Implementing Power

Factory in a Cloud
Computing Platform

DIgSILENT TSO User Group Meeting

Murray Yelland, May 2023

Contents History, Background and Usage of Power Factory

Architecture

Implementation of Architecture in Microsoft Azure

Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)

Azure SQL

Storage

Client and User Experience

Future Developments
History, Background and Usage of Power Factory
Background: • Overall National Grid Group is restructuring.
• National Grid’s IS delivery model is project based.
• Upgrades are projects. e.g. PF2019 – PF2022 is a project.
• Maintenance of separate systems is contracted out to separate companies.
• Only basic maintenance, such as, patching re-install and hardware maintenance are performed on
equipment between projects.

Focus on the cloud based solution (Azure) from the perspective of “Lead” Power Factory user.

Project is still in flight so presentation is not a complete picture yet.

Usage: Multiple models: Planning model, Electricity Ten Year Statement (long term model),
generator compliance models …
Database is 2 to 3 TB.
ESO has 175 floating licences (split between ESO and TO).
More than 100 users per day.
Architecture
Former Citrix Environment

• Two sites “Datacentre A” (Primary) and Datacentre B

“Datacentre B” – National Grid rented rack Datacentre A
space. (Physical separation)
RMS
• Streaming replication between the two (File & SQL)
Ratings

Oracle DBs (on AIX) + DB backup. IEMS

Citrix Windows (FILE)
SCADA

Server Server
• 1 AIX server running Oracle 10. Xeon
DEAF / EFS
Demand
(SQL Net)

Interface
Layer
SPICE/EBS
• 12 Bare metal Xeon machines with (File/?)
Generation

Windows server provided the platform for PF 2019 Contracted

GENVARS
Power Factory. (Web Services)
Generation Var
Capabilities

• Licence server was dongle based and a Business LAN AIX Unix
separate machine. Licence Server Shared
with Dongles Network
Storage
• Multiple routes into National Grid.

• Site also supplied other services such as Replication to other

Oracle Datacentre
general usage SMB shares.
Implementation of Architecture in Microsoft Azure

• Logical structure versus physical structure. • Positives

• Latencies to PaaS services increased. • Hardware is maintained.
• Replication of storage superior in terms of data protection • Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) compatible with Windows 10.
but there is a performance penalty. Backup with web browser.
Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS)
The virtual machines
• 15 VMs running Windows Server 2019.
• Intel 8370 (Ice Lake) Cores 128MB (E16s v5)
• 128GB memory
• https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/vm-selector/ https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/details/virtual-machines/series/
• General purpose machine.
• Cost is loaded here.

• Virtualization software is VMWare.

• Storage: Azure Blob

• One OS drive, drive for pagefile, drive for DIgSILENT. Storage
• Reasonable prices.
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-gb/pricing/details/storage/page-blobs/

Security: If there are performance issues check the security measures that are being implemented on the machine.
 Azure SQL
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/azure-sql/database/

Azure SQL: Azure SQL is not Microsoft SQL (MSSQL).

Please check with DIgSILENT about support database platforms.

• Azure SQL is closely related to MSSQL (same engine).

• Limitations to prevent administrators from breaching Microsoft’s Service Level Agreement (SLA).
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/azure-sql/managed-instance/transact-sql-tsql-differences-sql-
server?view=azuresql
• Database is also encrypted.

Database Migration: Oracle to MSSQL

• DIgSILENT written tool to export Oracle to MSSQL.
• Production database was cloned to a development
system.
• 2 – 3 day process on a 2 to 3TB Database.
 Azure SQL
Platform as a Service (PaaS)
https://azure.microsoft.com/en-us/products/azure-sql/database/ En

The Problem is Latency not Bandwidth

Any increase in latency is inherent to the implementation.
Latency is very difficult if not impossible to address.

Two optimizations occurred at the same time.

• Added database indexing.
• DIgSILENT backported “Clear Unresolved References.”
• Project activation occurs in two phases.
• A bulk phase,
• Sequence of smaller requests. There was a number of unresolved
references in the database that were resulting in longer project
activations.

Activation of Derived Master Activation Times

Before optimization 8 – 10 mins (few high time outliers)

After optimization 3 – 4 mins (slightly slower than former Oracle system)

Storage
Shared file storage/not VM drives
Inherited Requirement:
• Requirement was for fully backed up shared storage (15 min lag)
• The storage solution was previously for general persistent storge.
• New design the storage is really only for file transfer and storage of result and log files.

• Above requirements limit storage selection.

• Standard storage – Storage is replicated across regions but is slow. Premium storage does not meet the replication requirements.
• Alternative solutions like NetApp is a possibility. Cost?
 Client and User Experience
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Client – Remote Desktop App
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/whats-new-client-windows

• Configured for 13 users per VM (Max 14 per VM). 13 x 15VMs = 195 (175 Power Factory Licences /
• Limited to maximum of 210 Azure Virtual Environment (AVD) client licences.

• Issues (General)
• There is no easy way for the user to log themselves
out.
• Users are timed out of their VM session.
• Backend tools – Can’t sort users by idle time.
• Users can become “trapped” on a unresponsive
VM.

• AVD runs on the Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

• Users can run the “Remote Desktop Connection”
application.
 Client and User Experience
Azure Virtual Desktop (AVD) Client – Remote Desktop App
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/virtual-desktop/whats-new-client-windows

• AVD Application Client

• Difficult to report issues.
• Some issues with the Z-order of Windows.
• Windows become unresponsive (not an application
crash)
• Busy/pointer icon can inaccurate.
• Windows minimization/rendering issue.
• Multi-session usage can be problematic.
• Some odd issues with the colour of Windows
borders.

• AVD Web Client

• Slower because of routes to VM. Also it is rendering
in a web browser.
• Limited to the browser window.
Future Developments

Storage upgrades: Migration to Premium storage is underway currently.

Possible migration to NetApp in the future possible.

New VMs: Reduce the number of VMs from 15 down to 10-12 while increasing the core count on the machines.

Database Optimization: DB expert to check over our current optimizations.

Greater Dynamic use of VMs: Spin VMs up as required rather than having VMs full