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Gemini Re-platforming Project Update April 2012

Gemini Re-platforming Project Update April 2012. Purpose and Content. This presentation is to provide an overview of the Gemini Re-platforming Project (GRP) and provide early consultation with Gemini Users relating to potential impacts that GRP may introduce.

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Gemini Re-platforming Project Update April 2012

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  1. Gemini Re-platforming Project UpdateApril 2012

  2. Purpose and Content • This presentation is to provide an overview of the Gemini Re-platforming Project (GRP) and provide early consultation with Gemini Users relating to potential impacts that GRP may introduce. • The presentation also provides an overview of current and potential future Programme of Change on the Gemini System, to provide context of the GRP project.

  3. Gemini Programme Plan • The Programme Plan has been developed to provide a coherent and assured delivery of industry obligated changes whilst implementing maintenance and sustaining actions on Gemini to ensure service delivery • It’s important that any potential industry change is identified as soon as possible to enable assessment and scheduling. In flight Gemini Projects Potential Future Change

  4. Gemini Programme Progress • Gemini System Sustaining • Installation of additional components 9th August & 19th August 2011 • Enhancement of a repeatable Gemini Health Check Process • NTS Exit Reform • Exit Reform Phase 1 delivered 6th June 2010 • Introduction of the new Exit Re-form System including annual booking • Exit Reform Phase 2 delivered 10th April 2011 • Planned enhancement of the application to deliver additional processes • Exit Reform Phase 3 on schedule to deliver on 29th July 2012 • Will deliver daily processes and invoicing capability

  5. GRP Background • The Gemini System has been running since 2004/5 and is approaching the end of its planned asset life • A planned Health Check of the Gemini System was carried out in Quarter 3 2008 • It concluded that the application is functioning at an acceptable level but underlying risks relating to aging hardware and software need attention • Sustaining actions have been carried out on Gemini to reduce the risk of service interruption

  6. GRP Initiation • The GRP project was established to deliver an updated design utilising fully supported hardware and software. • GRP is replacing technology not re-writing the application; consequential changes may lead to some change but these will be kept to a minimum and Gemini Users will be consulted as appropriate • The GRP Project will also re-locate Gemini from National Grid’s Data Centre to Xoserve’s Data Centre. • Xoserve and National Grid are working together under a joint stream of GRP known as the Interface Alignment Project to ensure that interfaces between Gemini and connected systems are aligned and function correctly.

  7. GRP Key Benefits • GRP will extend the lifetime of Gemini for a further 5-7 years delivering reliable and robust infrastructure • Increased availability of service through increased resilience that lead to fewer scenarios for Disaster Recovery (DR) failover • Ability to perform quicker DR failover in the event that one may be required • Improved scalability for future change • Monitoring and centralised management capability, simpler to identify issues and quickly fix them. • Higher efficiency, a rationalised technology stack that gives more than a 50% reduction in servers, rack space and cooling • Ease of deployment of new application code • Improved ease of operations and maintainability • Simple maintenance arrangements; rationalised technology stack and consolidation of Xoserve’s estate into Xoserve’s data centre

  8. GRP Development Timeline

  9. GRP Progress to Date • Xoserve and National Grid defined a ‘refreshed’ set of Gemini non-functional requirements in 2010 • A Proof of Concept was carried out in Q3 2010, the GRP design was completed in July 2011 • Planning of the Development Phase was carried out in August and September 2011 enabling Build to start in October 11 • The project has recently moved to the System Test Stage having completed circa 1500 Unit Test Cases • The Testing phase continuesuntil end of February 2013 culminating in User Regression Testing • The proposed Implementation date is 17th May 2013 although this is still being defined

  10. External User Impacts • GRP will deliver an updated and fully supported infrastructure, the Gemini service will be unchanged, system functionality will remain ‘as is’ and the look and feel of screens will be the same as at present. Whilst Gemini’s application will not be changed, some amendments may be necessary; the area currently identified is as follows: • Potential Amendments to Application Programming Interfaces (API) • Modifications to the ‘address’ of Gemini has resulted in a change to the Uniform Resource Locator (URL) • Analysis is ongoing to understand impacts of the change and effort required (by External Users) to amend APIs • Options will be trialled with a small group of external users to determine an appropriate recommendation. If you would like to participate in the trial please contact .box.xoserve.GRPcommunications.com by 20th April 2012.

  11. External User Participation User Regression Testing • External Users will be invited to participate in User Regression Testing which is currently planned between 21st January 2013 - 1st March 2013. • External Users are invited to work with Xoserve to define a range of tests to be performed during Users Regression testing.If you would like to participate in the definition of regression tests please contact .box.xoserve.GRPcommunications.com by 18th May 2012. • External Regression Testing will be discussed further at June’s UK Link Committee.

  12. External User Consultation Implementation Cut-Over Outage and Date • The proposed date of the implementation is 17th May 2013 • Not clear at this stage the extent of the outage however it’s anticipated that it will be longer than users are used to • Optimum timings still have to be finalised taking into account the operational schedule • Cut-over will include robust back-out plans and contingencies • Outage timings will be discussed further at July’s UK Link Committee

  13. Next Steps GRP will provide an update at the UK Link Committee every month until Post Implementation Support is complete. The current schedule of GRP topics for discussion is as follows: • May 2012 – Potential Changes to APIs • June 2012 – User Regression Test Definition (summary) • July 2012 – Implementation Cut-over (initial discussions) • August 2012 – Implementation Cut-over (commencement of approval process) Changes impacting External Users that are identified as the project progresses will be shared with the Committee as they are recognised. If you have queries, please contact Andy Earnshaw on 0121 623 2744

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