Xtensible Solutions

One of the largest US electric and gas utilities turned to Xtensible for help in establishing an Enterprise Information Management (EIM) strategy and framework so that the utility could manage data and information assets consistently across enterprise programs. Once the EIM strategy and business case were established, Xtensible provided the necessary framework—using the MD3i Frameworks and Design Studio—and guidance for coordination between major projects, which included integration of the following systems: CIS, GIS, OMS, SAP (work/asset management), scheduling, MDMS, and AMI. Xtensible has also been involved with the development of the Enterprise Semantic Model (ESM) and associated integration services for these programs. The goal is to enable consistent implementation of core EIM constructs that support a complete SOA design for enterprise integration and information management, so that the future business changes can be managed with more flexibility and less total cost of ownership.

Xtensible Solutions has been working with a large utility in southern United States to develop an EIM strategy and roadmap for application across multiple SG projects, including distribution system demand response (DSDR), WMS, and meter data integration projects. A key component of the adopted EIM strategy has been development of an IEC 61968/61970 CIM-based enterprise semantic model (ESM) in UML to provide a common model for designing all system integrations. The ESM was built using Xtensible’s MD3i Design Studio, which was also used to generate the XSD messaging specifications. This modeling and design environment facilitated both top-down and bottom-up architecture designs to integrate the CIS, WMS, DMS/SCADA, GIS, FMS, OMS, PI Historian, SAP, MDMS, and meter data collection systems involved in their projects via an enterprise service bus (ESB). For both design approaches, the MD3i Design Studio provides traceability within the ESM to link business processes, integration requirements, data/service models, and physical implementation artifacts (i.e. XSDs and WSDLs). The MD3i Design Studio creates a much-needed flexible modeling environment for this utility on their smart grid integration effort, which involves multiple utilities and multiple vendor specifications.

Xtensible Solutions has been working with a large utility in midwestern United States for a number of years to help them build an IEC 61968/61970 CIM-based enterprise semantic model (ESM) in UML for integrating multiple systems involved in their AMI-enterprise and SAP-meter data unification and synchronization (MDUS) projects. This UML model not only has provided IEC CIM-compliant XSD messaging specifications but also has established a mapping/reference environment for an integration of their third-party data models. Using Xtensible’s licensed model-driven MD3i Framework and Business Models, the modeling environment facilitated both top-down and bottom-up architecture designs for integrating the SAP (CIS, CRM, MDUS interfaces, WMS), mobile workforce management, GIS, OMS, MDM, and AMI systems involved in their projects. For both design approaches, the MD3i Design Studio provides traceability within the ESM to link business processes, integration requirements, data/service models, and physical implementation artifacts (i.e. XSDs and WSDLs). The MD3i Design Studio creates a much-needed flexible modeling environment for this utility on their Smart Grid integration effort, which involves multiple vendor specifications and multiple industry standards.

Xtensible was engaged by an investor-owned utility in the Northwest to help them transform their business with the implementation of smart grid (SG) capabilities. Such a transformation requires a flexible and scalable standards-based information technology (IT) infrastructure and architecture to achieve the interoperability needed to meet the changing requirements of the future.  With the acceptance of federal government SG stimulus funding for several system replacement/enhancement projects, this utility recognized the need to engage integration consultants with expertise in the interoperability standards identified by NIST as key to realizing the SG vision. Following training workshops on Xtensible’s MD3i Solutions portfolio and a Proof of Concept pilot project, the decision was made to engage Xtensible to assist them in defining and deploying a new system integration design process based on MD3i. An Oracle server-based design-time infrastructure and governance policies were designed and installed to support multiple system analysts and modelers using the MD3i Design Studio and Sparx Enterprise Architect modeling tools. Xtensible’s Design Studio and Business Models based on the IEC CIM standards were used to design, build, and maintain the utility’s ESM and to link integration requirements, data/service models, and physical implementation artifacts (i.e. XSDs and WSDLs). Initial deliveries supported an outage management system (OMS) replacement project, which also included installation of an ESB. Current usage supports a customer information system (CIS) replacement project, to be followed by additional SG project implementations involving multiple vendor systems and industry standards.

Xtensible Solutions is engaged with a large east coast utility in North America for the implementation of a data warehouse and business intelligence (DW/BI) solution for system operation and asset maintenance. The goal is to achieve dynamic asset risk management based on operational performance data, financial data (costs and revenue), customer satisfaction, and regulatory compliance. This involves the integration of both operational near-real-time/historical data and non-operational data from multiple systems, including OMS, CIS, DMS, WMS, CRM, MDMS, Data Warehouse, and others. The utility is implementing Xtensible’s MD3i framework approach to leverage the industry standard IEC CIM and other application-specific metadata to create and manage the utility’s enterprise semantic model (ESM). MD3i Design Studio is then used to design the data integrations and data warehouse database, generating ETL services for batch processing and ESB services for real-time data exchange needs using a model-driven approach based on the ESM. This approach enables the utility to establish a long-term, scalable solution for its enterprise data management across multiple projects and service providers as it expands the current implementation into other business areas. Key success factors include the definition of an enterprise data management strategy and governance, architecture-driven design and delivery, leveraging the CIM to define the ESM, and use of Xtensible partner Progress Software sonicESB and DXSI for efficient and effective integration implementation.