As a part of Cisco Dwell Las Vegas 2023 we organized a Utilities Management Summit for high leaders within the {industry}. Our objective was to achieve deeper perception into our prospects’ challenges, focus on improvements, and construct strategic relationships. We explored high-level questions reminiscent of:
- What are the highest challenges and alternatives on the minds of utilities leaders within the US?
- Which applied sciences have them hitting the accelerator?
- And what do they worth when constructing methods and architectures for modernizing the grid?
We anchored the summit on three key subjects: substation automation, distribution automation and utility wide-area networks. Throughout Cisco Dwell US, shoppers, companions, and Cisco colleagues mentioned these subjects.
Since then, I’ve been reflecting on each formal discussions and informal conversations at Cisco Dwell US and contemplating the implications for different utilities. I’ve distilled my considering into 5 takeaways.
Takeaway #1: Utilities need fewer gadgets with extra performance
After we surveyed utilities leaders about their high challenges, they had been clear that sources are constrained. Given the shortage of money and time, they worth {hardware} that may carry out a number of features.
The Cisco Catalyst IR8340 Rugged Sequence Router is a superb instance. In a single piece of {hardware}, it provides a change and router plus safety (Cisco Cyber Imaginative and prescient sensor, Zone-based firewall and IDS/IPS functionality) and a timing module for substation synchronization. It helps utilities save on energy and warmth whereas serving to optimize rack area within the substation. The summit reaffirmed why the IR8340 has been very nicely acquired as a key platform for substation automation.
Within the quest for effectivity and worth, utilities leaders additionally advised us they need end-to-end options confirmed to work. We’re capable of present that assurance to utilities with Cisco Validated Designs – for instance, our designs for Substation Automation and SD-WAN for Distribution Automation are particularly developed for utilities.
Takeaway #2: Utilities are transferring quickly on SD-WAN
Summit attendees shared that they’re appearing shortly to undertake SD-WAN for substation automation. There gave the impression to be consensus that SD-WAN can be a great match for distribution automation, too. From my perspective, SD-WAN has gained important momentum over the previous six months. I attribute that to larger collaboration between IT and operational expertise (OT) groups. Whereas OT nonetheless owns remaining selections, IT is displaying OT the facility of enterprise networking instruments. These enterprise instruments are very acquainted to IT leaders, who can present OT leaders the potential ease of use, safety, and automation they carry.
Takeaway #3: Virtualization within the substation is coming sooner than you may suppose
It was mildly stunning to listen to about quickly growing adoption of SD-WAN; it was nearly stunning to find how shortly some utilities are transferring forward on virtualization within the substation. There seems to be normal acceptance that conventional purposes will finally be virtualized. In spite of everything, virtualization makes it attainable to automate and centralize all of the gadgets and methods inside a substation. It permits larger safety, visibility, and operational effectivity. It additionally unleashes new ranges of intelligence. Though utilities are nonetheless early on this journey, they appear dedicated to creating it occur.
Takeaway #4: First shock: Utilities see the advantages of effectively accessing and securing non-critical belongings with the cloud.
Cisco’s Safe Tools Entry service permits a corporation’s workers and contractors to entry linked gadgets in a extremely managed and environment friendly method. As a result of Safe Tools Entry is cloud based mostly, I assumed utilities can be unable to make use of it to assist sure substation belongings. Conversations throughout Cisco Dwell US revealed that I used to be improper. Utilities leaders I spoke with see nice potential in utilizing Safe Tools Entry to assist ancillary non-critical tools – for instance door entry management and fireplace detection methods – inside their substations. Streamlining the processes wanted to maintain these methods up to date, safe and operating easily is a robust benefit.
Takeaway #5: Trade-specific partnerships matter
Cisco maintains strategic relationships with a number of industry-relevant companions, together with Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL). Utilities prospects on the summit had been vocal concerning the worth of such Cisco partnerships.
As utilities proceed investigating mobile connectivity for substations and distribution community belongings, there’s rising curiosity in non-public LTE and 5G. Cisco options already assist each, and we proceed to spend money on testing and proof-of-concepts. Actually, we shared our ongoing collaboration with Verizon to deliver a joint resolution for connecting substations and distribution belongings—information that was nicely acquired in the course of the occasion.
In the end, the summit demonstrated that utilities are now not expertise laggards; (shock no. 2) a few of the most progressive are rising as expertise leaders. To be taught extra about how Cisco is collaborating with utilities, hearken to the replay of my session from Cisco Dwell US, The New Digital Substation.
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