ADMS Testing: Ensuring Success in Utility Modernization

(Post 2 of 3) ?? In our recent post, we introduced the transformative impact of Advanced Distribution Management Systems (ADMS) on modern electric utilities. Today, we explore the critical testing phases that ensure these systems perform flawlessly from inception through to deployment.

Rigorous ADMS testing is a comprehensive and ongoing process that extends from initial development through to final deployment and commissioning at the utility's site. This involves several testing phases tailored to the ADMS's complexity and its integration challenges within the existing utility systems:

• Functional/Unit Testing

--Specific to ADMS product build.

--Internal to ADMS provider, rarely shared with customer.

--Performed during ADMS development on Product Development System (PDS).

--Critical if ADMS requires extensive customization and/or enhancements not available in base product.

• Pre-Factory Acceptance Testing (Pre-FAT)

--Performed by ADMS provider on PDS using internal templates/data (Fantasy Island).

Alternatively, testing is conducted using customer’s converted DB and displays, if available.

--Validates functional requirements and test cases for upcoming FAT.

--Often covers comprehensive test cases limited to scope of ADMS product delivery.

--Encountered defects are often logged and prioritized for fixes by ADMS provider, not shared with customer.

• Factory Acceptance Testing

--Performed by customer with assistance from ADMS provider on PDS, often on ADMS provider’s site and with customer’s data/network model.

--Validates that contractual requirements are met by the delivered ADMS product.

--May include various FAT cycles if ADMS product delivery happens in multiple official releases.

--Resultant higher severity/criticality defects (level 1&2) must be resolved prior to upcoming SAT.

• Pre-Site Acceptance Testing (Pre-SAT)

--Performed by customer with supervision by ADMS provider, often on the Quality Assurance System (QAS) with customer’s data/network model and converted DB and displays, once shipped to customer’s site.

--May include:

Smoke Testing: checks/confirms the stability of the ADMS product build and connectivity of the critical functionalities.

Regression Testing: retests defects fixes from FAT.

• Site Acceptance Testing (SAT)

--Performed by customer with support from ADMS provider, often on the Production System (PRD) with customer’s live data and operational network model, on customer’s site.

--Often validates end-to-end To-Be business process workflows.

--May include field verification, with point-to-point testing of RTUs and supervisory controls.

--Makes sure that all ADMS components, data flows, interfaces, and communication paths function as designed/required.

--Resultant higher severity/criticality defects (level 1&2) must be resolved prior to official end and sign-off on SAT.

--Customer & ADMS provider to reach a consensus on prevailing lower severity/criticality defects (level 3&4).

• Site Integration Testing (SIT)

--Performed by customer with support by ADMS provider as needed, on PRD with customer’s live data and operational network model, on customer’s site.

--Tests ADMS’ interfaces to other operational and enterprise systems based on related requirements:

Data quality, transformation, flow, messaging, scheduling, and timing.

Event triggers.

--Often uses other manually initiated or automatic script-based tools that validate the interfaces.

• User Acceptance Testing (UAT)

--Performed by customer with support by ADMS provider as needed, on PRD with customer’s live data and operational network model, on customer’s site.

--Performed by end/business users to validate the final ADMS product meets the business requirements.

--Validates end-to-end data quality for end-to-end business processes.

--Occurs after all major integration tests are complete and all related business functions and business events have been integrated and tested.

• Performance Testing

--Performed by customer with support by ADMS provider as needed, on PRD with customer’s live data and operational network model, on customer’s site.

--Most often, the ADMS provider drafts and shares the performance test strategy and procedures with customer.

--Confirms that ADMS performance meets or exceeds pre-determined/required acceptable levels:

ADMS application outputs, processing speed, data transfer velocity, network bandwidth usage, maximum concurrent users, memory utilization, workload efficiency, command response times …etc..

• Availability Testing

--Performed by customer with support by ADMS provider as needed, on PRD with customer’s live data and operational network model, on customer’s site.

--Ensures availability of ADMS critical functions for specified times, such as:

-System uptime ≥ 99.95%

-Each ADMS server/device uptime ≥ 98%

--Duration of Availability Testing - often at customer’s discretion, for instance test could be conducted for the period of 1000 hours.

• Other Testing

--Regression Testing: validates correct operation after software is modified.

--Loading Testing: could be part of Performance Test, to validate ADMS’ adequate performance under prescribed loading requirements specific to customer’s operating conditions, such as Storm vs. Sunny-Day modes.

--Security Testing: identify security vulnerabilities and validate CIP compliance to NERC Information Security Policies.

--Operational Readiness Testing: validates the readiness of ADMS to move into production environment, e.g. testing of local and geographic fail-over, system, OS and application monitoring, and operational support processes.

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