GIS in the Center: The Architecture Utilities Actually Operate On
Utilities often talk about “integrated systems,” but in practice most integrations already revolve around one platform: GIS. Not as a mapping tool—but as the operational system of record that defines how the grid actually exists. The reality behind the diagram The diagram in this post is closer to how utilities actually operate than most vendor slideware: flowchart TB GIS["GIS<br/>(Authoritative Network Model)"]:::center OPS["Operations<br/>OMS • ADMS/DMS • SCADA • Field"] --> GIS GIS --> PLAN["Planning & Analysis<br/>Engineering Studies • Distribution Planning"] GIS --> ENT["Enterprise & Customer<br/>EAM • CIS • AMI/MDMS • DERMS"] OPS -. "Operational feedback" .-> GIS PLAN -. "Planning updates" .-> GIS classDef center fill:#01696f,stroke:#0c4e54,color:#ffffff,stroke-width:2px; GIS is in the center as the system of record for the network model. OMS, ADMS, SCADA, DERMS, field, planning, asset, CIS, and AMI/MDMS all radiate out from that center. A few systems have dashed feedback loops back into GIS, where it makes sense to feed data and results into spatial and engineering analysis. ...