Successfully designing and operating a network management information system for a utility takes careful planning and consideration. The option you choose should be based on your organization’s people, processes, and technology.
By evaluating team capabilities, examining workflows, identifying functional requirements, and considering supported technology, an organization can determine which option best aligns with its current needs and operational processes while also taking into consideration any potential impact to future development and system integration.
The following sections outline some of the areas for consideration when determining which option best suits your organization.
There are common cartographic and topological network capabilities that apply across all utility sectors. The following table provides a simplified comparison of common network information management systems capabilities.
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Data model | Customer data model or predefined model | Customer data model | Predefined industry model |
| Asset mapping and visualization | |||
| Offline editing | |||
| Snapping | |||
| Rubber banding | |||
| Topological network | |||
| Connectivity tracing | |||
| Network diagrams | |||
| Web and mobile tracing | |||
| Industry specific network editing rules |
Included
Partially included
Not available
Through map topology in ArcGIS Pro only. ↩
Each utility sector has different requirements, capability considerations, and choices to consider. The following sections outline some of the key capabilities for consideration when choosing between options. These lists are not exhaustive but provide some key insights for consideration.
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Circuit management | |||
| Upstream and downstream tracing | |||
| Protective device tracing | |||
| Phase propagation | |||
| Substation asset management | |||
| OMS/ADMS support | |||
| Units as network content | |||
| Units for network connectivity |
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency isolation tracing | |||
| Directional flow devices | |||
| System zones | |||
| Pressure zone management | |||
| Cathodic protection management | |||
| Facility modeling | |||
| Pipeline referencing | |||
| Unified data structure |
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Emergency isolation tracing | |||
| Directional flow devices | |||
| Water systems | |||
| Pressure zone management | |||
| Cathodic protection management | |||
| DMA subnetwork | |||
| Facility modeling |
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream and downstream tracing | |||
| Sewershed systems | |||
| Sub-basins | |||
| Detailed manhole channels |
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Upstream and downstream tracing | |||
| Watershed systems | |||
| Catchments | |||
| Channel connections | |||
| Best management practices containment |
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Valve isolation tracing | |||
| Directional flow devices | |||
| Energy system | |||
| Pressure zone management | |||
| Cathodic protection management | |||
| Facility modeling |
The option your organization chooses could have an impact on other systems’ use of the data. It’s important to think about the processes and applications of other systems and how the use of the network information management system and capabilities it can provide will impact those other systems.
Each utility sector and organization are unique and has varying system requirements. The following table is provided to help highlight some key points for consideration across the options and system patterns.
| Capability | Option 1 | Option 2 | Option 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Customer and community engagement | Provides location intelligence for visualization and community reporting. | Provides user-friendly tools that empower customer-facing applications with basic network tracing for community reporting or service disruption at a subnetwork level. | Provides customer facing tools with the ability for advanced tracing for more precise service disruption at a device level. |
| Business intelligence | Provides location intelligence for visualization and proximity analysis. | Provides the ability to perform simple network tracing in the analysis process. | Provides the ability to perform device level network tracing. |
| Mobile workforce management | Provides location intelligence for asset collection, inspection, and way finding. | Provides the ability to perform simple network tracing in the field for operations and maintenance tasks. | Provides the ability to perform device level network tracing. |
| Emergency management | Provides location intelligence for monitoring and alerting systems. | Provides tracing capabilities to assist in impact analysis and service disruptions. | Provides a means for advanced system management using connected sensors and integrations for automated network control level at device level. |
| Operations management | Provides real-time access to event data for visualization and spatial context. | Provides user-friendly tools that empower stakeholders to perform basic network tracing, enabling effective understanding of the operational impacts of maintenance activities. | Provides operations staff with the tools needed for advanced tracing for responding to work orders at a device level. |