IBM Launches Software Platform for Utility Operations and Vendor Integration

Summary: IBM has announced a software platform, dubbed “Solution Architecture for Energy and Utilities Framework (SAFE),” to help utilities accelerate Smart Grid programs and help smaller Smart Grid vendors to make their applications and services utility ready. The SAFE framework attempts to provide a standards-based software platform for a variety of utility operations, and uses elements of existing IBM software such as WebSphere, Tivoli, Rational, Lotus and Information Management products.

SAFE functionality addresses a variety of utility operations, focusing on seven areas in particular: 

• Asset, device and service monitoring
• Asset lifecycle management
• Informed decision making
• Improved customer experience
• Business process automation
• Regulatory, risk and compliance management
• Security solutions 

IBM says any company can build its applications to be compatible with SAFE. To that end, IBM has formed a “unique and comprehensive validation process for IBM Business Partners” to help partners validate their products as SAFE compliant.

Quick Take: We’ve been saying all along that the evolution of the Smart Grid into a platform was imminent. Now it’s happening with IBM’s SAFE product, Cisco’s Smart Grid end-to-end ecosystem, and others.  See our feature story by Tulane’s Geoffrey Parker for the implications of a platform approach to the Smart Grid market (link at bottom).

Some of these companies’ platform approaches only partially overlap, so we may not see any outright competition right away. Still, with the huge ambitions of these companies, it will not be surprising to see them bump heads at some point as we maneuver down the platform road.  For its part, IBM is will situated to be a leader in this area. They have been working  this sector longer than anyone and have spent millions preparing to get it right.

More information: Larger vendors have their own tools for integrating their products into and managing utility tasks. But IBM’s SAFE gives a leg up to smaller companies by providing them with standardized tools associated with a powerful brand name.  As examples of vendors employing SAFE technology, IBM points to companies like Trilliant, whose Smart Grid network is one of the first to have been validated for SAFE. Trilliant and IBM earlier announced the integration of IBM software into Trilliant products.

Other IBM business partners that have committed to becoming SAFE-validated include BPL Global, Coulomb Technologies, eMeter, Enterprise Information Management, Itron, OSIsoft, and PowerSense.

"We're in a position to help our utility clients transform their networks more efficiently," said Guido Bartels, General Manager of IBM's Global Energy & Utilities industry in the company press release. "The SAFE framework provides visibility, control and automation across the utility infrastructure as well as IT assets to help provide security and business agility as part of an intelligent network transformation."  

   Survival Guide to the Smart Grid platform

   IBM press release

   Earth2Tech story

   SGN report of IBM-Trilliant agreement