Implementing smart meters can be very challenging as the traditionally manual steps are replaced by automated Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) systems. This can become even more complex as many utilities use multiple AMI vendors and still need to manage many traditional meters during the transition. Figuring out how to put all the puzzle pieces together to successfully achieve the desired results is a challenge for many organizations. This presentation shares the experience a customer had in utilizing Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway to alleviate the complexities.
Topics include
• Why the customer chose Oracle Utilities Smart Grid Gateway
• Benefits of utilizing smart grid, with or without a vendor adapter
• Current state of and future vision
Device and Event Reading: Explain the device read processTakes advantage of Oracle Service BusDifferent HES are translated into a common format for MDMEvents are translated into a common code for usersDevice Commands:Issuing device commands and receiving a response from the HES is supported through two-way communications, often using MultiSpeak. As the diagram below demonstrates, the communication process may be initiated from an external application such as CC&B or OMS. Users might initiate commands from the MDM user interface; SGG will send messages for the commands and the HES will receive and perform the command using a MultiSpeak protocol. The HES will respond with an acknowledgement of the command and the eventual response from the device.Along with Oracle Fusion Middleware, SGG will be configured to direct the command processing of the device commands using BPEL. This section describes general design factors of the device commands that a client may utilize and future sections will focus on details specific to a respective command.
Describe SGG’s place in the enterprise solution
SGG provides productized integration to expedite the development process, including specific adapters for MV90 and future adapters for Elster HES integration.Other Adapters include Echelon, L&G, with others to come: Sensus, Silver Springs, etc…Support for productized adapters, including upgrades of HESAs AMI formats change, every integration must changeResults of new HES or HES upgradeInteroperability, easy to upgrade and maintainAdapters are not just for a HES: OMS, CCB, MWM, etc…Customer Validation Program: Another client was very interested in participating in the Customer Validation Process and having some input into the productized specific HES adapter. Working with Oracle we have exchange information on our requirements and design to ensure that, even using the generic adapter, we were designing a solution to incorporate best practice and Oracle’s relationship with the AMI provider.On a technical level, additional Middleware configuration, such as JMS Queue properties and locations, are preconfigured with the productFusion Middleware is SOA-based for reuse
SGG is installed on top of the MDM UI, meaning that it does not require its own application environment.Sharing a UI with MDM, users can seamlessly activate the SGG UI to schedule and execute device commands by browsing to the device.The execution of device commands will be made either by an authenticated user or on demand by an external application via the SGG exposed web service.Command tracking and device activity logging is easily accessed directly by navigating to the device with MDM.Each command executed against a device is loggedThis view of the device is a benefit of the direct integration with MDMDevices based on generic adapters as well as custom adapters will both be presented in this mannerCommand exceptions are easily identified within the UI and can be configured to be handled with auto-retries or user assignment.Commands that return errors can be manually, or automatically resubmittedComplete tracking information for command displayed; transaction id, current status recipient, execution date
GMP has decided to build in-house adapters, using the generic adapter as a template. There is value in purchasing the generic adapter for this purpose because the templates do provide much of the best practice business configuration. Without this, GMP would have had to devote additional time identifying a series of business requirements for technologies that are new to GMP. Now, we build to execute modified business processes around meter commands. In addition, this is an investment in the product roadmap; it would be completely unfeasible to keep up with the development that Oracle will be investing into the product.As a SI, there is a different prospective for requirements gathering, design, and development. While the generic adapter does product a set of templates for creating a customer specific adapter, there remains the need to “create” these objects.
WSDLsCan be difficult to get access to vendor development teams and defined vendor roadmaps
GMP will use the SGG generic adapter to process events from the Elster HES. Upon receipt of a device event, SGG will transform and deliver the device event to MDM in a standardized format. MDM will then save the event and using customized exception handling, notify specific users of the event.We have another client that is implementing a similar project that has a more intricate handling of device level event, both at a meter level and otherwise. From a device level, as the HES delivers an event through SGG, the solution will transform the event into a standard event code and follow a number of different process paths: Assign an exception to specific users, create a field activity in another edge application, forward the event to OMS, or simply log the event on the device with no additional action.
In Home Display (IHD)Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV)Weather dataOMS: last gasp to OMS via SOASCADA