IT and SCADA Integration is a key objective and a critical function that has to be achieved for R-APDRP to deliver benefits to the utilities and finally to the tax payers whose money is being used to fund this modernization program. However the conventional approach most IT companies and system integrators use for integration is a point to point integration. One will find specifications and RFP's mentioning integration methodologies to specify SQL, RDMS tables, CSV Files, XLS export etc., The IT approach to integration using database in different forms is the very reason why most integrations fail or result in exhaustive maintenance budgets and progammer lock in to these integrations.
Utilities in India which are loss making already are not at the technology savvy enterprise with expertise to understand and deliver the level of specification or ugprade mechanisms for the future, other than what gets specified in the RAPDRP SRS. However point to point integration will create future problems for these people once the consultants move away. For these utilities to be able to really understand and use the systems that are point to point integrated and later upgrade itself will be a point of failure of the entire investments. So it is important that one considers standard based Integration as specified by various IEC 61970 / IEC 61968 standards and CIM/XML models for Integration. These models and standards provide common methodologies for interfacing, with CIM/XML adapters being available for most RDBMS, OPC and ICCP systems, it would be a good idea to utilize these for Integration and model exchange.
This will enable the key aspect of Smart Grid focus, Inter-operability at grid level between all systems, and this will also enable the Indian R APDRP program to not only benefit today, but tomorrow as well as be a key driver in Indias Smart Grid foray in the future.
No comments:
Post a Comment