UK Link Technology Refresh

1. UK Link Technology Refresh Annie Griffith Infrastructure Programme Manager July 2007

2. UK Link Background • UK Link applications running since 1996, last Technology Refresh completed 2001 • UK Link Risk Assessment Carried out in December 2004 • UK Link lifespan indicated as 2008 • UK Link ownership transferred to xoserve May 2005 • UK Link performance deterioration identified 3rd Quarter 2005 • 3 Month UK Link Technology Feasibility Review sanctioned December 2005 • Review recommended upgrade to hardware, database version & application toolset

3. Scope • Technology Refresh is an upgrade of the technical components that make up Sites and Meters and Invoicingsystems • Technology refresh is essential to • Enable continued delivery of a reliable and robust set of UK Link systems • Allow xoserve to continue to provide services on behalf of Networks • Extend UK Link system lifetime for a further 4-6 years • The Technology Refresh IS NOT an application re-write • No functionality changes to be implemented alongside upgrade

4. Progress since last update Key progress made since last update: • Successful conclusion of POC on 7th May • Installation and configuration of all servers at Peterborough Data Centre completed, installation at Wellingborough commenced • VPN Link established between Peterborough and Bangalore ODC (interim until WAN Links Delivered) enabling development activities to continue • Network Operations Centre (NOC) set up in Bangalore and all support tools selected • Interface and network design agreed with National Grid

5. Proof of Concept • Sign off of this milestone required successful deliveries across four areas • Confirmation of compatibility of selected hardware and software stack • Data Migration • Including compatibility testing of interface between Oracle v8i and v10g • Bulk data migration approach and application of Delta data migration updates • Upgrade of the development Toolset, AllFusion:Gen and Oracle Forms and Reports • Business Processes • Input and Output files processed correctly and generated as per current format • Online functionality same as now works on current desktop platform • Oracle Reports and Forms functionalities unaffected • Testing of at least one of each type of interface • Online screens and batch processes perform database updates as now

6. Overall Testing Approach • Full code migration and upgrade commenced (unit testing) • OAT – being done in 2 phases Jun ’07 – Jan ‘08 • OAT1 – machine build confirmation • OAT2 – performance testing, operational running against schedules, fall back and recovery testing, testing all associated support procedures, including those across NG data centres. • System testing to start : mid Aug - mid Oct • UAT : Nov – end Jan • to include Shipper Trials : late Nov - early Dec • Minimum of 2 further full scale trial migrations planned over summer period to allow for tuning • Dress rehearsal of cutover end Jan – early Feb

7. Shipper Trials • Only file routing tests to be executed, limited to sample files only • SPA files – inbound and outbound • Invoices – outbound, with inbound delivery receipt • Read files – outbound in case of data logger reads • Involvement optional • File test approach to be same as followed in past by other projects • Use test file naming convention, such as xxx01.TN123456.IDB • Shipper trials planned during UAT - late November / early December • Planning for this phase due in September

8. Cut-over and Implementation • Following POC, initial theoretical estimates for cut-over and implementation timescales produced based on: • Data volumes • Network Capacity • Reconciliation checks needed • Potential outage of 3 - 4 days currently • Detailed implementation planning activities commenced • Looking at cut-over activities and catch-up processing • Timescales being challenged, seeking alternative approaches and tuning to reduce outage • Minimum of 2 further full scale trial migrations planned over summer • 1 or 2 non-effective days may be needed

9. Cutover Approach • Data cutover • Likely to start 3 weeks in advance of main cutover, then will require “delta” data updates • This will have no effect upon the operational service • Final cutover starts 22nd/23rd February 2008 • REC invoice to be issued early on Friday 22nd – due dates will be unchanged • Other production runs on 22nd will be unchanged • Outage start time • Considering what is most beneficial overall to reduce total elapsed time needed for cut-over, catch-up and return to normal operation • Starting after Datalogger issue on Saturday 23rd seen as optimal start

10. High Level Timetable (Draft) • Invoices • Friday 22nd - REC Invoice issued early, due dates unchanged • Non-effective Days • Mon 25th Feb - Tuesday 26th Feb • Relief from DM Read liabilities Sun 24th – Weds 27th • Datalogger files • Issued from OLD UK Link Sat 23rd • Suspend daily issue of data logger files Sun 24th – Weds 27th • Issued from NEW UK Link Thursday 28th • Transfers • Last files processed 11pm Friday 22nd Feb on OLD UK Link • Next Transfer Run – Weds 27th Feb on NEW UK Link

11. Next Steps • Code migrations and initial testing activities to continue • Commissioning of Wellingborough Data Centre and WAN Links • Continue with more in depth Implementation Planning • Firm up on outage timings • Confirm non-effective days requirement • Understand catch-up and return to normal operation • Report back at August UKLC with formal notification of outage