InformationWeek published results from its annual survey of 500 executives in its September 17 edition. In an article titled “The IT Rules Have Changed”, the first sentence was “Mobile devices, cloud computing, and big data analytics are blowing the old IT rules to pieces.” So are these trends also prevalent in distribution operations? In my view, 2 of 3 are top trends in distribution operations.
In distribution operations, I think we’re just starting to see an acceleration in mobile capabilities. While many organizations have been using mobile systems for tasks such as service orders and outages, and to view maps in some cases, I believe that we are going to see many more types of information flowing both to and from the field. This includes data related to infrastructure condition and system operations. And we’re just staring to see applications of social media technologies, which go hand-in-hand with mobile, in distribution operations.
Cloud computing for distribution operations still doesn’t have wide application in distribution operations yet. While other parts of the electric utility are using the cloud more often, there are obstacles to overcome in distribution operations – namely, with respect to the high system performance requirements, system reliability, and evolving security measures in distribution operations. The many interfaces that typical distribution operations systems have, including GIS, CIS, IVR, and AMI/MDM, may also make it tougher for cloud computing. Certainly there is a trend, however, in increased use of server virtualization in distribution operations.
Big data analytics is just starting. In my view, this may be next big thing (or buzz word, if you prefer) in the industry,; we had re-engineering, de-regulation, asset management, smart grid, and now big data. Successful development and application of analytics poses a particular challenge for the industry, since many analytics will require successful teamwork among those with expertise in mathematics/statistics, IT, and distribution equipment/ operations domain expertise.
So are there areas in distribution operations that weren’t covered are these big three? I believe system integration technologies, coupled with data modeling, will continue to see a very high level of development. System security will also continue to receive a high amount of attention, as security regulations continue to evolve, and technologies change with it.
