Case Study of Mobile Implementations at OPPD. April 17 th 2012

Case Study of Mobile

Implementations at OPPD

Overview

• Mobile Fleet

– Itron Meter Reading

– Oracle Mobile Workforce Management

• Mobile Office Worker

– Good for Enterprise

– Choosing a Mobile Device Management Solution

Itron Automated Meter Reading

• AMR effort started in early 2007 • Replaced every meter

Itron Automated Meter Reading

• New method of obtaining readings

– Drive through neighborhood vs. walking route

• Additional uses of data

– Special application during major outages – Research historical reads

Itron Automated Meter Reading

• Fixed Network Pilot

Oracle Mobile Workforce Mgmt

• Describe what’s working.

• Describe the technology, its implementation, and how it works.

Overview

What is Mobility at OPPD?

– Hardware, software and communications infrastructure to link field personnel to real-time customer and

operating information

• Field personnel

– Field Collections – Turn Ons/Offs

– Customer Service Field Reps – Meter Technicians

– Troubleshooters – Streetlight Crews

– House Services Crews

• Multiple host order systems

– Customer Information System, CIS – Operations Management System, OMS – Equipment Inspections, SMEI

What is working?

• Work orders from feeder host systems are assigned to field techs using an optimal

routing algorithm, nightly.

• Field techs log onto Mobility in their vehicle at the beginning of their shift.

What is working?

• A complete days’ worth of orders are

dispatched to the field tech at logon time. • As orders are worked, their status (enroute,

onsite, complete) are transmitted back to the server and host systems.

• Schedules can be changed throughout the day.

What is working?

• Maps of our electrical system can be viewed on the MDT.

• Field techs click a button to view the location and equipment involved in an order using

Mapviewer.

• Meter technicians verify newly installed

meters against the server – receiving detailed attributes in return.

What is working?

• Field equipment can be located using the vehicle’s GPS and Map Viewer application.

What is working?

• Interfaces between Mobility, CIS, OMS, and other systems operation continuously to keep each up to date.

What is working?

• Call center personnel can view completion

information as completed orders come in from the field.

• Call center can provide appointment booking for field work with customers.

• Field personnel adapted to the new technology.

Challenges

• MDTs and Environment : Field users can be rough on equipment and work in harsh

Challenges

• User roam between three different networks: Wi-Fi, Wireless Cellular EVDO, Astro25 IV&D. • Our requirement was to roam seamlessly

Challenges

• The various technologies and remoteness of the user make it difficult to diagnose a

problem.

• Sometimes you cannot remotely access the user’s desktop.

MDTs

• Panasonic Toughbook CF-19s.

– Majority of users – External use

• Dell XFRs (E6400)

– Heavy map users

– Never take out of vehicle – Troubleshooters

Network Infrastructure

• Wi-Fi available at all OPPD facilities • Verizon wireless service

• Motorola Astro25 Radio

• Internal GPS and 3G GOBI chips • Radio IP Middleware

Maintenance Cycle

• Microsoft SCCM

– Remote control

– Distribute client updates

– Distribute GIS map updates every 2 weeks – Distribute OS patches

• Create new image for major updates or new MDTs

Observations

• Vehicles not parked inside have their MDTs brought inside overnight during winter.

• We try to make updates transparent to the user.

• Users initially were wary of the GPS and now report when it is not working.

Observations

• Users are requesting access to more applications.

– Email – Intranet

– Web-based Outage system – Timesheets

• Other areas w/in OPPD are looking at Mobile applications.

Project Challenges/Opportunities

• Resources with comprehensive knowledge of OPPD’s field order processes

– Initial knowledge was limited to a few – Mobility has developed bench strength

• Vendor acquisitions

– Synergen original software developer – Acquired by SPL Worldgroup

Project Challenges/Opportunities

• Communications Middleware

– Padcom lacked functioning connector to Astro25 – Motorola-Padcom partnership “evaporated”

– Radio IP was the hero

• GPS

– Motorola-proposed GPS device for Astro25 did not make it to market

– Interim solution is GPS that functions through MDT, not Astro25 – Finally integrated into MDTs

Project Challenges/Opportunities

• MDTs

– Differing field requirements by work group – Screen resolution

– Warranty coverage for “Ruggedized”

Project Challenges/Opportunities

• Click Scheduling Configuration

– Complex scheduling, routing and resource optimization engine – Identifying Rules and Objectives for OPPD

• Boundaries • Work Rules

– Validity of system optimizations challenged by dispatchers at other utilities

Mobile Office Worker

• 2009 increase use of smartphones

• Corporate users wanted access to email and intranet

Mobile Office Worker

• Challenges

– Securing email

Good for Enterprise

• Implemented 2009 • 300 devices enrolled

Good for Enterprise

• Benefits

– Separate business/personal data – Encrypted Email application

Good for Enterprise

• Challenges

– Personal owned devices on Verizon network require an enterprise data plan

– Outages at the Good NOC – Limited devices

New Opportunities

• 2012: Our needs are changing • Tablets

• More Smartphones

• Greater access to corporate resources • Applications/Document delivery

Choosing a MDM Solution

• Re-Evaluated our needs

– Applications

– Native email client

– Greater flexibility for managing and securing

• Evaluated 5 different solutions

– MDM vendors are tied to OS API’s – All are very similar

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Company Details

• Product Pricing and Platforms

• Core Features and Device Management • Central Management

• Audit and Compliance

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Company Details

– How long have they been in business?

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Product Pricing and Platform

– Platform supported? Apple, Google, Microsoft, RIM?

– Pricing/Licensing model?

– Are licenses device agnostic?

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Core Features and Device Management

– Does it integrate with your existing infrastructure? ie., Email, Authentication

– Self registration via OTA – Security

– Application Management – Document Management

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Central Management

– Hosted or On-Premise

Choosing an MDM Solution

• Audit and Compliance

– Auditor reports

– Device compliance reports – E-Discovery and Legal Holds

Choosing a MDM Solution

• Operations and Service Desk

– Vendor support 24/7, 12/5, Other? – Status monitoring of incidents/calls

Choosing a MDM Solution

• Summary

– Determine your requirements

– Work with your software teams and customers – Determine if you want premise software,

Mobile Customers

• Mobile Applications

– OPPDconnect

– Suppport iOS Development

• Macs on the network • How to manage

• Manual Update OS