Because DNP3 is based on the IEC 870-5 requirements, DNP3 is suitable for application in the entire SCADA environment. This includes RTU to IED communications, master to remote communications, and even peer-to-peer instances and network applications.
Being an object-based application layer protocol, DNP3 has the flexibility to support multiple operating modes such as poll-response, polled report-by-exception, unsolicited responses and peer-to-peer. It permits multiple masters and encourages distributed intelligence.
Users can expect many benefits from using DNP3. In the short term:
- Interoperability between multi-vendor devices
- Fewer protocols to support in the field
- Reduced software costs
- No protocol translators needed
- Shorter delivery schedules
- Less testing, maintenance and training
- Improved documentation
- Independent conformance testing
- Support by independent users group and third-party sources (e.g. test sets, source code)
In the long term, further benefits can be derived from using DNP3, including:
- Easy system expansion
- Long product life
- More value-added products from vendors
- Faster adoption of new technology
- Major operations savings