BTC Rolls Out First SERA Accelerator
The Smart Energy Reference Architecture Program includes the notion of creation of “accelerators” to speed solution deployment and realize SERA alignment values. SERA Accelerators also reduce partner and customer risk. The accelerator program derives off the formal definition of an accelerator used with BizTalk to describe an offering including bits (actual code), Users Guide, Installation Instructions, and any other reference material necessary for deployment. Typically this term is used for BizTalk adapters. 
BTC jumped to the top of the SERA Accelerator list with their formal roll-out of the BTC CIM Accelerator at the October 4th, 2011 SERA Advisory Council meeting, a gathering of partners and customers providing us with guidance on the next refinements to SERA.
BTC’s accelerator addresses one of the more complex challenges for integration within the Utility Operations and IT arena, namely the deployment of an Enterprise Service Bus in an Event Triggered Service Oriented Architecture using the IEC 61968/IEC 61970 Common Information Model. BTC rolled out a very elegant CIM Accelerator for joining Microsoft BizTalk 2010 and the CIM which has the promise of significantly reducing CIM ESB deployment time, cost, and risk.
The BTC CIM Accelerator includes a methodology and tooling for defining messages and automation of the process for creation of XML schema XSD so that tailored CIM compliant message definition can be created easily. One of the most elegant parts of the solution is the ability to mostly automate the creation of CIM compliant messages and attributes for conversion and connection to proprietary legacy applications reducing implementation risk and long term maintenance costs!
There was substantial interest at the SERA Advisory Council in the new offering because it addresses many of the more challenging and complex issues involved in CIM oriented deployments. The solution is elegant and complete – it even implements a CIM bus Business Activity Monitor for CIM traffic. BTC SERA Advisory Council member Till Luhmann of BTC surprised the attendees when he presented the overall BTC SERA Compliant CIM Accelerator multi-year program. Clearly this is a solution that has been lacking in the industry and BTC has made a substantial contribution to the SERA Accelerator Program and the industry with this new offering. The offering is available to partners and customers through BTC Oldenburg. For more information, contact BTC at cimaccelerator@btc-ag.com. - Larry Cochrane