ISA182

ISA182 is a standardized protocol for industrial automation communications developed by the International Standards Alliance (ISA). It provides a lightweight, interoperable framework for device discovery, configuration, telemetry, and control across mixed networks, including Ethernet, serial links, and wireless radios.

The protocol specifies a layered architecture with a physical layer, data link, network, transport, and application layers, and uses a compact TLV-based message format for efficiency in constrained environments. Service definitions cover node discovery, capability exchange, configuration management, real-time telemetry, command and control, and event reporting. Security is addressed through mutual authentication, integrity protection, and optional end-to-end encryption, with support for secure firmware updates and access control.

ISA182 emphasizes interoperability through profiles and mappings to other standards such as ISA-95 for manufacturing integration and OPC UA for data modeling. It includes compliance profiles for automotive, energy, and process industries, and provides reference implementations and test suites to support certification. Adoption to date is strongest among mid-market automation vendors and system integrators, with several PLCs, gateways, and edge devices shipping with ISA182 support. The standard continues to evolve under the ISA governance framework, with ongoing work on extended device modeling, quality of service, and improved support for wireless deployments.

History: Proposed in 2017, Version 1.0 released 2019, subsequent revisions 1.1 and 1.2 announced in 2020–2022, with 1.3 planned.