The servers and connectivity
Flexible
Distributed Architecture: use through cloud computing or your own
server/s on site.
Linux preferred. May run on a Windows platform through a Virtual machine.
Recommended Platform: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Quad CPU
Q6600 @ 2.40GHz or better, Memory 16GB-32GB, SSD 2TB-8TB disk space (8TB if you want to go to the recommended maximum of 20000 meters per server) and 100mbit or better ethernet port.
Daily local backups and Daily-Weekly remote backups by default.
Automatic
Software Updates (can be requested via support. We would generally not update unless there is a reason to)
We can run on a cloud platform, if it supports Linux, but we prefer not to run on a cloud platform but rather on a dedicated server, because the disks are generally not as fast on a virtual cloud platform as on a local SSD. If we run on a dedicated server with a local SSD disk, the disk access is generally the fastest. We prefer to go in a SuperMicro micro-blade chassis with SSD disks (if interested to buy one with pre-installed pnpscada instances, please contact support@pnpscada.com ).
We like to put everything on 1 drive, because then we can simply clone it (currently using clonezilla), and create other pnpscada servers.
We don't normally do real time load balancing, because we want to do local access to the DB on an SSD (it is faster), so we prefer to redirect your browser to the machine on which the meter's data is kept.
We don't have a hard limit on how many meters you can run on one server, but our rule of thumb is 20000 meters per server.
When we run on multiple servers, we prefer also to always do Master-Standby, because as your number of servers increase, your number of hardware failures would also increase. With Master-Standby (streaming PostgreSQL replication), we can have minimal downtime and data loss when a server fails. Local and Remote backups also works better if we do it from the Standby, because then we can pause replication while taking the backup snapshot, so that the backup is entirely consistent with itself. Also, the performance of the Master is not affected when taking a backup from the Standby. (normally when we doing a daily backup on a pnpscada instance, it affects performance aversely, and because normal operations continue, while precaustions are taken, the backup may not be entirely self-consistent).
We have the concept of an Empty pnpscada instance. So the idea is to start up an empty one as a standby (no processes except the db typically runs on the standby), and start the replication from master. Then this server becomes a Standby pnpscada server. And when the master goes away, the Standby can be promoted to a Master (including assuming the Master's main operational IP). The old dysfunctional master micro-blade computer can be plugged out while the rest of the chassis is still running, and refurbished, and then plugged back, and then it becomes a blank again (Empty pnpscada instance).
We have the concept of 'Atomic' architecture. In our case, it means, run everything on 1 server (DB, web server, meter reading processes etc), on 1 disk 1 partition, Master/Standby the whole thing, not parts of it. Keeps management of instances simple.
Devices and functions supported
Multi-Vendor
Meter support. (Elster, Enermax, Landis&Gyr, EDMI, PRI, Wavenis,
Actaris SL7000, etc)
Additional Meter support available at a fee
if the Protocol is available.
Full
Fixed Network support, with backwards compatibility to manual entry
and some meter reader handhelds
Configurable
period for meter readings. Default is once per day.
Virtual
metering supported for alternative sources of power, e.g. Generators.
Load
Scheduling and Demand Control, on small or municipal scale. Automatic
or Incident based.
Simple real time SCADA elements and logic
supported
Capture
and view GIS information per device.
Facilitate the creation,
configuration and switching of Contactors and Breakers on the
system.
Facilitate real time meter reading via SNMP or OPC
Client interface.
Facilitate real time maximum demand prediction
Data gathered from devices/ this enable you to?
Simultaneous
Maximum Demand and RMS Maximum Demand supported on the same
meter.
Correct per half hour Maximum Demand Summation across
multiple meters.
Real time, On-line Provisional Bills Quota
view.
Baseline Historical Analysis. (Eskom PCP)
Statistics
view.
Tariff comparisons.
Download Meter Readings in CSV
format
Meter Details & Events
Monthly Bills
Phasor
Graphs when supported by that meter type
Management
and auditing of meter totals, including reading totals from the
meter, capturing manual readings, doing interpolations and adjusting
totals.
Historical Trending and Graphing of Miscellaneous Analog values, for instance Instrumentation values.
Web service interface for M2M Bulk Configuration, manipulation and reading of data.
Interface with you
Simple
Web interface, supports both Internet Explorer and Mozilla Firefox.
(No ActiveX or Applets)
Full functionality available through
flexible Web interface, including real time functions.
Web
interface suitable to roll out to clients without training.
Profile
Graph with easy zoom and pan functionality. Time of Use color coded.
User
interface Customizable per Organization
Provides each
Organization its own sub domain and login name-space
Fully
configurable user login database, with role based security.
Glass
wall for user logins and for selected GPRS modems and ether-pads.
How we help you to fault find
Notifications
for Events, Queries and Fault management. Forwarding to email and SMS
supported.
Communication
Logs and Meter Problem Reports
Real
Time Communication Monitor, showing real time conversations with
devices in the field down to a binary level, in the web browser.
Facilitates end-to-end communication verification by technician
on-site.
Remote support
Training available.?7 years telephonic support included (conditions apply).
Username:
demo
Password: demo
Billing Engine
Billing
Engine with configurable Tariffs and Time of Use Calendars. Time of
Use supported.
Internationalization: including configurable
Currency, Time Zone and Daylight-saving support.
Monthly Billing
Wizard: provides checking of readings and bills.
Billing exports
in CSV or SQL format. Additional Specific Reports or Billing
Integration available at a fee.
Cost
of Plug and Play Scada
Monthly,
Yearly or Ever-Green License available, inclusive of O/S and DB
licenses.
Training
available