Integrating power utility telecommunication networks

Rapid technological advances within the telecommunication sector and the power sector´s ever-increasing needs for information and transmission services have led electric utilities to use heterogeneous telecommunication networks, grouping together equipment from various manufacturers and technologies. Management of such networks is difficult and fragmented, often employing proprietary systems. This article takes a look at the reasons why integrated network management is needed, describes aspects of the integration process and the expert system, and points out the most significant elements that make use of internationally accepted standards