the IEC61850 Model

A network communication model will facilitate data exchange.

Together these form what Cisco calls the “integrated system model” for the smart substation. This model 
contains all information to be used by the control center EMS/DMS, Substation Design and Engineering 
solution, and network management system for substation design and configuration. This model 
harmonizes substation one-line diagrams and substation configuration, feeding IED information into the 
CIM model, etc. 

The extension of the CIM model also describes the communication channel between substations and 
control centers, the communication channel profile, and its communication protocol. The CGDS - 
Substation Workbench provides patented visualization of this harmonized system model, greatly 
simplifying visualization, modeling and design, configuration, and testing and operations.