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PD IEC TR 62357 — Power Systems Management and Associated Information Exchange Technical Report Series (Reference Architecture and IPv4 to IPv6 Migration)
Part 1: Reference architecture; Part 200: Guidelines for migration from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to Internet Protocol version 6 (IPv6)
🌐 PD IEC/TR 62357 is the UK adoption of technical reports from the IEC 62357 series, developed by IEC Technical Committee 57 (Power systems management and associated information exchange) and adopted in the UK through Committee PEL/57. This batch contains two documents: Part 1 (2016, second edition) gives the reference architecture for power systems management and associated information exchange, and Part 200 (2015) gives guidelines for migration from Internet Protocol version 4 (IPv4) to version 6 (IPv6). These technical reports provide foundational guidance for the architecture design and network evolution of smart-grid and power-information projects.
💡 IEC TC 57 is the core standardisation body for power system informatisation: its IEC 61970 (CIM/EMS), IEC 61850 (substation automation), IEC 62351 (information security) and IEC 62357 (architecture) standards together form the standard family for smart-grid information exchange. The reference architecture is the key to understanding the relationships and interoperability among these standards.
1. Scope and Series Structure 📌
The IEC 62357 series addresses power systems management and associated information exchange at the architectural level, providing architecture and guidelines. This batch contains two documents:
| Document | Subject | Content | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| PD IEC/TR 62357-1:2016 | Reference architecture | Power systems management and associated information exchange — Reference architecture (2nd edition) | 2016 |
| PD IEC/TR 62357-200:2015 | IPv4/IPv6 migration | Power systems management and associated information exchange — Guidelines for migration from IPv4 to IPv6 | 2015 |
⚠️ Technical reports (TR) are informative, guiding documents that do not specify mandatory clauses. The reference architecture describes “how to organise and relate the standards”, while the migration guideline describes “how to evolve the network”; actual engineering should comply with the corresponding normative standards (e.g. IEC 61850, IEC 61970).
2. Part 1 — Reference Architecture 🏛️
Part 1 (2016) provides the reference architecture for power systems management and associated information exchange. Core content includes:
- Drivers and objectives for the reference architecture: the motivations (interoperability, standard harmonisation, business-domain integration) and objectives for establishing the architecture;
- Standardisation context and business domains: surveying the IEC TC 57 standards (EMS, SCADA, substation automation, smart metering, etc.) and their business domains, clarifying the architecture’s coverage;
- Intended audience: distinguishing the concerns of implementing actors and standardisation actors;
- Smart Grids architectural methodology (SGAM): the Smart Grid Architecture Model methodology, with architectural views at different abstraction levels (interoperability layers, domains and zones);
- Architecture application: how to use the reference architecture to analyse and coordinate use cases, map standards and assess interoperability.
💡 SGAM is the core method of the reference architecture: it uses a three-dimensional framework of “domains (generation, transmission, distribution, DER, customer) × zones (market, operation, station, field, process) × interoperability layers (business, function, information, communication, component)” to map diverse use cases onto a unified coordinate system, facilitating the identification of standard gaps and interfaces.
3. Part 200 — Guidelines for Migration from IPv4 to IPv6 🔁
Part 200 (2015) provides guidance for migrating power system information networks from IPv4 to IPv6. Core content includes:
- Internet technologies: the origin of IPv4, transmission over Ethernet, header structure, addresses, fragmentation and packet size, auxiliary protocols and routing, as the baseline for comparison;
- IPv4 versus IPv6: the address space, simplified header, stateless address auto-configuration, extension headers and other features of IPv6, and the drivers for evolving power systems from IPv4 to IPv6;
- Migration strategies: dual stack, tunnelling and translation migration technologies and their applicable scenarios;
- Power system specific considerations: combining the real-time, security and compatibility requirements of substation, dispatch and metering networks, with phased migration recommendations;
- Network diagram symbols and conventions: unifying symbols and drawing conventions in migration documents.
🚨 IPv6 migration of power system networks cannot simply follow the general Internet solution: protection, measurement and control real-time services are sensitive to latency and reliability, and legacy devices may not support IPv6. Migration should use dual-stack transition, proceed in phases by device type, and simultaneously implement IEC 62351 information-security requirements.
4. Engineering and Application Practice 🛠️
- 🔍 Architecture adoption: incorporate the reference architecture (including SGAM) into smart-grid and informatisation planning, for use-case analysis, standard mapping and interface coordination.
- 📡 Network survey and assessment: before migration, inventory all IPv4 assets, business dependencies and device IPv6 support capability, and assess migration risk and priority.
- 🔁 Dual-stack transition: prefer a dual-stack strategy for a smooth transition, then gradually shut down IPv4 once stable; use tunnelling or dedicated gateways for devices that cannot be upgraded.
- 🔐 Security in parallel: simultaneously implement network segmentation, access control and IEC 62351 security mechanisms during migration to avoid introducing new risks in the transition period.
5. Frequently Asked Questions ❓
❓ Q: How do Parts 1 and 200 relate?
A: Part 1 gives the overall reference architecture of power system information exchange (including SGAM), while Part 200 is a specific guideline within that architecture (IPv4/IPv6 migration). Both belong to the IEC 62357 technical report series: the former governs “the system”, the latter “network evolution”.
A: Part 1 gives the overall reference architecture of power system information exchange (including SGAM), while Part 200 is a specific guideline within that architecture (IPv4/IPv6 migration). Both belong to the IEC 62357 technical report series: the former governs “the system”, the latter “network evolution”.
❓ Q: What is SGAM?
A: SGAM (Smart Grid Architecture Model) is the three-dimensional architectural method used by the reference architecture, mapping use cases and identifying standard gaps and interfaces within a “domains × zones × interoperability layers” framework — a standard tool for smart-grid interoperability analysis.
A: SGAM (Smart Grid Architecture Model) is the three-dimensional architectural method used by the reference architecture, mapping use cases and identifying standard gaps and interfaces within a “domains × zones × interoperability layers” framework — a standard tool for smart-grid interoperability analysis.
❓ Q: Why does the power sector need a separate IPv6 migration guideline?
A: Power system networks carry real-time critical services such as protection and measurement control, and contain many legacy devices; the general Internet migration solution cannot be applied directly. A dedicated strategy is needed considering real-time, security and compatibility requirements.
A: Power system networks carry real-time critical services such as protection and measurement control, and contain many legacy devices; the general Internet migration solution cannot be applied directly. A dedicated strategy is needed considering real-time, security and compatibility requirements.
🔍 Q: What are the main IPv6 migration technical routes?
A: The main routes are dual stack (running IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously), tunnelling (IPv6 encapsulated over IPv4 networks) and translation (protocol/address translation). In practice dual stack is primary, supplemented by tunnelling and gateways to accommodate legacy devices.
A: The main routes are dual stack (running IPv4 and IPv6 simultaneously), tunnelling (IPv6 encapsulated over IPv4 networks) and translation (protocol/address translation). In practice dual stack is primary, supplemented by tunnelling and gateways to accommodate legacy devices.