Network Operations & Management

Network Operations Center

IGSolutions offers redundant Network Operations Center capabilities: One on-site Network Operations Center (NOC) at the client's host facility and another centralized NOC at our IGSolutions’ HQ. This kind of critical back-up function provides essential security measures and disaster recovery controls. Each of these NOC facilities includes servers, workstations, monitors, and compatible software set ups on pods per each utility client’s request. Likewise, with our 24 X 7 staffing capacity, IGSolutions' professionals physically monitor many electrical grid components across multiple utility grids; as such, we continuously capture and store data off the grid and forward that information to a variety of smart grid applications including Meter Data Management and Grid Automation Systems. This capability ensures that we take a global approach to satisfy our clients' specialized needs in the energy management domain.

As a part of our monitoring services, IGSolutions takes a proactive posture by constantly assessing the grid's communications network performance and providing timely feedback to our clients; this may take the form of real-time dispatching, sounding alarms and notifying all utility service line response crews of salient issues affecting the grid's overall performance on an as-needed basis. Toward this end, IGSolutions also manages our clients' Demand Response and Grid Automation programs and works closely with internal operations and/or load management groups to notify customers about market change conditions and activate appropriate load reduction contingency programs. In this context, IGSolutions
can perform additional functions such as communicating load reduction options, gathering specialized information geared to each client's priorities, and capturing important customer billing data as needed/required.

Trial Management

In most cases, client utilities will require that a “trial” Smart Grid network be constructed; this process is designed 1) to demonstrate the operational effectiveness of the network; and 2) to validate the forecasted economics of each project under controlled and scaled conditions. These kinds of trials are generally short-lived but are often followed by larger, more substantive phased-in projects for IGSolutions.

Fiber and Other Network Management Tasks

IGSolutions manages existing communication networks built by its client utilities. The electronics for these networks is connected to the Smart Grid Network and the alerts generated by the electronic equipment are transmitted across the Smart Grid network to IGS’ Network Operations Center.

Customer Service Call Centers

When required, IGSolutions also establishes Customer Service Call Centers for the utilities on a variety of different programs suited to their needs. These can be either inbound call centers set up to manage customer questions and expectations on newly formed smart meter/energy efficiency programs or they can be designed as outbound Customer Call Centers that might enhance energy efficiency and demand response programs by conducting surveys, interviews and audits to ensure the goals and expectations are achieved in the eyes of our utility clients.