Combining Intelligent Routing & Enterprise Messaging

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UnitySuite Platform is an enterprise-grade software architecture for deploying Smart Grid software applications.  UnitySuite Platform is based on the latest open standards including Web Services, CIM, and end-to-end service-oriented architecture (SOA).  UnitySuite Platform is built from the ground up to enable two way message-oriented interactions and interoperable with other mission critical applications across the complete enterprise. It provides flexible integration of distributed services and applications within the framework of a SOA and has a best in class messaging architecture that promotes seamless Enterprise Application Integration (EAI).

The UnitySuite Platform’s distributed architecture combines independently scalable services, intelligent routing, and an enterprise messaging backbone that provides industry-leading performance and reliability. The platform supports complex networking environments by offering unmatched service availability and superior scalability. Among other things, the largely self-tuning platform comes prebuilt with a distributed data caching framework geared to help achieve breakthrough performance and scalability while simultaneously reducing infrastructure and operational costs.

UnitySuite Platform provides management of all SecureMesh network devices – meters, in-home devices, and network assets – allowing a single dashboard management of the entire Smart Grid communications network. Integrated demand response capability allows a common utility interface to demand reduction, critical peak, and other consumer pricing and demand events regardless of the specific field devices.

UnitySuite Platform contains a number of significant core components that are critical to configuration and operation of a two-way Smart Grid communications system. These functions take years to develop and involve significant business logic, database, and interface development, as well as the necessary security, logging, auditing, fault tolerance, and scalability needed to handle the full range of large utility requirements.

Device Registration and Configuration

As SecureMesh-enabled devices are deployed in the Smart Grid network, a database entry is created and the device configuration mapped to a standard structure, regardless of the device. In some cases the device will appear before information is provided from field installation, in some cases after. The system must validate the field configuration against the data provided from asset management and create error reports. The data from these devices must be treated differently depending on whether the device configuration is correct or and whether it is known or not.

Configuration Management

Devices may be changed in their configuration after installation either in the field, from an interface to the head end, or on screen. The changes must be checked against allowable configurations for that device and only allow valid configurations changes to be made, create audit logs and error reports for any problems

Firmware Management

The firmware in every device must be tracked, and the functionality provided to upgrade the firmware. There is a complex relationship between devices, allowable firmware versions, and cross system device and firmware compatibility that must be maintained and cross checked before any firmware is upgraded. The upgrade must have clear audit and security, and rollback capability in case of a problem

Communications Management

Each type of communications has its own method of session setup, data exchange, format, security, and timing. Some require individual device communications, some are mass communications, some involved individual meter interrogation, some involve programming the device to report on a predetermined schedule (also must be set up and maintained by device by the head end). A fully separate comms layer must be created every time a new communications mode is established. UnitySuite  Platform supports file-based, EDGE 1xRTT, analog cellular, SecureMesh, and IP communications.

Communications Diagnostics

Each system has a unique class of failure and diagnostic modes that must have individual data capture and reporting to be able to diagnose and repair comms problems.

Reporting

There are a range of reports from basic meter data, to device configurations, to network performance, to meter reading performance, read errors, network errors, configuration errors, diagnostic reports. All of these must be schedulable on selected sets of devices, available in multiple formats and data types depending on the application and customer

Event Management

All meters and network devices can create events that flow to the head end. These events must be process and characterized in real time. If urgent, they must be forwarded for export or notification immediately, if not, stored in the database for future reporting.

Task Scheduling

Every action of the system must be orchestrated and managed by a task scheduling system. The system must ensure that the proper computing resources are allocated to the tasks, that they get started and completed on schedule, don’t cause contention, and are done with the proper priority. It must be possible to view task status in real time, and log successful and unsuccessful tasks, and in some cases automatically retry tasks.

Grouping

The system supports up to millions of meters. Every function described must be able to be operable on a flexible and scalable grouping capability. The system must allow for customer defined data attributes on every device to support intelligent grouping for daily operations.

APIs

Every function mentioned above must be accessible by a programmatic interface to support automatic operation within an enterprise environment. Provision must be made for ad hoc, as well as scheduled tasks, both at high scale, and on individual assets. These interfaces must cover error and exception conditions as well as expected operations.

Audit Trails and Logging

All system actions must be logged and time stamped to support auditing of all system actions.

Security

Every function above must be covered by role based security that creates and maintains a set of permitted tasks and data that may be visible to an individual user. The system must assure that across every function in the system these role limitations are enforced. Basic log in security, authentication must be provided for all users and system interfaces. Finally, virtually all data will be encrypted over both the network and to the enterprise interfaces. The encryption and associated keys must be enabled and secured to make hacking difficult or impossible.

See a complete list of UnitySuite Head-End Software applications and components offered by Trilliant.