Application Integration Using a Common Utility Data Model
What is MultiSpeak2? ESRI Electric and Gas Users Group Meeting Galveston, Texas October 14, 2003
What is MultiSpeak2? • Specification for data exchange interfaces • Agreement among vendors as to what data needs to be exchanged between applications • Treats software applications as “black boxes” • Does not limit vendors from developing new features or working together to provide tighter integration than presently supported by spec
What MultiSpeak2 is Not • Not a product, you don’t buy MultiSpeak except as part of vendors’ software • Not plug and play • Not the solution to all of your problems, especially if: – Not all of your software supports MultiSpeak 2 – Your compliant software don’t support all of the necessary interfaces – You want to send data not included in MultiSpeak – You have data quality problems
What MultiSpeak Does • Defines which data objects need to be exchanged between common software • Defines structure of those data objects • Specifies message structures and messaging architectures • Supports real time and/or file-based data exchanges
Integration Needs: Utility Perspective Staking
Dynamic GIS Viewer Static GIS Data Viewer
Finance & Accounting Customer Billing
CRM GIS
Engineering Analysis
AMR
Finance & Accounting Department
IVR
Engineering Department
SCADA
Load Management
Outage Analysis
Outage Detection
Operations Department
Need for Data Integration CIS
GIS
Customer Table
Customer Table
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
Custom Interfacing CIS
GIS
Customer Table Lname ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
C25
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
I N T E R F A C E
Customer Table Custlname C30
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
MultiSpeak Approach CIS
GIS
Customer Table
Customer Table
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
lastName
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
C30
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
Integration Needs: Vendor Perspective CIS
GIS
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
How MultiSpeak Helps CIS
GIS
A
1
B
MultiSpeak
2
C
Interface
3
D
4
Advantages to Utilities • Fosters development of integrated software without the need of custom interfaces • Enables utilities to choose “best of breed” software without fears of lack of integration • Gives utility freedom to change applications for others of same type without needing to significantly change data updating procedures • Reduces cost of interoperable software • Improves staff efficiency • Reduces deployment time and risk in implementation of new automation applications
Key Prerequisites for Application Integration Business Process Model Common Data Representation Common Architecture Common Wires Protocol & Physical Interconnectivity
Abstract Issues
Architectural Issues
Level 1: V2 Process Model Dynamic GIS Viewer
Staking
CIS System (CIS) Finance & Accounting (FA) Customer Billing (CB)
Load Profile (LP)
Meter Reading (MR)
Static GIS Viewer
CRM
Call Handling (CH)
Engineering Analysis (EA)
GIS
SCADA
Connect/Disconnect (CD)
AMR System (AMR) Outage Detection (OD)
Outage Analysis (OA)
Load Management (LM)
Version 1 Interface Version 2 Interface
Level 2: Common Data Representation • MultiSpeak includes data object definitions for nearly 250 different objects describing most commonly used items in an electric utility • Extensibility features permit adding others without breaking data model
Level 3: Architecture - XML • Data exchanged using Extensible Markup Language (XML) • Self-describing text file, similar to HTML • Tags define data context: 1231234 • Shared schema file defines data structure • Easy to add data items, easier customization • Ignores unnecessary data
Project Status (10/2003)
• Over 120 vendors support MultiSpeak, including nearly all vendors key to small electric utility market • Version 1.1 issued 12/31/2000 (Covers CIS, GIS, IVR, EA, and staking) • Version 2.0 issued 1/15/2003; Version 2.2 issued 10/1/03 (Adds coverage for SCADA, AMR, OMS, LM and CRM) • Eleven products fully compliant w/ V1.1; sixteen have passed V1.1 testing for at least one interface • MultiSpeak2-compliant products under development at key vendors • Testing for V2.2 will begin in October
Dealing with Limitations
Even where customization is necessary, MultiSpeak lowers the barriers to integration
What You Can Do to Help • Ask your vendors about their plans to support MultiSpeak; make sure that they’re aware of its benefits • Consider the benefits of MultiSpeak compliance when purchasing new software • Participate in MultiSpeak User’s Conferences to make sure that the specification meets your needs • Join the MultiSpeak Initiative as a vendor or utility member • Watch the web site for developments and subscribe to the MultiSpeak mailing list (www.multispeak.org
For Further Information, Contact: Gary McNaughton Cornice Engineering, Inc. P.O. Box 2350 Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Phone: (970) 731-1508 [email protected]
Martin Gordon NRECA/CRN 4301 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 907-5840 [email protected]
www.multispeak.org
What is MultiSpeak2? • Specification for data exchange interfaces • Agreement among vendors as to what data needs to be exchanged between applications • Treats software applications as “black boxes” • Does not limit vendors from developing new features or working together to provide tighter integration than presently supported by spec
What MultiSpeak2 is Not • Not a product, you don’t buy MultiSpeak except as part of vendors’ software • Not plug and play • Not the solution to all of your problems, especially if: – Not all of your software supports MultiSpeak 2 – Your compliant software don’t support all of the necessary interfaces – You want to send data not included in MultiSpeak – You have data quality problems
What MultiSpeak Does • Defines which data objects need to be exchanged between common software • Defines structure of those data objects • Specifies message structures and messaging architectures • Supports real time and/or file-based data exchanges
Integration Needs: Utility Perspective Staking
Dynamic GIS Viewer Static GIS Data Viewer
Finance & Accounting Customer Billing
CRM GIS
Engineering Analysis
AMR
Finance & Accounting Department
IVR
Engineering Department
SCADA
Load Management
Outage Analysis
Outage Detection
Operations Department
Need for Data Integration CIS
GIS
Customer Table
Customer Table
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
Custom Interfacing CIS
GIS
Customer Table Lname ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
C25
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
I N T E R F A C E
Customer Table Custlname C30
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
MultiSpeak Approach CIS
GIS
Customer Table
Customer Table
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
lastName
Customer Last Name = Lname Format = C25
C30
~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~
Customer Last Name = Custlname Format = C30
Integration Needs: Vendor Perspective CIS
GIS
A
1
B
2
C
3
D
4
How MultiSpeak Helps CIS
GIS
A
1
B
MultiSpeak
2
C
Interface
3
D
4
Advantages to Utilities • Fosters development of integrated software without the need of custom interfaces • Enables utilities to choose “best of breed” software without fears of lack of integration • Gives utility freedom to change applications for others of same type without needing to significantly change data updating procedures • Reduces cost of interoperable software • Improves staff efficiency • Reduces deployment time and risk in implementation of new automation applications
Key Prerequisites for Application Integration Business Process Model Common Data Representation Common Architecture Common Wires Protocol & Physical Interconnectivity
Abstract Issues
Architectural Issues
Level 1: V2 Process Model Dynamic GIS Viewer
Staking
CIS System (CIS) Finance & Accounting (FA) Customer Billing (CB)
Load Profile (LP)
Meter Reading (MR)
Static GIS Viewer
CRM
Call Handling (CH)
Engineering Analysis (EA)
GIS
SCADA
Connect/Disconnect (CD)
AMR System (AMR) Outage Detection (OD)
Outage Analysis (OA)
Load Management (LM)
Version 1 Interface Version 2 Interface
Level 2: Common Data Representation • MultiSpeak includes data object definitions for nearly 250 different objects describing most commonly used items in an electric utility • Extensibility features permit adding others without breaking data model
Level 3: Architecture - XML • Data exchanged using Extensible Markup Language (XML) • Self-describing text file, similar to HTML • Tags define data context: 1231234 • Shared schema file defines data structure • Easy to add data items, easier customization • Ignores unnecessary data
Project Status (10/2003)
• Over 120 vendors support MultiSpeak, including nearly all vendors key to small electric utility market • Version 1.1 issued 12/31/2000 (Covers CIS, GIS, IVR, EA, and staking) • Version 2.0 issued 1/15/2003; Version 2.2 issued 10/1/03 (Adds coverage for SCADA, AMR, OMS, LM and CRM) • Eleven products fully compliant w/ V1.1; sixteen have passed V1.1 testing for at least one interface • MultiSpeak2-compliant products under development at key vendors • Testing for V2.2 will begin in October
Dealing with Limitations
Even where customization is necessary, MultiSpeak lowers the barriers to integration
What You Can Do to Help • Ask your vendors about their plans to support MultiSpeak; make sure that they’re aware of its benefits • Consider the benefits of MultiSpeak compliance when purchasing new software • Participate in MultiSpeak User’s Conferences to make sure that the specification meets your needs • Join the MultiSpeak Initiative as a vendor or utility member • Watch the web site for developments and subscribe to the MultiSpeak mailing list (www.multispeak.org
For Further Information, Contact: Gary McNaughton Cornice Engineering, Inc. P.O. Box 2350 Pagosa Springs, CO 81147 Phone: (970) 731-1508 [email protected]
Martin Gordon NRECA/CRN 4301 Wilson Blvd. Arlington, VA 22203 (703) 907-5840 [email protected]
www.multispeak.org
