Annie Griffith Infrastructure Programme Manager July 2007 UK Link Technology Refresh

UK Link Background  UK Link applications running since 1996, last Technology Refresh completed 2001  UK Link Risk Assessment Carried out in December 2004  UK Link lifespan indicated as 2008  UK Link ownership transferred to xoserve May 2005  UK Link performance deterioration identified 3rd Quarter 2005  3 Month UK Link Technology Feasibility Review sanctioned December 2005  Review recommended upgrade to hardware, database version & application toolset

Scope  Technology Refresh is an upgrade of the technical components that make up Sites and Meters and Invoicing systems  Technology refresh is essential to  Enable continued delivery of a reliable and robust set of UK Link systems  Allow xoserve to continue to provide services on behalf of Networks  Extend UK Link system lifetime for a further 4-6 years  The Technology Refresh IS NOT an application re-write  No functionality changes to be implemented alongside upgrade

Progress since last update Key progress made since last update:  Successful conclusion of POC on 7 th May  Installation and configuration of all servers at Peterborough Data Centre completed, installation at Wellingborough commenced  VPN Link established between Peterborough and Bangalore ODC (interim until WAN Links Delivered) enabling development activities to continue  Network Operations Centre (NOC) set up in Bangalore and all support tools selected  Interface and network design agreed with National Grid

Proof of Concept  Sign off of this milestone required successful deliveries across four areas 1.Confirmation of compatibility of selected hardware and software stack 2.Data Migration  Including compatibility testing of interface between Oracle v8i and v10g  Bulk data migration approach and application of Delta data migration updates 3.Upgrade of the development Toolset, AllFusion:Gen and Oracle Forms and Reports 4.Business Processes  Input and Output files processed correctly and generated as per current format  Online functionality same as now works on current desktop platform  Oracle Reports and Forms functionalities unaffected  Testing of at least one of each type of interface  Online screens and batch processes perform database updates as now

Overall Testing Approach  Full code migration and upgrade commenced (unit testing)  OAT – being done in 2 phases Jun ’07 – Jan ‘08  OAT1 – machine build confirmation  OAT2 – performance testing, operational running against schedules, fall back and recovery testing, testing all associated support procedures, including those across NG data centres.  System testing to start : mid Aug - mid Oct  UAT : Nov – end Jan  to include Shipper Trials : late Nov - early Dec  Minimum of 2 further full scale trial migrations planned over summer period to allow for tuning  Dress rehearsal of cutover end Jan – early Feb

Shipper Trials  Only file routing tests to be executed, limited to sample files only  SPA files – inbound and outbound  Invoices – outbound, with inbound delivery receipt  Read files – outbound in case of data logger reads  Involvement optional  File test approach to be same as followed in past by other projects  Use test file naming convention, such as xxx01.TN IDB  Shipper trials planned during UAT - late November / early December  Planning for this phase due in September

Cut-over and Implementation  Following POC, initial theoretical estimates for cut-over and implementation timescales produced based on:  Data volumes  Network Capacity  Reconciliation checks needed  Potential outage of days currently  Detailed implementation planning activities commenced  Looking at cut-over activities and catch-up processing  Timescales being challenged, seeking alternative approaches and tuning to reduce outage  Minimum of 2 further full scale trial migrations planned over summer  1 or 2 non-effective days may be needed

Cutover Approach  Data cutover  Likely to start 3 weeks in advance of main cutover, then will require “delta” data updates  This will have no effect upon the operational service  Final cutover starts 22 nd/ 23 rd February 2008  REC invoice to be issued early on Friday 22 nd – due dates will be unchanged  Other production runs on 22 nd will be unchanged  Outage start time  Considering what is most beneficial overall to reduce total elapsed time needed for cut-over, catch-up and return to normal operation  Starting after Datalogger issue on Saturday 23 rd seen as optimal start

High Level Timetable (Draft)  Invoices  Friday 22 nd - REC Invoice issued early, due dates unchanged  Non-effective Days  Mon 25 th Feb - Tuesday 26 th Feb  Relief from DM Read liabilities Sun 24 th – Weds 27 th  Datalogger files  Issued from OLD UK Link Sat 23 rd  Suspend daily issue of data logger files Sun 24 th – Weds 27 th  Issued from NEW UK Link Thursday 28 th  Transfers  Last files processed 11pm Friday 22 nd Feb on OLD UK Link  Next Transfer Run – Weds 27 th Feb on NEW UK Link

Next Steps  Code migrations and initial testing activities to continue  Commissioning of Wellingborough Data Centre and WAN Links  Continue with more in depth Implementation Planning  Firm up on outage timings  Confirm non-effective days requirement  Understand catch-up and return to normal operation  Report back at August UKLC with formal notification of outage