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Utility Business Services, IncUtility Business Services, Inc.Chris Walsh, Senior Systems Architect
Winning in the Web World Winning in the Web World using using
Construct Spectrum:Construct Spectrum:
UBS - A Customer Success StoryUBS - A Customer Success Story
An application service provider (ASP) for the water,
wastewater, & gas industries
Serving public and investor-owned utilities and municipal
authorities for more than 30 years
Provides full-featured geospatial and customer information
systems & services
A subsidiary of NUI Corporation
30 CIS clients & 11 GIS clients in 8 states
1 million CIS accounts = 8 million bills sent annually
Utility Business Services, IncUtility Business Services, Inc
Customer Information Systems (CIS)
Water, Wastewater, Gas
Client Support
Bill Printing and Mailing
Payment Processing
Browser or 3270 Choice &
Flexibility
Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Digital maps Facilities database Distribution system modeling FieldBook -
remote access to GIS
Automated pipe replacement Meter route optimization
UBS Products & UBS Products & ServicesServices
Mainframe Platform
Mainframe OS390
Natural & Adabas
Construct Spectrum
EntireX
Natural Construct
Predict
UBS EnvironmentUBS Environment
Sagavista (end of 2001)
NUI has been a Software AG customer since 1985Natural & Adabas used by UBS since 1993
Web Platform
Windows NT 4 Server
HTML -Active Server Pages
Construct Spectrum
EntireX
Visual Basic
Javascript
Design philosophy - Wins® CIS adapts to clients’ ever-changing business environment and does not require their business processes to adapt to Wins® CIS
UBS developed Wins® CIS software in 1993
Designed to be more than a billing “program”
Flexible, customizable, table-driven design
Multi-organization / multi-jurisdiction
Entity Relationship data model recently evaluated as “one of the best in the utility industry” and “visionary”
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Classic””Classic”
Mainframe application with “GUI-fied” look’n feel
Not your typical “green screen” application
Wins® CIS is 100% Natural and Adabas
Construct utilized for over 50% of online development
Wins® CIS is the backbone to UBS’ service offerings
Application is extremely reliable and accurate
Selected web methodology needs to be as reliable
Many “heads down” users of system performing data entry
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Classic””Classic”
Business Logic& Data Access
Layer
Not a second system - an enhancement to classic Wins
Design philosophy - Wins® CIS will provide coexistent browser (GUI) and mainframe (CUI) presentation layers
Access shared mainframe-based objects and data
Leverage UBS’ mainframe application investment
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Web””Web”
Character Based Presentation Layer
WEB Based Presentation Layer
CharacterApplication
NEXT
Why a web browser front-end?
Most RFPs (request for proposal) require GUI interface and client-server topology
Offer more choices to UBS clients
Increase UBS clients’ competitive opportunities
Position UBS and UBS clients’ for growth in the e-world
Web browser is the ultimate thin client!
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Web””Web”
Construct Spectrum is cornerstone of web development
Continues Construct concept of modularity and regenerability
HTML presentation via ASP (active server page) technology
Server-based Visual Basic ABOs (active business objects) and page handlers
Frees the developer to focus on “fun stuff”: HTML customization
JavaScript
Web page layout
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Web””Web”
Entire X Broker & Spectrum connect the two worlds
Provides adaptive performance management
Automatically starts & ends attach servers as needed
WinsWins®® CIS CIS ”Web””Web”
Web App1
SpectrumDispatch Client
EntireXMessage Broker
NaturalBusiness Object
SpectrumProxy
SpectrumDispatch Server
Web App2
Client/ServerApp
ActiveXBusiness Object
Reengineering for the Web Reengineering for the Web
Presentation
Data Handling
Business Logic
Maintenance Model Program
PresentationMaintenance Dialog
Data Handling
Business Logic
Subprogram Proxy
Object Maintenance Subprogram
ActiveX Business Object
Page Handler
PresentationHTML
Web Server Based ObjectsHost Based ObjectsOriginal Host Object
Reengineering over 1,000 presentations within 370+ business functions for Internet/Intranet environments
Wins® CIS functions are robust and flexible:
Dual presentations (full-screen & window)
Dynamic presentation/validation based on profile tables
Interactive account banner information
On-the-fly formatting using DY and CV variables
Internal and external key fields for access
Very flexible security methodology
Web ChallengesWeb Challenges
Original modules contain embedded presentations, data access, and business rules - 50% Construct (non-object)
No technical specifications or documentation available
Presentation customization issues addressed early in project
“To cache or not to cache”
Unique navigation methodology
How much “webification” to implement
Resemblance to mainframe field arrangement
What browsers and versions to support
Handling of pop-up windows on the web
Web ChallengesWeb Challenges
Contracted with Software AG Professional Services to perform reengineering of Wins® CIS presentation modules
Project Team formed (in Denver) of Project Management, Mainframe Developers, Web Developers and Application Testers
Project broken into four phases - the first unit consisted of a small number of representative functions, and progressively increased in both number and complexity
Offsite Methodology of Baseline Testing and shipping each unit has allowed all work to be done remotely, reducing costs, focusing communication and helping to build the expertise of the project team into being a UBS “virtual staff”
Web ProjectWeb Project
Project teamwork has provided -
Transfer of knowledge to UBS Staff
Formalized documentation of application functions
Reengineering procedures and methodologies
Informal “mini internship” for hands-on training
Web ProjectWeb Project
Development of customer (billpayer) web access
Perform account inquires and research
Pay bills and enter meter readings
Schedule service work
Offer more choices to existing clients
Classic and Web interfaces side-by-side
Remote customer service (better utilization of resources)
Attract new clients in more markets
Not confined by traditional connectivity overhead
Future OpportunitiesFuture Opportunities
Reengineered objects can now be reused from multiple platforms and environments for future implementations
Visual Basic for traditional client-server requests
Integration to other applications via Sagavista
Other benefits of this project and choice of Spectrum
Trained resources familiar with Wins® CIS application
Increased flexibility to adapt and respond to client needs
Future OpportunitiesFuture Opportunities
Utility Business Services, IncUtility Business Services, Inc.1085 Morris Ave, Union NJ 07083
(908) 289-9433
Chris Walsh, Senior Systems Architect
Thank you! Thank you!
Q & A Q & A