The Protocol Analyzer is a diagnostic tool which enables the user to monitor and analyze MDLC communication over various channels in two different ways:
By means of an additional RTU defined as an adaptor that collects data for the Protocol Analyzer. This adaptor monitors one port and transfers the received data through a second port to the Protocol Analyzer program.
By monitoring the communication between two RTUs through RS-link, between a computer and RTU through a computer Port, or between an RTU and an external modem. This way of monitoring requires two 8 pin-to-25 pin female adaptors and two serial ports on the STS computer.
a) Monitoring a Radio Link
The additional RTU should include a CPU module, radio and power supply. Using the STS site configuration program, configure a CPU Port (e.g. port SI1) as RS232, Async, Protocol Analyzer Port.
The CPU receives through a radio port all the frames (without address checking)
transmitted in the radio link, and transfers them through the Protocol Analyzer port to the STS computer for evaluating, storing and displaying.
The radio port (e.g. PI2) should be defined according to the type of radio being used. A third port (port SI2) can be defined as Computer Port to enable reconfiguration of the CPU (back to normal mode of operation).
After configuring the CPU as a Protocol Analyzer, the following connections should be performed as depicted below:
Protocol Analyzer
FIUFIU
CENTRAL
PORT PORT PI1
CPU MODULE
STS RADIO
PROTOCOL ANALYZER
RTU
RTU
PORT PORT SI1
SI2
PI2
b) Monitoring a Multi-Drop Link
To monitor the communication on a multi-drop link, connect Port PI2 through a 2-wire multi-drop adaptor to the channel – see the figure below. Port PI2 should be defined according to the type of modem and the data speed in use.
CENTRAL
PORT SI2 PORT SI1
CPU MODULE STS
PROTOCOL ANALYZER
RTU RTURTU RTURTU
2-WIRE MULTI-DROP
ADAPTER
2-WIRE MULTI-DROP
PORT PI1
PORT PI2
Protocol Analyzer
c) Monitoring an RS-232 Link
The communication on an RS-232 link (such as RS-link or Computer Port) is full-duplex.
Usually, there is no need to monitor this type of communication. Nevertheless, if you have to monitor this type of communication, perform the following connections – see the following figure:
Since the communication is full-duplex, two ports of the STS are used. You should use two standard 8-pin T-connectors and two 25-pin female adaptors: one monitors the Tx Data and the second the Rx Data of the communication – refer to the following table.
Adaptor for RTU Tx Monitoring Adaptor for RTU Rx Monitoring 8-pin 25-pin
The Protocol Analyzer program monitors the data transmitted in the communication channels and displays the analyzed data. The Protocol Analyzer may analyze any link in the system.
The Protocol Analyzer is run from the Windows
Start->Programs->STS<version>->Protocol Analyzer command. When you start up the Protocol Analyzer utility, the following screen is displayed:
Protocol Analyzer
Icons
The icons at the top of the Protocol Analyzer include Local Communication, Remote Communication, Stop Monitoring, Pause Monitoring, Analyze, Print and Print Preview.
Menus
The menus in the menu bar include File, Monitor, and Help.
Setting Communication Monitoring Parameters
1. To specify the parameters for monitoring communication on a local link, select the Local Communication command from the Monitor menu.
Result: The Set Local Communication Parameters dialog box is opened, as shown below.
Protocol Analyzer
To specify the parameters for monitoring communication on a remote link, select the Remote Communication command from the Monitor menu.
Result: The Set Remote Communication Parameters dialog box is opened, as shown below.
Protocol Analyzer
2. Enter the names (e.g. COM1) of the ports of the RTU to which the protocol analyzer is connected. The order is irrelevant. For a remote link, only one port is defined.
3. Enter the data speed of the link being monitored.
4. Enter the system address of the link being monitored.
5. Enter the name of the log file in which the monitored data should be collected (the default is monc.dat.)
You can click on the browse icon to select the name of the desired .dat file. The Open dialog box defaults to the log sub-directory of the STS directory where STS stores log files by default.
The raw log file include the source site, the number of bytes that were collected (size of the frame) and the frame contents.
6. Click on the desired format to be used (MDLC frames or Free Format).
MDLC Frames The data being monitored should be collected in the log file in a format which will enable MDLC based analysis. If MDLC Frames is selected, analyzed data can be viewed as in Analyzing a Log File below.
Free Format The data being monitored should be collected in the log file in a format which will not enable MDLC based analysis. The log file will show the raw data going over the link. Non-MDLC analysis, where the data is divided into frames based on delimiters specified by the user, can be performed on the log file. See the Non-MDLC Frame Delimiters field in the Set MDLC Layers to Analyze dialog.
7. Once the parameters are set, you are ready to start monitoring.
Monitoring the Communication on a Link
1. Once the parameters are set, click the Start button to start monitoring.
Result: The screen will clear, the new log file name will appear at the top of the window and data sent over the link will begin to appear in the window.
2. To temporarily stop the monitoring of the link, select the Pause Monitoring command from the Monitor menu, or click on the Pause Monitoring icon.
3. To stop the monitoring of the link, select the Stop Monitoring command from the Monitor menu, or click on the Stop Monitoring icon.
Opening a Log
1. To open and view an existing log file of raw data collected from a communication link, select the Open Log command from the File menu.
Result: A dialog box is opened from which the user can select the desired .dat file.
The Open dialog box defaults to the log sub-directory of the STS directory where STS stores log files by default.
Protocol Analyzer
The raw log file include the source site, the number of bytes that were collected (size of the frame) and the frame contents.
2. Select the log file from the drop-down list and click OK to open it.
Note that the designation of the site (Site 0) simply means that the first monitored data was transmitted from that site. When monitoring a multi-drop link (remote), all logged monitored data will seem to originate from Site 0. When monitoring an RS232 link, the data will either be marked Site 0 (first to transmit) or Site 1 (second to transmit).
Opening an Analyzed File
1. To open and view an existing file of analyzed information, select the Open Analyzed File command from the File menu.
Result: A dialog box is opened from which the user can select the desired .mon file. The Open dialog box defaults to the log sub-directory of the STS directory where STS stores log files by default.
The raw log file include the source site, the number of bytes that were collected (size of the frame) and the frame contents.
2. Select the log file from the drop-down list and click OK to open it.
The analyzed file lists all the monitoring options which were selected under Analyze Log file (which MDLC layers were monitored, source/destination address ranges) and the actual analyzed data. This data is displayed by layer with each frame described in detail (date sent, sending site, frame content) as shown below.
Because all seven layers of the MDLC protocol were selected to be analyzed (using the Analyze Log File command) the 18 bytes which were sent over the link are shown (seven in the Link layer, one in the Network layer, etc.) If not all the layers were analyzed, the number of bytes displayed would be less than 18.
Note that the designation of the site (Site I/Site II) is used to differentiate between the two transmitting sites, but the actual Destination and Source Site IDs are shown in the data frame content. When monitoring a multi-drop link (remote), all logged monitored data will seem to originate from Site I. When monitoring an RS232 link, the data will either be marked Site I (first to transmit) or Site II (second to transmit).
Protocol Analyzer
Analyzing a Log File
1. To perform analysis on the current log file of raw data from the communication link, select the Analyze Log File command from the File menu.
Result: The Set MDLC Layers to Analyze dialog box opens, as shown below.
Protocol Analyzer
2. Under Analyzer options, specify which MDLC layers are to be considered during the data analyze. Click on whichever layers of the MDLC protocol you want to be considered during the data analyze. Click the Bytes layer when you want to see the data in a stream of hexadecimal bytes.
3. Under Source Address Ranges, specify the address range of the transmitting site.
Enter the starting and ending (decimal) addresses of sites (Site ID) whose data is to be analyzed when transmitting data over the link. (RTU address= Site ID + System address)
Under Destination Address Ranges, specify the address range of the receiving site.
Enter the starting and ending (decimal) addresses of sites (Site ID) whose data is to be analyzed when receiving data over the link. (RTU address= Site ID + System address)
4. For Free Format data, under Non-MDLC Frame Delimiters specify frame
delimiters for dividing the data stream as decimal values of hexadecimal Start/End frame delimiters. The default Start and End values are –1, which cause the data to be displayed in a stream of up to 200 hexadecimal bytes with no delimiters. If other Start/End values are entered, the displayed data stream will be divided based on the specified delimiters.
Protocol Analyzer
5. Once the preferences have been defined, click OK to begin the data analysis.
Previewing a File before Printing
To see how the current file will look when printed, select the Print Preview command from the File menu. This command functions like the standard Windows Print Preview
command.
Printing a File
To send the current file to be printed, select the Print command from the File menu. This command functions like the standard Windows Print command.
Exiting the Protocol Analyzer tool
To exit the Protocol Analyzer tool, select the Exit command from the File menu.