Mariana Hentea - Building an Effective Security Program for Distributed Energy Resources and Systems

Table 1.1 Domains and actors in the Smart Grid conceptual model.

Source: [NIST SP1108r1]. Public Domain.

The Smart Grid Roadmap [NIST SP1108r1] describes the conceptual reference model as a tool for discussing the characteristics, uses, behavior, and other elements of Smart Grid domains and the relationships among these elements. The model is a tool for identifying the standards and protocols needed to ensure interoperability and cybersecurity and defining and developing architectures for systems and subsystems within the Smart Grid.

Interoperability of a Smart Grid is the ability of diverse systems to work together, use the compatible parts, exchange information or equipment from each other, and work cooperatively to perform tasks. It enables integration, effective cooperation, and two‐way communications among the many interconnected elements of the Smart Grid.

The viewpoint depicted in the diagram provides a high‐level, overarching logical architecture representation of a few major relationships that existing applications have to Smart Grid domains. This diagram suggests what their possible communication paths could be in a Smart Grid. It is also a useful way to identify potential intra‐ and inter‐domain interactions between existing and new applications, along with capabilities enabled by these interactions.

To enable the Smart Grid functionality, the actors in a particular domain often interact with actors in other domains. Actors are devices, systems, or programs that make decisions and exchange information necessary for executing applications within the Smart Grid. Actors have the capability to make decisions and to exchange information with other actors. Organizations may have actors in more than one domain. Figure 1.9illustrates a composite view of actors within domains of the conceptual reference model.

Figure 1.9 View of the actors within domains of NIST conceptual reference model.

Source: [NISTIR 7628r1].

Public Domain.

Information about the actors associated with the NIST conceptual reference model is provided in [NISTIR 7628r1], [NIST SP1108r3]. Table 1.2includes a list of selected actors and their description.

Table 1.2 Actor descriptions for the logical reference model.

Source: [NISTIR 7628r1]. Public Domain.

Figure 1.10shows a high‐level view of information network and existing applications mapped to Smart Grid domains. An information network is a collection, or aggregation, of interconnected computers, communication devices, and other information and communication technologies. Technologies in a network exchange information and share resources.