Service Oriented Architecture to Support AMI Business Transformation
Project Objective
Implement a Service Oriented Architecture and Messaging Platform for a West Coast Investor Owned Utility (IOU) to support the application integration needs of their Advanced Meter Infrastructure (AMI) and Business Transformation initiatives.
Project Scope
The IOU consists of two west coast utilities. These business lines have many of their own applications and support organizations, including two different customer information systems. Historically, integration between application silos was done with point-to-point batch file transfers. In order to achieve more synergy across their business lines, reduce software lifecycle costs, and enable a more real-time business, the IOU realized they needed a service-oriented architecture strategy coupled with a message-oriented integration middleware. UISOL is an active member of the IOU’s Enterprise Architecture team helping to manage this platform strategy and rollout.
Services Provided by UISOL
Phase 0 Activities
- Current state assessment and requirements definition
- SOA/Messaging architecture vision, strategy, and roadmap
- Industry scan, vendor workshops, Request-for-Proposal
- Internal consensus building and candidate selection
- Proof-of-Concept scope, use cases, and project management
- Linkage to business strategy, economic analysis, and business case
Phase 1 Activities
- Overall project management
- Platform rollout planning
- Pilot identification, requirements, and design
- Creation of an Integration Competency Center
- Defined integration architecture governance model
- Established software development lifecycle processes and deliverables
- Deployed Development, QA, Integration Test, and Production environments
Phase 2 Activities (in progress)
- Overall project management
- Definition of logical and physical integration reference architectures
- Requirements, selection, and implementation of XML Appliances, SOA registry, and SOA repository
- Enhancing environments for high-availability and disaster recover
- Defining environment governance model and support procedures
- Coordinating with AMI, Business Transformation, and other enterprise integration projects
- Overseeing the development and rollout of additional pilots
List of Systems
- Mainframe CIS
- Meter Data Repository
- Metering Head-Ends
- Outage Management
- Work Management
- Call Center
- SAP
- BEA Web-Portal, Weblogic Integration, Aqualogic Service Bus
- WebMethods/EDIX
- XML Appliances
- BEA’s Aqualogic SOA Registry and Repository