© ABB Utilities - 1
2000-06/SPIDER MR
APIs for
integration
APIs, Possibilities
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What APIs do we have?
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How can we use them for integration?
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New functionality/project deviations
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Future APIs
© ABB Utilities - 2 -
API = Application Program Interface
APIs, Possibilities
© ABB Utilities - 3 -
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What APIs do we have?
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DB Server API
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ActiveX COM DB Server API
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ODBC
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APIs on different layers
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After Sales opportunities
APIs, DB Server API
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DB Server API
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Supports a lot of functions:
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© ABB Utilities - 4 -
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Authority
Start of SPIDER program (Avanti sndmsg)
Read real time data including quality flags
Read/update historical data including quality flags. Transparent
UDW 200 or Avanti TTD
Dynamic SQL
Read/write server disk files
Redundancy transparent for the user application
etc...
Available on multi platforms UNIX/VMS/Windows
API is a DLL (Windows) or a shared library (UNIX/VMS)
APIs, ActiveX DB Server API
© ABB Utilities - 5 -
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ActiveX COM DB Server API
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Functionality about the same as for the DB Server API
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Excellent support for writing Visual Basic applications
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Active Server Pages (ASP) support
© ABB Utilities - 6 -
APIs, ActiveX DB Server API
© ABB Utilities - 7 -
APIs, ActiveX DB Server API
APIs, ODBC
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ODBC
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Supports a lot of functions:
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Supported by MS Office
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© ABB Utilities - 8 -
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Authority
Read/update real time data
Read/update historical data including quality flags
 Virtual tables => extremely easy to set up a query (you have to
know something about the contents of the database)
Insert/Delete records in Avanti
Redundancy transparent for the user application
MS Query (to set up the select statement)
MS Excel SPIDER Reports
MS Access direct import of Avanti data
Supports tools that support ODBC
© ABB Utilities - 9 -
APIs, ODBC
APIs on different layers
Excel
HMI support
(office connection)
Appl. to
connect
Appl. to
connect
VBA code
Appl. to
connect
SXReport
(1 ActiveX + 3 DLLs)
DB server API COM version
ODBC
Middleware
© ABB Utilities - 10 -
DB server API Win32 version
Appl. to
connect
APIs, Possibilities for After Sales
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After sales opportunities
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Experience
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NOINA has sold the ODBC-driver
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SEUTA has sold Excel to SPIDER release 1 using DB Server API
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DEUTA offers integration solutions by means of ODBC and DB
Server API
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Product wrapping is needed
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© ABB Utilities - 11 -
supports old releases
Identified and known for different releases
APIs, Possibilities for After Sales
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After Sales opportunities (cont.)
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In priority (go for money)
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Win a soft support upgrade contract
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Look at integration aspects between different systems and SPIDER
© ABB Utilities - 12 -
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Suggest different solutions
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Sell Excel using the report package
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Sell ODBC driver
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Sell DB Server API/DB Server API COM-version
© ABB Utilities - 13 -
APIs, Possibilities for integration
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How can we use the APIs for integration?
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Here follows examples of what have been done in
DEUTA
The business process:
Exchange of information
Network management
Middle- and
High voltage
Network Management
low voltage
NMS/ CRMS
EMS/ DMS/ SCADA
Business
Management
BMS
Common Business
database
Geographic
Information
Systems
Trouble call
TCMS
Energy
Management/
Load
Management
GIS
LMS
Customer
Information
systems
© ABB Utilities - 14 -
Utility Data Warehouse
CIS
Maintenance & servicing
NIS
Network
completion
&
optimize
NPS
Open System architecture
Open Systems based on “independent“ Standards
• Software portability: IEEE POSIX Operating System Interface
• Standards on workplaces (Human Machine Interface, HMI)
• Database server: Structured Query Language (SQL)
• Database Interface to the Office-world (ODBC)
• Communication standards: e.g. ISO/ OSI- Reference Model
• Remote control system protocols : RP 570/ 571, IEC 870-5-104
© ABB Utilities - 15 -
• ...
Integration example
EMS
DE
HMI
SPIDER
DE
GUI
WS400
MDBE
Oracle
Expert Load
Shedding
DMS
Cooperate Systems
ICCP
USI,
ODBC,
SQL
SPIDER
SCADA
GIS
External
System
*
GIS
SCADA EMS
Avanti
Data
Acquisition
© ABB Utilities - 16 -
PCG
PCG
PCG
RTURTURTURTU
RTURTURTURTU
RTURTURTURTU
RDBMS
GIS DB
* External System,
for example NMS,
Crew Management,
Trouble Call
Management,
PC- Office System, etc.
Universal SCADA Interface USI
Communication layer
TCOM
Adapter
CLP
NMS
Adapter
ESB
© ABB Utilities - 17 -
Data collector layer
SCADA-near layer
NMS
Adapter
NIE
NIS
Adapter
TCOM
Adapter
HC
USI - Project example NIE
SPIDER HMI
Extern GUI
separate workplaces/HMI
Operator interface
NMS Server
SCADA Server
Mutual call interface (HMI- Adapter)
HOT
STANDBY
Online PDB
TCP/IP
Temporary
Devices
any
DBSystem (SQL)
“data mapping“
DMS Devices
SCADA-Interface
Logic
gating
connectivity Network model
© ABB Utilities - 18 -
Process connection
SPIDER Network system
Foreign system
USI - Project example NIS
common workplace
SPIDER HMI
Foreign-GUI
SPIDER HMI
Foreign-GUI
NT- Terminalserver
HMI-client like WinNT
Hmi client e.g. UNIX
E.g.. X- Window clients
SCADA Server
Mutual call interface (HMI- Adapter)
HOT
STANDBY
Online PDB
TCP/IP
Temporary
Devices
any
DBSystem (SQL)
“data mapping“
DMS Devices
SCADA-Interface
Logical
connection
Network model
© ABB Utilities - 19 -
Process connection
SPIDER Network system
Foreign system
USI - Project example TCOM
Common work place
X- Window
clients
SCADA Server
HOT
STANDBY
Online PDB
SPIDER HMI
Fremd-GUI
SPIDER HMI
Fremd-GUI
MDBE
UPDATE
SQL-Net
UPDATE
(ORACLE)
Trouble
Call
System
Common
Data entry
TCP/IP
Temporary
Devices
Outage Engine
“data mapping“
DMS Devices
SCADA-Interface
Logic
connection
Network model
© ABB Utilities - 20 -
Process connection
SPIDER Network control system
Foreign system
SPIDER SCADA/ DMS as an open data resource (example)
Database Server
SPIDER Host
Avanti
Oracle
SQL,ODBC,
WebGate
Oracle
SQL,ODBC,
USI,
WebGate
Intranet
ABB- Services for:
© ABB Utilities - 21 -
UDW, Utility Data Warehouse
SQL,ODBC,
WebGate
Firewall
Intranet
SQL,
ODBC,
WebGate
• Interfaces, e.g. ODBC, SQL, WebGate
and USI
• Customization (usually required e.g.
for ORACLE or MS- Office applications,
etc.)
SQL,
ODBC, USI
External
System
Office Applications (ORACLE,
EXCEL, Internet- Browser, etc.)
New “External Services“ for Utilities
Network Control System
Online
- PDB
DIS/
DB- Server
Avanti
ORACLE
Common Gateway Interface (CGI)
© ABB Utilities - 22 -
Web Server Interface 4)
3)
2)
WebGate
IS400, WebGate
“External Services“
Web Browser
Web Client Interface
Firewall
Internet Service Provider
Intranet
Internet
Utility Service Interfaces for the Business Process Improvements
Remote Data Access:
WebGate:
• ODBC
• SQL
• DB- API
• C- API
• OPC
• etc.
Data Presentation and
Data Access into “any“
external system of the
network
“Utility Services“
e.g. SCRIPTS, Aplets, etc.
Programming Interfaces
incl. format conversion
Web Server Interface 4)
3)
2)
Web Client Interface
Intranet
© ABB Utilities - 23 -
HTML, (XML)- Document
Any external system Interface
(proprietary) formats & protocols
Web Browser
(“Thin Client“)
Our objectives
• We help to optimize the business process
four our customers.
© ABB Utilities - 24 -
• We use IT- technologies for the integration of different
software-components.
APIs, Possibilities for integration
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New functionality/project specials
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© ABB Utilities - 25 -
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Use the APIs to implement new functions like:
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Stand alone calculations of various kind
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Operators Diary (in the WS400 NT)
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….
Use the APIs to implement project specials
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Supports upgrades of SPIDER (The API used is still supported in
next release)
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No messing up in standard implementation
APIs, Possibilities for integration

Future APIs
© ABB Utilities - 26 -
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Many more APIs will come
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Release independent
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Also available on integration platforms
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SPIDER IDL (SIDL)
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DAIS (OPC)
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DAF/CIM
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HMI third party API support
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Java support via IIOP (Internet Inter-ORB Protocol) transport
module will enable all coming SIDL based APIs to work with Java
(RMI Remote Method Invocation)
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JDBC support is possible to buy for the existing ODBC-driver
APIs, Possibilities for integration
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SPIDER Interface Definition Language (SIDL)
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Opens up the functions of SPIDER to the external world
(compare MS)
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Supports different hardware as well as different platforms
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Supports loose coupling of functions
© ABB Utilities - 27 -
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Compare with MS closed to an open environment
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Good performance
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To guide and support development
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Promotes modules/components
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It is an ongoing development project (C-28)
SPIDER IDL Framework Presentation
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The framework is a ‘middleware’ with similarities to COM and CORBA
but differs in some areas.
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© ABB Utilities - 28 -
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Similarities
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IDL (SIDL)
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Name Server
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Support at least two of the three OO criteria's
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Encapsulation
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Polymorphism
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(Inheritance (not supported by COM, only as aggregates))
Differences
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Supports system configuration and supervision
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High performance although very flexible
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Ease of use, low threshold for new users
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Supports heterogeneous networks (as do most CORBA impl)
SPIDER IDL Framework Presentation
Internal example
Client
Command
Dialog
Server
Process
Interface
Client
Command
Presentation
GetStatus
StatusChange
Client
Filter
GetStatus
StatusChange
Client
Data flow, media transparent (local, LAN,
WAN)
© ABB Utilities - 29 -
Method Invocation Interface
Event Interface
Equipment
Statistics
SPIDER IDL Framework Presentation
Third party software example
Client
Client
Command
Dialog
Server
Process
Interface
Excel
Command
GetStatus
StatusChange
ActiveX
Object
GetStatus
StatusChange
Bridge to COM
Data flow, media transparent (local, LAN,
WAN)
© ABB Utilities - 30 -
Method Invocation Interface
Event Interface
‘Normal’ COM Interface
APIs, DAIS
© ABB Utilities - 31 -
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OMG DAIS (Data Acquisition for Industrial Systems)
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Is a becoming standard
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Initiated by ABB
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Subscription of process data
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Compatible with OPC (process data)
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Used in the SPIDER Cadops integration
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Based on the SPIDER IDL Framework
APIs, DAF/CIM
© ABB Utilities - 32 -
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OMG Utility Management Systems DAF (Data Access
Facility)
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API for retrieval of data according to the structure defined in CIM
(Common information Model)
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Mapping of CIM and Avanti structures
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Ongoing work in US as well as in Sweden
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Publishing via a DAF API