Utility Business Services, IncUtility Business Services, Inc.Chris Walsh, Senior Systems Architect

cwalsh@nui.com

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

Before (and After)

teamwork teamwork

thatthat

delivers!delivers!

teamwork teamwork

thatthat

delivers!delivers!

After

Utility Business Services, IncUtility Business Services, Inc.1085 Morris Ave, Union NJ 07083

(908) 289-9433

ubs@nui.com

Chris Walsh, Senior Systems Architect

cwalsh@nui.com

Thank you! Thank you!

Q & A Q & A

DemonstrationDemonstration