CASE STUDY: AMI automation for utilities
OBJECTIVES
Smart metering needs automated solutions for data synchronization. To keep Meter Master data synchronized and to communicate automated meter reads, an automated synchronization between SAP ISU-AMI and a MDUS system is required.
CUSTOMER INTRO
The solution is realized for MDUS (EnergyIP*) master data synchronization with SAP ISU-AMI (ECC & S4HANA) in a SAP Test Lab environment.
GOAL
There are various business processes in smart metering that needs a real time data communication between interfacing systems (SAP ISU-AMI/PIPO/MDUS). Master data sync. For meter creation, updates (CRUD) operations, capture and transmit meter reads in single & bulk modes for billing or customer service. SAP provides enterprise services for data communication, that needs to be adapted to meet specific customer requirements within utilities business processes.
SOLUTION
The solution consists of SAP ISU-AMI configuration, enhanced AMI interfaces required to customize business processes of device management and billing. and SAP enterprise services used to communicate with MDUS.
SAP AMI (Advanced Metering Infrastructure) relate to business process to measure, collect and analyse energy usage using smart meters (electricity, gas and water) through communication media either as request or as pre-defined schedules. SAP AMI infrastructure include hardware, software, communication, customer systems and meter data management. The landscape components used in data communication, for example, include:
AMI systems are used to transfer gathered data to MDUS (Meter Data Unification & Synchronization) system. The communication of data between MDUS system and SAP AMI solution is based on enterprise services. SAP has pre-defined set of standard enterprise services for the communication. MDUS and SAP system are connected via a middleware platform like a SAP PI/PO system.
The different versions of SAP ISU software components have functional enhancements to integrate smart meters. Remote capabilities are provided for device management to MDUS and actual day and time of install and removal of meters.
Enterprise services based communications are enabled to interact with the partner developed MDUS solutions (EnergyIP*). MDUS is required for technical data consolidation. SAP EDM is a data repository used for buffering. All the time series data is stored in EDM. Business process based on time series data are EDM settlement processes and TOU integration for supply billing. The SAP backend systems communicate with SAP NetWeaver Process Integration (SAP NetWeaver PI) using enterprise services. PI formats the XML message to transfer the data from the SAP backend systems to the metering system platform.
RESULT
SUPPORT ACTIVITIES
- Maintenance of all SAP systems with SAP Labs
- Maintaining system availability & connectivity between SAP ECC–>PI–>eMeter systems
- Manual and automation testing of the implemented interfaces
- Testing of the interface(s) with modified variants & parameters to meet customer requirements.
- Functional testing based on specific scenario requirements within the existing solutions.
- Knowledge transfer within SAP adapter solution & used software components.
- SAP Basis Support functions to maintain the infrastructure and software components.
- Maintaining SAP Support portal communication like OSS / SNOTES / Downloads
- Performing activities and Co-ordination with SAP Basis, SAP PI, SAP ABAP, IT infrastructure team (Support function)
- Maintaining SAP system certificates and License validity Statuses.
- Implementation of New SAP SPS and correction notes and releases.
- Activation of Business functions and maintaining services.
- Configuration changes in SAP systems
- SAP Basis support like System response time monitoring, Monitoring of System Logs, SAP applications and Db start / stops.
- SPS (System support packages) level updates.
Support the activities that require work to be executed such as new solutions, solutioning & SAP consulting, POC’s, upgrades, system updates and OS level changes that impacts the existing SAP solution). The activities involve deputation of additional SAP resources from ISU, ABAP, BASIS & PI/PO NetWeaver Skills.
- System upgrades, EHP packages, OS level changes, DB enhancements and upgrades.
- Upgrades, Implementation & testing of new software components and functions like GDPR, ILM, services and end-point authentications.
- Implementation of new interfaces or modification with design changes in existing interfaces.
- Modifications and updates that are required either due to specific customer requirements or that becomes mandatory due to the end of maintenance support by SAP.
- Updates to AMI versions that may require an implementation effort with system modifications.
- System solutioning & Consulting with POC built.
