CIM Issues » WG14 Issues » WG14 Part 9 Issues

61968-5 provides many good ideas for group management with a DERMS. However, metering has perhaps usecases which are not listed in the Part 5 usecase repository, and are not satisfied by the design. This issue is regarding a more generalized means of defining and managing groups. Part 9 supports an interface between systems in which a group name can be identified, but currently lacks the means to manage the groups. One usecase that is not considered by Part 5 is the need for the load control (or AMI) system that provides communication to indicate that it is ready to service a given list. The AMI network quite likely must do work to enroll field equipment into some group, or to provide it with some special group address, and even maintain group security, so that the field equipment can efficiently participate in the group command when it is given. If this type of performance is expected of the AMI network, then the external system which is using the AMI network to deliver commands, would need to know that a given list is or isn't 100% ready to go. Lists can be disrupted by meter change outs and other maintenance activity. It may also be affected by power or network outages. Some work is needed to provide status information by the AMI network (as a network provider) to the external system. Furthermore, individual devices should be able to have their status checked -- including a "ping" to confirm that power is on and the network is operating.
Finally, with more usecase development and refinements made to the process, where to these improvements go? Should there be an update of Part 5 (2nd edition) or of Part 9 (4th edition)?