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Utility Integration Bus

Standard Middleware+

Utility Specific Integration (not secret)

Sauce Copyright 1998,1999 Systems Integration Specialists Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved

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Objectives of UIB• Provide utility specific integration

features missing from DCOM and CORBA.

• Facilitate integration without requiring reprogramming.

• Create an environment where skrink-wrapped products can be integrated.

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The UIB Specification is

• A set of middleware requirements

• A set of middleware use specifications

• A set of utility specific services

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UIB Architecture

CORBA or DCOM

Utility Applications

Utility Specific Services and Specifications

APPLICATION

UTILITY COMMON SERVICES

OFF THE SHELF MIDDLEWARE

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UIB features

• Can be run over different middleware implementations

• Allows for direct access to middleware

• Provides an environment for integration of utility applications

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UIB Requirements of Middleware

• Persistent Message Queuing• Remote Procedure Calls• Life cycle Services• Transaction Services• Security Services• Other standard distributed objects

services

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Why not just use Middleware?

Answer: Utilities need more!

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Utility Business Objects

• Many different types• Are long lived (ie monitored

continually instead of short live transactions)

• Attributes are distributed in existing legacy applications

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Owner Billing Address

Rate Structure

UsageMeterID

LastCalibration

An Object Instance (e.g. SISCOMeter)

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Typical Middleware Solution

FromIndependent

Sources

Aggregate orProxy Object

Instance

CORBA or DCOM

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Utilities really need: Decomposed Objects

CORBA or DCOM

Attributes directlyavailable frommultiple sources.

This requirement has several design impacts!

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Example: Information in Legacy Applications

AMR

DBCIS

MaintenanceSISCOMeter

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UIB is designed for:• Coarse Objects and Distributed

Attributes– IDLs to UIB services– Business Objects (e.g. breaker, capbank

controller, meter, cis) are not expressed at the application interface.

• Sending and receiving messages– UIB defines a set of standard messages– Allows for future message expansion

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Utility Specific Services

• ID Management– Create/Delete– Alias– Information Exchange Model support

• Error Recovery

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Specific Examples

• How to subscribe for object class events as opposed to object instance events.

• How to detect loss of information and information sources.

• How to dynamically create a “directory” of information consumers and publishers.

• How to recover and resync components that have been off the bus.

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Solution: OID/XID Hierarchy

Type

Standard Private Authority

ORGID

SUBORG

ClassValue

InstValue

TypeOfClass

ClassID InstanceID

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Why Alias?

Tastes Great

Less Filling

Its Object AIts Object B

UIB 1UIB 2

Need One View, Not Two !

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UIB Concept of Context

Deployment

Runtime

Online

Test

Need Standard Context: - Online - Test - Simulation - Others...

Need Non-StandardContexts

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Models on the BUS

• Deployment Models• Run time Models• Information Exchange Model• Reference Model

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What is an IEM?

• Defines information flow– Message Dictionary– Message Routing Model– Information Filtering

IEM allows components to be written without knowing before hand who will supply or consume pieces (allows third party subscription)

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MetaSchema Overview

Class

Instance

Messaging

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Terminology

Type Comp Bus Mesg. Cont. Attr.

Class CCID OCID MCID

Inst. CIID OIID MIID CTXIID AID

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Class

Attribute Class

Object Class

Attribute

1

N

11Name

ID

NameID

Units

NameID

Component Class

NameID

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Examples of Business Objects

• Class– Switch

• Fuse• Breaker• Manual• Disconnector

• Instance– Breaker

• B1 in sub1• B2 on T1• etc....

Business Objects have Attributes!

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Attribute Instance =

Attribute Class

Object Class

Attribute

1

N

11Name

ID

NameID

Units

NameID

Object Instance

NameID

ObjectInst.ID + Attribute.ID

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Breaker Attribute Example:

• Status (OPEN/CLOSED)• Vendor• Cost• Number of Operations• etc....

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RunTime and Deployment

• Deployment = Expected• Runtime = Actual

– Used to determine which attributes are actually being supported

• Is tracked on Context/Attribute Instance Basis

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Messages

• UIB Standard Messages

• Other Standard Messages

• User Defined Messages - Most Interesting!

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Messages (cont.)

Message Definitions/Templates (Class)

Header

Filterable

Binary

Topics

ID/Value

Sets OF

Attribute Inst.Message Based

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MIID is....

• MCID

• Source CIID of component issuing message

• Sequence number generated from issuing component.

All found in header of messages.....

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CIM Reference Model ERP Reference Model

EMS Work Management ERP Connector

UIB is Reference Model Independent

(used by components but not managed by the bus)

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Conclusion

Documents and Presentations available from: ftp://ftp.sisconet.com/outgoing/uib