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Cisco continues global Smart Grid momentum with launch of Smart Grid Ecosystem

SAN JOSE, CA — Cisco today announced further steps in its efforts to enable development of an end-to-end, highly secure Smart Grid communications infrastructure that will help utility companies and their customers optimize energy supply and demand, improve smart grid security and reliability, and reduce operational costs.

Cisco is creating the Cisco Smart Grid Ecosystem to facilitate the adoption of Internet Protocol (IP)-based communications standards for smart grids that will benefit the energy industry as well as business and residential customers. The members of the Cisco Smart Grid ecosystem include system integrators, technology vendors, power and utility integrators, service providers, and services and sales vendors who represent various elements of the Smart Grid infrastructure.

Ecosystem members will work with Cisco to support interoperability testing and enable industry migration to an IP-based infrastructure for smart grids and energy management applications, all the way from generation to businesses and homes. This effort will help reduce the cost and complexity of deploying multivendor smart grid communications infrastructure solutions for both utility companies and ecosystem members.

The initial list of companies that are part of this open ecosystem includes: Accenture, AeroScout, Arcadian Networks, AREVA T&D, Cable&Wireless Worldwide, Capgemini, Coleman Technologies, EMC, Echelon, EnergyHub, GE, GridPoint, Infosys Technologies, Itron, Landis + Gyr, OATI, Oracle, OSIsoft, Pulse Energy, Proximetry, Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC), SecureLogix, Schneider Electric, Siemens, Skyline-ATS, Telvent, Verizon, Watteco, Wipro, and World Wide Technology, Inc.

Cisco is working with utility customers around the world to define and develop intelligent, highly secure communication architectures for electrical systems. To facilitate this, the company has formed a Smart Grid Technical Advisory Board (TAB) made up of leading innovative utility and energy companies from around the world. The TAB will help Cisco align its service, support and product direction to its customers' specific business and mission requirements.  It will give customers the opportunity to influence Cisco Smart Grid product and solution development road maps through a technology-focused forum.
In support of its Smart Grid efforts, Cisco is introducing grid security services and solutions.

Cisco is also providing smart grid security services and solutions that deliver a unified approach to help ensure the physical security, cyber security and reliability of the electric system. These solutions are delivered through a set of professional services that take advantage of Cisco's security leadership and experience in designing and building end-to-end security architectures, and help utilities address regulatory compliance requirements, as well as provide critical infrastructure security for grid operations, systems, data and assets.

Cisco security services include utility compliance assessment, physical site security vulnerability assessment, grid security architecture design, as well as physical and networking security design and deployment.

In addition to all of this, Cisco has joined the ZigBee Alliance to help drive the adoption of IP-based communications. As the leader in IP architecture, Cisco will support and participate in the development of ZigBee Smart Energy public application profile technology and products.

"Cisco is making important strides toward enabling an end-to-end, highly secure Smart Grid communications infrastructure that will help utilities, business and consumers better manage and reduce energy consumption," says Marthin de Beer, senior vice president, Cisco Emerging Technologies Group. "Together with our partners, and with input from utilities around the world, we will develop open, IP-based solutions that will help make the Smart Grid and all of its benefits a reality."

"The ZigBee Alliance is pleased to have Cisco join our efforts to build the Smart Grid," says Benno Ritter, vice president of Marketing and Business, ZigBee Alliance. "Cisco is a leader in IP-based technology and that expertise will help ZigBee expand its wireless IP based deployment options."

To view a VOD of Marthin de Beer discussing Cisco's Smart Grid strategy: tools.cisco.com/cmn/jsp/index.jsp?id=91892
For information on the new General Manager of Cisco's Smart Grid Business Unit: blogs.cisco.com/news
For more information on Cisco's Smart Grid strategy: www.cisco.com/go/smartgrid
Cisco Ecolibrium blog: blogs.cisco.com/green

September 17, 2009  By Newswire