Could Anyone Give Me Advice on PLC Integration with SCADA System for Remote Monitoring in Industrial Applications?

[Oaklen]

Hello everyone 🥰
I hope you are all doing well. I'm new to the realm of PLCs and industrial automation, therefore I would like to seek advice from the more experienced members of the site. I have been entrusted with integrating a PLC system with a Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition platform to enable remote monitoring. I would welcome any insights, tips, or best practices you could provide to assist me with this process.
The main goal of the project is to remotely monitor and manage industrial equipment in a manufacturing plant. We want to use Programmable Logic Controllers to manage the equipment's automation; while the SCADA system will allow for real-time monitoring and control from a central location. The facility is quite large; therefore dependability and convenience of usage are high objectives.
Current Setup:
PLC Hardware: We use Siemens S7-1200 PLCs.
SCADA System: We are exploring Ignition or WinCC as suitable SCADA platforms, but we welcome alternatives.
Network Infrastructure: An Ethernet IP network with wireless access points for distant sensors.
Remote Monitoring: The goal is to allow important staff to be monitored both in the control room and remotely by mobile or online interface.

 

 

• What are the most typical problems I should be aware of when integrating PLCs and SCADA systems? For example, are there any communication protocols such as Modbus or OPC UA that are more dependable or simple to implement?
• Based on your expertise; which SCADA platform Ignition; WinCC, or another would be most suitable for a project requiring real-time data processing and remote access?
• We are particularly interested in strong data logging and alert handling. Are there any suggestions for setting up effective data gathering, archiving, and retrieval processes? Also, how can I set up effective alarms for early detection of equipment failures?
• Because remote access is a crucial aspect of this endeavor, I'm concerned about cybersecurity risks. What security measures firewalls, VPNs, etc would you recommend to keep the system secure while also allowing for remote access?
• I would welcome any general best practices or lessons learnt from previous similar initiatives. Are there any typical faults or neglected things that I should be aware of?

Also I explored some topics related to this https://www.plcforum.it/f/topic/312907-progetto-ssalesforceadminerver-ridondato-multiclient-wcc-scada/#comment-2288362 

but I did not get the sufficient solution of my query so I would really want to get some . from a more experienced person

Thank you in advance for your time and .
I am looking forward to hearing your ideas and learning from your experiences.