SCADA systems are used to monitor and control dispersed assets from a centralized location in real time. They integrate data acquisition systems, data transmission systems, and HMI software. SCADA systems consist of MTUs located at control centers, communication equipment connecting to RTUs or PLCs located at field sites, and software to program monitoring and control parameters. SCADA systems are designed with redundancy to be fault tolerant and allow operators to oversee large areas from a single location.