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

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Connected Grid Design Suite-Substation Workbench Release 1.0: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
OL-29856-01
  Introduction
Technical Overview 
Q. Does the CGDS require the use of IEC 61850 within the substation? 
A. Release 1.0 of the CGDS Substation Workbench leverages the capabilities of 61850 to build the 
integrated system model internally and is most adept at modeling for 61850 substations. Additional 
protocols, such as DNP, are on the roadmap and planned for 2H CY2013.
Environment and Qualifications
Q. In what environment does the CGDS Substation Workbench operate?
A. The CGDS - Substation Workbench Release 1.0 operates in a substation, test bed, or laboratory 
environment. 
Q. Does the CGDS require the use of Cisco routers and switches? 
A. The CGDS solution uses a vendor-agnostic, standards-based approach to modeling, 
telecommunications design, and configuration. As a result, the CGDS builds standards-based XML 
configuration templates that can be pushed to any router or switch. As long as the router or switch 
manufacturer offers an interface capable of accepting the standardized XML template, the CGDS can 
provide configuration assistance. 
Q. On what hardware platforms has the Connected Grid Design Suite (CGDS) 
been validated? 
A. To date, Cisco has certified two server appliance platforms for use with the CGDS - Substation 
Workbench. One of these is a hardened substation platform (IEC 61850 and IEEE 1613 compliant), the 
other is a non-hardened platform that is optimized for running multiple applications as a co-tenant to the 
CGDS software. 
Other customer selected platforms may also be viable options should they meet the minimum server 
specifications. Appliances can also be built manually for limited deployments and proofs-of-concept. 
For more details, contact the CGDS product management group at ask-cgds@cisco.com. 
Ordering
Q. When will Cisco Connected Grid Design Suite (CGDS) be available?
A. The first software module of the Cisco Connected Grid Design Suite (CGDS), the Substation 
Workbench, will be available for order in March 2013. Find more detail about the Substation Workbench 
at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Te26gTaNukQ