How the Stacuity platform supports smart metering solutions
1. Enhanced security and reliability through off-net traffic
By routing smart meter data directly to the utility’s backend systems via private networks (using our VSlice functionality), Stacuity creates a secure and reliable communication channel that bypasses the public Internet, a security weak spot. This drastically reduces the attack surface for cyber threats targeting the smart meter infrastructure.
2. Gain remote access to smart meter devices delivering faster fault resolution and minimised downtime
Our remote access feature enables the ability to securely SSH or access web interfaces on individual smart meters directly through the Stacuity Portal, offering a powerful remote management capability. This significantly streamlines maintenance, diagnostics, and troubleshooting. Instead of costly and time-consuming physical site visits, utility engineers can remotely access and monitor the entire network of meters from a central location.
Additionally, this removes the need for fixed public IP addresses from devices, reducing the attack surface, minimising the risk of cyber tasks and lowering associated remote access security costs.
3. Meet data sovereignty and low latency requirements
Through access to our globally distributed network of packet gateways (P-GWs), energy firms can ensure that smart meter data remain within the defined geographic boundaries.
This addresses potential concerns around data leaving the jurisdiction, ensuring compliance with local regulations. Furthermore, keeping data traffic local minimises latency, which is vital for real-time applications like demand response, grid monitoring, and timely alerts based on meter readings. Quicker data transfer means faster reaction times.
4. Real-time monitoring & diagnostics
Stacuity empowers utility providers with unprecedented control and visibility over their smart meter network through robust real-time monitoring and diagnostic capabilities:
Immediate fault investigation with packet capture
The ability to self-serve, real-time packet captures, eliminates the delays associated with dependence on third-party operators. Providers can also export this data into their preferred analysis tools for further investigation.
Whether it’s an intermittent connectivity drop, a misconfiguration, or a potential hardware issue, the ability to “see” the network traffic in real-time accelerates diagnosis and minimises. service disruptions.
Network event alerts
Gain granular network visibility of 50+ network event alerts, with the ability to self-subscribe and create webhooks and APIs. This detailed visibility, typically only available to the network operator, empowers utilities to gain a far more nuanced understanding of their smart meter network’s health and performance. By monitoring key network events in real-time, utilities can identify potential problems before they escalate into service-affecting outages.
5. Secure data storage using an edge key-value store
Stacuity’s secure edge key-value store allows smart meters to locally store sensitive data without transmitting it over the internet immediately. This adds a critical layer of security for sensitive customer data collected by the smart meters, such as consumption patterns.
By decoupling the immediate transmission of this data from backend systems, Stacuity enables more resilient and secure data handling. Even if there’s a temporary network disruption, critical data can be securely stored locally until connectivity is restored. This also allows for asynchronous data processing, potentially reducing the load on backend systems during peak data transmission periods.
