Smart Grid Communications Network Planning Services
     
  A planning tool has been developed in the 2010-2011 time frame based on a series of Use Cases established by the SG Networks Task Force within the Open SG Users Group. This organization is tasked by NIST with the requirements definition of the Wireless Communications requirements for the Smart Grid. (http://osgug.ucaiug.org/default.aspx)

For each Use Case, every conceivable message has been catalogued, along with the payload size in bytes, security requirements, source actor, target actor, frequency of transmission, time of day when transmitted, and other parameters. The end result is a database containing over 8000 records that can be queried in analyzing a particular requirement or data need. In a very real sense, it is a work in progress as new Use Cases are constantly being added to the database.

In the following screen, the Actor-Actor connections exist at the Application Level (Level 7) in the Open Systems Interface (OSI) protocol stack. 
 
     
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  This tool will  serve as the starting point in any Aurastar Smart Grid Network Planning project.  A particular study may require expansion if desired Use Cases are not yet present. Wireless, microwave and satellite tools will be used to address specific communications paths and area coverages.