Model Builder Overview
The Model Builder Service (MBService) is used in building an Oracle Utilities Network Management System operations data model. The Oracle Utilities Network Management System operations data model is built using the customer’s existing as-built data model, which is typically a Geographic Information System (GIS) or graphic files (e.g., AutoCAD). There are options to bring in construction information to support commissioning and decommissioning of model data, referred to as In Construction Pending (ICP). Necessary enhancements are applied to the GIS data model to make the real-time data model.
When changes are made in the GIS, MBService then merges them into the Oracle Utilities Network Management System data model. In addition to maintaining the model database, MBService also generates map files that are loaded for visual inspection.
A single spatial grouping of data known as a partition passes through various stages during its incorporation into the Oracle Utilities Network Management System Operations Model:
• GIS Data Extraction – to extract the data from the GIS to Oracle’s vendor neutral model preprocessor (*.mp) file format.
• Preprocessing – to produce model build (*.mb) files used by the Model Builder.
• Model Build (MBService) – saves the information into the Oracle Utilities Network Management System Operations Model RDBMS and writes out a set of maps.
The Model Builder service (MBService) is responsible for managing structural changes to the core operations model. Structural changes are largely the creation, deletion, and modification of objects. Non-structural changes involve updating attribute information such as status values.
The core operations model describes a set of interconnected network components with graphical representations and managed statuses. The objects contained within the model are subdivided into partitions with interconnections of partitions managed through the use of boundary nodes.
This data model must initially be obtained from an external source (such as a GIS) to populate the core operations model. Once populated, the core operations model is the basis for support of system services and the construction of diagrams.
The real-time services typically load parts of the model during initialization. These services also update attributes of the model. The process of model edit involves the creation, update, and deletion of objects that require consequential updates within services.
Patches
Import (*.mb) files are submitted to MBService for processing. Each set of import files submitted to MBService is considered a model patch and is applied to the current model. Most often, a patch is generated when a single partition (often data that represents an electrical circuit/feeder or similar) is submitted to MBService for building.
The lifetime of a patch includes the following:
• Initial creation of the patch either locally or externally.
• Addition of the patch to the core operations model, where the patch will either be applied and become part of the current operations model or will be deleted if there is a problem with the patch resulting from patch format errors or real-time issues in the operations model (such as deleting a device with an active call or outage).