Zakaria El Intissar

I've spent 13 years in power system automation, electrical protection, and SCADA communication, as an automation and industrial computing engineer. ScadaProtocols.com is where I turn what I've learned on site into plain guides and working tools — so other engineers can decode, analyze, and troubleshoot industrial communication protocols without the guesswork.

Author Archives: Zakaria El Intissar

What Is CIP? Common Industrial Protocol Explained

The CIP protocol (Common Industrial Protocol) is an open, object-oriented communication standard used across modern industrial automation. It defines how devices organize data, how services are requested, and how real-time I/O, safety, and motion extensions operate — while running over multiple network types such as EtherNet/IP, DeviceNet, ControlNet, CompoNet, and (through CIP Safety) safety-rated networks. This guide is… Read More: What Is CIP? Common Industrial Protocol Explained »

Modbus Data Types & Formats: How to Decode Register Values Correctly

Modbus is a simple protocol, but the values inside registers can be displayed in many different ways. A single 16-bit register can represent: The challenge is that the Modbus protocol never tells you how to interpret the number. Only the device’s documentation explains the meaning. To decode Modbus data correctly, engineers must understand the different data type formats… Read More: Modbus Data Types & Formats: How to Decode Register Values… »

PRP vs HSR Explained: IEC 62439-3 Complete Guide to Redundant Industrial Networks

Industrial networks depend heavily on reliable and continuous communication. Protection devices, SCADA gateways, and automation controllers must exchange information with strict timing and without interruption. Even a brief communication loss can cause protective functions to misoperate or lose visibility of the grid. To avoid this, industrial networks rely on seamless Ethernet redundancy methods that guarantee zero-time recovery. The… Read More: PRP vs HSR Explained: IEC 62439-3 Complete Guide to Redundant… »

HSR (High-Availability Seamless Redundancy) in IEC 61850 Networks: Complete Technical Guide

High-Availability Seamless Redundancy, or HSR, is one of the most advanced real-time redundancy mechanisms in industrial communication. It is mostly used in IEC 61850 digital substations, protection and control systems, and process bus networks where communication cannot stop even for a fraction of a second. HSR ensures zero-time recovery, meaning communication continues without interruption even during link or… Read More: HSR (High-Availability Seamless Redundancy) in IEC 61850 Networks: Complete Technical… »

Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP): Complete Guide to Zero-Downtime Industrial Network Reliability

Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP) is a method used in industrial networks to make sure communication never stops—literally never. Many systems around us depend on constant data flow to stay safe and reliable. Think of power substations, industrial robots, trains, chemical plants, and automated production lines. If the network drops even one message, things can go wrong or shut… Read More: Parallel Redundancy Protocol (PRP): Complete Guide to Zero-Downtime Industrial Network… »

Modbus TCP/IP Explained: Complete Beginner-to-Expert Guide

Modbus TCP/IP is one of the most widely adopted methods for connecting industrial devices over Ethernet networks. It is used in factories, power plants, water treatment facilities, building automation systems, and countless other fields where equipment must exchange information reliably. Even though modern automation protocols offer advanced features, Modbus TCP/IP remains extremely common because it is easy to… Read More: Modbus TCP/IP Explained: Complete Beginner-to-Expert Guide »

How to Decode IEC 61850 GOOSE Messages in Wireshark (Simple Step-by-Step Guide)

GOOSE messages are high-speed Ethernet signals used in modern substations to share protection and control information between devices. Although they may look technical, decoding them with Wireshark is actually very easy. With just a few filters and clicks, you can see events, state changes, and dataset values in real time. In this guide, you’ll learn step-by-step how to… Read More: How to Decode IEC 61850 GOOSE Messages in Wireshark (Simple… »

Securing IEC-104 Traffic Over OpenVPN: A Complete Technical Guide for Modern Critical Infrastructure

IEC-60870-5-104 (IEC-104) is one of the most widely used protocols for telecontrol communication in power utilities, substations, renewable energy sites, industrial automation, and critical infrastructure networks. Its simplicity, efficiency, and ability to run over standard TCP/IP networks make it attractive for SCADA systems worldwide. But IEC-104 has a serious security problem: IEC-104 has no built-in security — no… Read More: Securing IEC-104 Traffic Over OpenVPN: A Complete Technical Guide for… »

IEC 61850 Sampled Values (SV) Explained: Complete Process Bus Reference

A complete reference for substation engineers covering Sampled Values — IEC 61850-9-2 specification, frame structure, ASDU/APDU, SmpCnt and SmpSynch, ASN.1 BER encoding, multicast addressing, IEC 62351-6 security, PRP/HSR transport, and field troubleshooting Quick Reference Item Value Standard IEC 61850-9-2:2011 (Edition 2.0) + IEC 61869-9:2016 profile Transport Raw Ethernet (Layer 2), no TCP/IP EtherType 0x88BA Multicast MAC range 01-0C-CD-04-00-00… Read More: IEC 61850 Sampled Values (SV) Explained: Complete Process Bus Reference »

GOOSE vs Sampled Values (SV) in IEC 61850: Clear Differences, Use Cases & Engineering Guide

IEC 61850 has transformed how substations communicate. In the past, everything depended on copper wiring, physical contacts, and slow serial links. Today, digital substations use Ethernet-based messages that move information instantly between IEDs. Two of the fastest and most important IEC 61850 services are: Even though both use Ethernet multicast, they serve completely different purposes. GOOSE carries decisions… Read More: GOOSE vs Sampled Values (SV) in IEC 61850: Clear Differences,… »