MCS-DCS network originated in February 2010, with the aim of streamlining the Master Control Station and Distributed Control System communications on topside systems through a collective effort between subsea controls vendors, topsides specialists and operating companies. The organization evaluated many protocols and eventually decided on OPC UA as the protocol to use for this streamlining.
OPC UA besides providing a standardized communication protocol also provides a manner of defining an extensible information model. The first version of the standard was published in 2017. Additional versions have been published extending the information model.
The MDIS working group has also defined standardized certification testing for the standard to help reduce the overall testing of systems. The standardized tests are executed by the OPC Foundation, which provides a certification logo.