File Transfer Methods

Oracle Utilities Opower has two secure methods of receiving files from utilities: a secure file sharing system for manual file transfer, and an SFTP site for automatic file transfer.

Secure File Sharing (SFS)

Oracle Utilities primarily uses SFS for receiving manually transferred sample files at the beginning of the setup process before SFTP access is configured. You can find the SFS system at https://sfs.opower.com. SFS is FIPS 140-2 certified and is as secure as our SFTP server. Your Service Delivery Manager can provide access to select individuals on your team. SFS remains an option throughout the program for manually exchanging sensitive files and is a good option for non-technical users who cannot access the SFTP site. Coordinate with your Service Delivery Manager when using SFS.

Secure File Transfer Protocol (SFTP)

Prior to launch, your will need to verify that your system can automatically transfer files to the Oracle Utilities Opower SFTP site. We exclusively use key-based authentication for secure connectivity between your data center and the Oracle Utilities Opower data center. In order to establish that connection, your team will need to provide an SSH public key and install your private key on your own server(s). Your Delivery Team will use your public key to create your SFTP account and provide your user ID.

After files have been submitted to the proper directory, the Oracle Utilities Opower file reception system begins processing them within a few minutes of receiving them.

The directories within your SFTP site are listed below.

/shared_files: Use this directory to transfer files that are not meant to be loaded directly into the application. That includes all sample files, historical files, and incremental files until your Delivery Team approves at least one incremental file as production-ready.
/Uploads: When up and running, your production instance of the Oracle Utilities Opower platform automatically loads all files placed in this directory. Once your Delivery Team approves an incremental file, your team will need to configure your automated file transfer process to drop files in this directory exclusively.

Encryption

For added security, Oracle Utilities can accept Pretty Good Privacy (PGP) encrypted files. If you choose this option, your Delivery Team will send you a public key that you can use to encrypt files. These will then be decrypted with the Oracle Utilities Opower private key. The Oracle Utilities Opower application will then automatically decrypt all inbound files using this private key.

File Errors

If file errors occur during the file transfer process (for example, a corrupt or erroneous file is added to the Uploads folder and cannot be processed), then utility users with the proper credentials can log in to the Oracle Utilities Opower SFTP server to perform one of the following basic self-service tasks in order to resolve the error:

Delete the corrupted file from the Uploads folder and upload a new file
Replace the corrupted file by overwriting it with a new version that has the same file name

However, because these tasks involve modifying files in a production environment, they should only be done after receiving an overview of the process from Oracle Utilities. Your Oracle Utilities Opower Delivery Team will work with you to explain the process and provide more information.

File Retention Policy

Oracle Utilities Opower will only retain files for a set number of days before deleting them. See File Retention Policy for more information.