With the global shift toward electrification and renewable energy, the energy grid is transforming from a controlled, top-down approach for load balancing to a dynamic, multi-directional balancing act of various renewable sources, battery storage and load-shifting strategies. This shift is forcing grid operators to take a new, more intelligent approach to leveraging substations as grid intelligence hubs and rethink the traditional ways of supporting those operations. While traditional substation systems have been reliable, they suffer from lack of data utilization, long equipment deployment times, lack of flexibility and high operations and maintenance costs.
Substations and Virtualization
To meet these demands, substation operators are increasingly turning to virtualization for substation automation, control and management. A virtualized platform provides the flexibility required to quickly respond to new challenges in the face of a volatile, evolving grid. By converting proprietary physical devices into software-defined appliances, operators can improve remote management capabilities and system resiliency and reduce total cost of ownership while driving sustainability goals and reducing their dependence on proprietary hardware providers.
The Dell Validated Design for Energy Edge
Leading up to VMware Explore, Dell Technologies is introducing a new Validated Design for Energy Edge, a scalable, virtualized substation solution to help ensure the security and reliability of the electric grid. Dell Validated Designs are proven configurations developed to support specific partner software. These pre-tested solutions simplify the deployment, management and support of substation automation software so you can focus on business outcomes.
Built with ABB ZEE600 and Forescout eyeInspect software, the Dell Validated Design for Energy Edge allows electric utility and substation operators to modernize legacy systems through seamless IT/OT system integration with comprehensive substation digitalization and security to forge a path to the future grid while reducing cyber threats.
Built on the rugged PowerEdge XR12 server and Dell Gateways, the Dell Validated Design for Energy Edge is designed around three main principles:
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- Secure virtualization to provide secure isolation of virtual machines, networks, and storage.
- Layered cybersecurity controls, including firewalls, intrusion detection and prevention systems and network segmentation.
- High availability through redundant hardware, software and network components to ensure substation availability in the event of hardware or software failures.
Partnership with VMware
This solution is built on vPAC (Virtualized Protection, Automation and Control), a product of Dell’s collaboration with VMware, to design an open, secure and intelligent grid control platform that allows for multiple applications to run on a single hardware device. It delivers other important benefits to electric utility customers, including:
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- Supporting precision time protocol (PTP)
- Enabling hosting of time-sensitive applications
- Providing high-availability and seamless redundancy (PRP/HSR)
- Improving sustainability performance
- Lowering total cost of ownership
- Delivering improved remote automated operations
Dell PowerEdge Foundation
Operational efficiency is at the heart of Dell’s work with electric utilities. Building on the utilities-grade PowerEdge XR12 platform, the XR12 is a trusted, reliable system that performs even in the most remote and rugged areas. The Validated Design for Energy Edge simplifies sizing and deployment in new and established computing environments to get you up and running with minimal disruption. Dell services and support simplify day-two operations and reduce the risk of disruption and unexpected downtime. And we have tested and validated both applications to run virtually on a single infrastructure stack, helping achieve greater security, resiliency and scalability.
ABB Substation Automation
The ABB substation automation software incorporated into the Dell solution promotes efficiency and reliability in operating electrification systems. It harnesses real-time, near-real-time and diagnostics data to facilitate digitalization objectives across diverse segment domains. Together with VMware, we have tested and validated this software to be deployed on virtualized infrastructure, consolidating complex substation stacks onto a multi-workload platform that is resilient and scalable.
Forescout Cybersecurity
Dell is committed to delivering security and resilience for today’s OT landscape. That is why we have validated Forescout eyeInspect, an in-depth cybersecurity tool for complete device visibility with deep packet inspection of all OT network protocols. For additional security, our Cyber Resiliency Assessment identifies vulnerabilities and gaps in your security profile, protecting sensitive data from attack and ransomware vulnerabilities. And with Dell PowerProtect, you avoid downtime and ensure business resilience with centralized governance and SaaS-based reporting and monitoring.
Facilitating the Energy Future
The Dell Validated Design for Energy Edge helps electric utility customers modernize legacy systems efficiently and securely, integrating IT/OT systems seamlessly and offering comprehensive substation automation and security. Collaboration with VMware, ForeScout and ABB allows us to help utility providers move confidently to the future grid, facilitating a more reliable energy future.
To learn more about Dell Validated Design for Energy edge, please visit our edge energy solutions site.
