System Integration Made Easy
With XSI, utilities can create a holistic integrator layer with these key features:
- Robust Adaptor Connector Library
- Robotic Process Automation (RPA)
- Unified IT and OT Management
With XSI, utilities can create a holistic integrator layer with these key features:
Today’s digital utilities require a system integration solution that can untangle existing integrations while supporting the integration of any new IT or OT systems. Previous approaches to system integration used middleware and complex point-to-point interfaces that resulted in lengthy, costly and high-risk integration projects.
3Insys approaches integration as a product, not a continual custom integration project. With Cross System Integrator (XSI), utilities can create a holistic integration layer on-premises or in a cloud-based architecture without the risk, complexity or cost of custom integration work.
Cross System Integrator delivers an end-to-end approach to system integration, addressing the needs of IT applications in the enterprise environment and OT devices in the field. The IT/OT convergence reduces risk, shortens implementation time, increases operational efficiency, and reduces integration costs.
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XSI unifies the provisioning, configuration, management, and control capabilities of all fixed IoT, IIoT, and mobile devices into one platform.
XSI integrates applications in the IT environment using a plug-and-play approach regardless of their platform or location.
Cross System Integrator (XSI) uses agile integration through a microservices architecture, separating operations into discrete modules. Agile provides tremendous benefits over the monolithic and Services-Oriented Architectures (SOA) used by middleware and ESBs. A microservices approach delivers increased reliability, better scalability and faster deployments across the entire integration scope. Agile integration also allows for greater flexibility in technology choice and reduced maintenance, resulting in improved uptime and productivity.
ACL provides an extensive library of connectors for all applications in the enterprise environment. Connectors have been created for utility and smart city applications and enable them to be integrated quickly in a plug-and-play approach.
Connectors for applications include:
If a connector is required for an application that isn’t in the ACL, 3Insys can develop it. API adapters support the REST, SOAP, XML, gPRC, and GraphQL protocols.
RPA drives operational efficiency throughout the company by enabling manual business processes to be automated quickly and easily. Business processes are automated using a point-and-click graphical menu or using an intelligent process recorder.
RPA supports on-premises, cloud, or hybrid architectures, all major web browsers, HTML5, Java, Microsoft, .NET, WPF, Silverlight, Citrix, Terminal Emulation, and OCR engines.
The Cross System Integrator provides users with independence and control by ”decoupling” the applications from the application vendors. Once connected to the XSI , users can configure data flows between applications without involving the application vendors. In addition, Application Decoupling provides the freedom to add or remove applications at any time since the business logic and data flow configurations are centralized in the XSI , not in the applications.
The Cross System Integrator simplifies the cumbersome task of analyzing the log and event files from multiple systems when trying to find the cause leading up to an event. XSI can pull log and event files from each system and combine them into a centralized log file, thus simplifying the analysis process.
In addition to the core features and value provided by the Cross System Integrator, XSI supports key functions that make up its architecture including. Transaction Management, Service Orchestration, Transport Protocol Conversion, Message Enhancement, Microservices, Service Mapping, Message Transformation, Routing, and Process Choreography.
The Cross System Integrator centralizes business processes that were previously distributed across IT applications. When applications are required to communicate with other applications, vendors add custom code to their applications that defined the business process of when, how, and what information to communicate with the other applications. XSI centralizes business processes, untangles applications, and gives companies the freedom to add, remove, or change applications without risk.
The Cross System Integrator uses standards-based protocols and APIs to ensure long-term interoperability among different manufacturers. IT protocols and APIs include REST, JSON, SOAP, JDBC, MultiSpeak, JMS, HTTPS, XML, and more.
The architecture of the Cross System Integrator is based on microservices, which deploys each internal capability as an independent, self-contained service running its own processes. Each service runs and operates independently of every other service.
Compared to previous approaches that integrated each service into one large intertwined application, deploying each capability as a microservice increases the reliability of the solution by preventing problems in one service from affecting other services. Microservices are tested, deployed, and managed through an Advanced Microservices Integrator.
Cross System Integrator (XSI) simplifies the integration of Operational Technology (OT) into any utility. XSI unifies device identification, discovery, provisioning, and configuration processes – making it easy to add any device type to a utility’s operations. In addition, XSI supports all major device protocols allowing IT application to communicate and obtain data directly from OT devices in the field.
As companies deploy IoT/IIoT field devices and mobile devices as part of their digital transformation, XSI simplifies the provisioning, configuration, management, and monitoring of these devices by incorporating these functions into a single unified platform.
The Cross System Integrator can communicate directly to the IoT, IIoT, and mobile devices in the field to obtain their performance statistics, health, configuration, and other information using a device’s native communication protocols. Communication with the devices using their native protocols is independent of the communications network or device deployment architecture used.
IIoT Protocols: DNP3, Modbus, BACNET, TALQ, LonWorks
IoT Protocols: IMQTT, MQTT-SN, AMQP, XMPP, STOMP, CoAP, DDS
Communications: Wired, WiFi, Cellular, Bluetooth, Zigbee, Zwave, LoRaWAN, NFC.
Ensuring device identities are trusted before enabling connectivity is imperative. The Cross System Integrator eliminates the complexity of having multiple systems to manage each type of device by bringing the security, authentication, and authorization of the edge devices to a single centralized platform.
Information drives intelligent decisions, and the Cross System Integrator enables IT applications to communicate DIRECTLY to the OT devices. Applications are no longer restricted to communicating with other applications for data from the field devices, which could contain outdated information. Enabling applications to communicate directly with the field devices ensures the right information is delivered to the right application at the right time.
XSI simplifies the management of OT devices and makes it easy to discover and add devices to their respective applications using industry standard product identification schemes and discovery protocols.
Identification schemes supported include Barcode, Electronic Product Code (EPC), Uniform Resource Identifier (URI), IPv6, and ucode. Discovery protocols supported include UPnP, mDNS, Physical Web, DNS-SD, and SSDP.
XSI eliminates the complexity users face when having to analyzing the myriad of log and event files related to incidents by collecting the files from each device and combining the data into a structured format. An effective log and event management solution improves security by delivering forensic visibility to anomalies, which can help create preventative strategies.
Having in-depth knowledge on the performance of your integration system’s infrastructure is important to delivering high levels of service. 3Insys provides a portfolio of analytics to ensure optimum performance.
Key Performance Analytics include:
Users can create or use pre-defined dashboards to monitor system performance, track trends, and set alerts to identify unusual behaviors or unexpected problems within the system and APIs.
The Cross System Integrator supports holistic and out-of-the-box integrations for new and legacy applications, APIs, web services, processes, events, and data through a library of pre-built connectors, adapters, and workflow capsules.
XSI imparts solution-wide agility and scalability for applications and services that can be deployed in physical, virtualized, or containerized environments.
Cross System Integrator [XSI] is part of 3Insys Integration Suite and was designed as a modular solution to address the system integration requirements for utilities and smart cities. XSI can be used as a standalone product or integrate seamlessly with both Cross Security Manager [XSM] and Cross Data Integrator [XDI] to deliver a complete end-to-end integration solution or as a standalone solution.
Utility specific connectors make Integration of applications plug-and-play
Manages data flows which simplifies identifying patterns and trends
Manages data flows which simplifies identifying patterns and trends
Leverages advancements in robotics to automate business processes without complexity
Leverages advancements in robotics to automate business processes without complexity
Data pipelines and data transformation in support of analytical use case
