MX2009002249A - Orchestration manager. - Google Patents

Abstract

Disclosed are apparatus and methodology subject matters for controlling the allocation of system nodes to a variable number of communication servers in an Advanced Metering System (AMS). An Orchestration Manager is provided through which all requests for end-device communications are routed. The Orchestration Manager periodically rebalances node assignments to reallocate nodes among communication servers in order to maintain data collection efficiency and in order to redistribute end devices from a failed communication server, or to otherwise adjust for the addition of a newly activated communication server.

Description

ORQUESTATION ADMINISTRATOR PRIORITY CLAIM This application claims the benefit of the previously filed and provisional patent application of the United States of America entitled "ADMI ISTRADOR DE ORQUESTACIÓN" to which it was assigned as Application No. 60 / 841,631, filed on August 31, 2006, and which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present technology generally refers to utility meters. More particularly, in the context of an advanced measurement infrastructure, the present technology is partly relevant in relation to apparatuses and methodology to control the assignment of system nodes to a variable number of communication servers to provide system redundancy and escalation.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The general purpose of metrology is to monitor one or more selected physical phenomena to allow a record of monitored events. Such a basic purpose of Metrology can be applied to a variety of measurement devices used in a number of contexts. A large area of measurement refers, for example, to utility meters. Such a role may also specifically include in such a context, monitoring the consumption or production of a variety of energy form or other items, for example, including but not limited to electricity, water, gas or oil.

More particularly with respect to electricity meters, the mechanical forms of the registers have historically been used to collect accumulated electricity consumption data. Such an approach provided a relatively reliable field device, especially for the relatively low or basic level task of simply monitoring the accumulated kilowatt-hour consumption.

The previous basic mechanical form of recording was typically limited in its output model so that only a very basic or lower level metrology function was achieved. Subsequently, electronic forms of metrology devices began to be introduced to allow relatively higher levels of surveillance, involving different forms and modes of data.

In the context of electricity meters specifically for a variety of management purposes and Billing, it was desirable to obtain usage data beyond the reading of basic kilowatt-hour consumption available for many electricity meters. For example, additional desired data include the rate of electricity consumption, or the date and time of consumption (so-called "time of use" data). The solid state devices provided on the printed circuit boards, for example, using programmable integrated circuit components have provided effective tools for implementing many of such superior level monitoring functions desired in the context of an electricity meter.

In addition to the beneficial introduction of electronic forms of metrology, a variety of electronic records have been introduced with certain advantages. Still further, other forms of data output have been introduced and are beneficial for certain applications, including wireline transmissions, data output through radio frequency transmission, data pulse output and telephone line connection. through modems or cellular links.

The advent of such variety and alternatives has often required that utilities make choices about the technologies they will use. Such selections have been made from time to time based on preference and philosophical points and / or based on Practical points such as training and knowledge of specific designs by field staff.

Another aspect of the progression of technology in such an area of metrology is that several improvements arrangements have been instituted. For example, some attempts have been made to provide measurement devices with more advanced features selected without having to complete the change or replace the basic meter in the field. For example, attempts have been made to equip a basically mechanical measuring device with an electronic data output, such as to compliment radio telemetry links.

Another aspect of the electricity meter industry is that utility companies have large-scale requirements, sometimes involving literally millions of individual meter installations or data points. The implementation of incremental changes in technology, such as improving new features within an existing equipment, or trying to implement changes to basic components that make several components not interchangeable with other configurations already in the field can generate considerable industry problems.

The electricity meters typically include the input circuits to receive the voltage and current signals in the electrical service. The circuit of input of any type or specific design to decide electrical service current signals is mentioned here generally as a current acquisition circuit, while the input circuit of any type or design for receiving electrical service voltage signals is mentioned here generally as a voltage acquisition circuit.

The electricity meter input circuit can be provided with capabilities to monitor one or more phases, depending on whether the monitoring is to be provided in a single or multi-phase environment. In addition, it is desirable that the selectively configured circuit be provided so as to allow the provision of new, alternate or improved services or processing capabilities within an existing measurement device. Such variations in desired surveillance environments lead to the requirement that a number of different metrology configurations be designed to accommodate the number of phases required or desired to be monitored or to provide an additional or enhanced alternative processing capability within of a utility utility meter.

More recently a new ANSI protocol, the ANSI C12.22 protocol, is being developed which can be used to allow open protocol communications among the metrology devices of various manufacturers. C12.22 is the designation of the most recent subclass of the ANSI C12.xx family of data communications standards currently under development. The standards currently defined include ANSI C12.18 relating to protocol specifications for type 2 optical ports; ANSI C12.19 in relation to definitions of Meter Data Table of the Public Services Industry; and ANSI C12.21 in relation to a simply old Telephone Service Transport (POTS) of a data table definition C12.19. It should be appreciated that even though the rest of the present discussion may describe C12.22 as a standard protocol, that at least at the time of submitting this application, such a protocol is still being developed so that the present description is currently intended to describe an open protocol that can be used as a communication protocol for network metrology and is mentioned for discussion purposes as standard C12.22 or protocol C12.22.

Protocol C12.22 is an application layer protocol which provides the transport of data tables C12.19 on any network medium. Current standards for protocol C12.22 include: authentication and coding characteristics; the management methodology that provides sonic identifiers for corporate entities, communication and end devices; the self-description data models; and the routing of messages over heterogeneous networks.

Much of how the HTTP protocol provides a common application layer for network scanners, C12.22 provides a common application layer for measurement devices. The benefits of using such a standard include the provision of: a methodology for both session and session-less communications; common data encryption and security; and the common address mechanism for use on both proprietary and non-proprietary network media; the interoperation between measurement devices within a common communication environment; the integration system with third-party devices through common interfaces and gate abstraction; both 2-way and one-way communications with end devices; and improved security; reliability and speed to transfer meter data over heterogeneous networks.

To understand why public service entities are very interested in open protocol communications, the process and the ease of sending emails from a laptop computer or a smartphone should be considered. Internet providers depend on the use of open protocols to provide the email service. Emails are sent and received whenever the addresses are valid of email, the mail boxes are not full and the communication paths are functional. The majority of email users have the option to choose between several Internet providers and several technologies, from dial-up to cellular to broadband, depending mostly on cost, speed and mobility. The email addresses are in a common format, and the protocols ask the email to be carried by the communication carriers without changing the email. The open protocol set in the ANSI C12.22 standard provides the same opportunity to measure communications over networks.

In addition, the desire for increased processing capacity as well as other considerations including, but not limited to, a desire to provide scale and redundancy, leads to requirements to provide adequate communication capabilities to a significant number of meters that can be installed over a significant area. often covering many square miles, such as in the advanced measurement infrastructure environment.

As such, it is desired to provide a relatively more universal metrology technology and associated methodologies allow scaling and redundancy within metrology systems, including those that subsist, as part or It works with an advanced measurement infrastructure environment.

Although several aspects of alternate additions may be known in the utility services measurement field, no design has emerged that generally encompasses the aforementioned characteristics and other desired characteristics associated with utility measurement technology as presented herein.

SYNTHESIS OF THE INVENTION In view of the recognized features found in the prior art and mentioned by the specific subject present, improved methodologies and apparatuses have been provided to control the provision of a network system or nodes to a variable number of communication servers, such as to advantageously provide redundancy and escalation of system.

In example arrays, the apparatus and methodologies are provided to allow load balancing from within the collection engine.

In one of the simplest forms, the present technology provides a periodic rebalancing of server loads to optimize data collection.

One possible aspect of such a present rebalancing is that it improves the opportunities to make contact with the end devices and to read data from such end devices.

Another positive aspect of such a present rebalancing is that it advantageously improves the opportunities to receive the exception reports from the end devices.

The specific subject matter present refers to an orchestration administrator to distribute the utility meter data communications function across multiple servers. Such an orchestration manager may preferably comprise a master relay configured to register and authenticate multiple communication nodes associated with one or more restrictive utility meters and to assign the communication function associated with such multiple communication nodes to a plurality of communication servers; and a plurality of communication servers configured to communicate with at least a selected part of such multiple communication nodes, with each communication server configured to send and receive network communications and to acquire meter data from such multiple communication nodes. .

In various present alternatives of such exemplary orchestration administrator of the specific subject, each such communication server may preferably comprise a host of meter communications configured to send and receive network communications; a data control program configured to receive the meter data from the respective utility service meters associated with the communication node; and an exception event manager configured to receive the exception events from the respective utility meters associated with a communication node.

In still further alternatives present, such a meter communications host may be configured to communicate in accordance with a standard meter communications protocol.

In addition to the present alternatives, such a master relay may be configured to periodically assign the communication functionality associated with such multiple communication nodes to such a plurality of communication servers, such as to periodically perform load rebalancing between said plurality of communication servers. , and further configured to redistribute the communication nodes from the failed communication server to an active one of such a plurality of communication servers; and to copy to another location the status information for the one or more respective meters associated with the respective communication nodes previously in communication with a failed communication server.

Another example embodiment present relates to an advanced measurement system for controlling the location of network nodes in a utility measurement environment to a variable number of servers, such as to effect efficient utility meter data communications. Such an advanced measurement system may preferably include a plurality of end devices, at least some of which of those end devices comprise the metrology devices; and a network including a central facility that has a collection engine including an orchestration manager to distribute the data communications functionalities of the metrology device through multiple servers.

In various alternatives of such advanced measurement system, such system may include the multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters, which may include at least one communication node operating over a radio network and at least a communication node operating on a communication network operating on a radio network and at least one communication node operating on an electric power line (PLC) communication network.

It will be understood that other example embodiments present also refer to various methodologies, with one such example present in relation to a method for controlling the assignment of network nodes in a utility measurement environment to a variable number of servers, as to perform efficient utility meter data communications. Such an example present method may more particularly include the steps of: identifying a plurality of communication nodes, each communication node being associated with one or more respective utility service meters; assigning to the respective selected servers the communication functionality associated with the respective selected parts of the plurality of communication nodes; and performing two-way communication between each selected part of the plurality of communication nodes and their respective assigned server, wherein such two-way communication is carried out in accordance with a standard meter communication protocol.

Other example methodologies present may include the above and further comprise a step of receiving the meter data from the respective utility meters associated with each communication node, a step to receive the exception event data from the respective associated utility meters. with each node communication, and upon receiving the exception event data indicate the failure of one or more of the servers, redistribute the communication nodes from being assigned to a failed server to be assigned to an active one of the plurality of servers.

Still other example methodologies present and various alternatives present may involve a step of copying to another state of location the information for one or more respective meters associated with the respective communication nodes previously in communication with a failed server; practice the previous reference assignment step on a periodic basis, such as to perform a periodic load rebalance between the plurality of servers; or carry out an additional step of following up actions concurrently in progress on the plurality of servers; or a step of matching and authenticating each of the plurality of communication nodes.

Still another positive aspect of the present specific subject is that the present balancing features also redistribute the end devices of failed communication servers to other active servers and to recently activated servers. In the relevant part in such aspects, the present technology (particularly when implemented in a type arrangement of "Orchestra Administrator"), also functions advantageously as a host ANSI C12.22 standard notification when operating to coordinate the match related to the processing on the communication servers.

The additional objects and advantages of the present specific matter are set forth or will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art of the detailed description herein. It should also be appreciated that the modifications and variations to the characteristics, elements and steps preferred and discussed and specifically illustrated can be practiced in several incorporations of uses of the present specific subject without departing from the spirit and scope of such specific matter. Variations may include, but are not limited to, the substitution of equivalent means, features or steps for those illustrated, referred to and discussed, and the functional, operational or positional reversal of various parts, features, steps or the like.

Still further, it is understood that the different embodiments, as well as the different currently preferred embodiments, of the present specific material may include, various combinations or configurations of the features currently described, of the steps or elements or their equivalents including combinations of characteristics , parts, or steps or configurations thereof not expressly shown in the figures or declared in the detailed description of such figures. The additional additions of the present specific matter not necessarily expressed in the synthesis section, may include and incorporate various combinations of features aspects, components or steps mentioned in the objects synthesized above, and / or other component characteristics or undiscussed steps of another way in this application. Those with ordinary skill in the art will better appreciate the features of aspects of such additions and others with review of the rest of the description.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A complete and enabling description of the present specific subject, including the best mode thereof directed to one with an ordinary skill in the art, as stated in the description which refers to the attached figures in which: Figure 1 is an overview illustration of the block diagram of an advanced measurement system (A S) according to the present specific subject; Y Figure 2 illustrates a block diagram of the components of a collection engine according to an example embodiment of the present specific subject.

The repeated use of the reference characters through the present description and the attached drawings is intended to represent the same or analogous characteristics, elements or steps of the present specific subject.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED INCORPORATIONS As discussed in the synthesis section of the invention, the present specific subject is particularly referred to an improved apparatus and methodologies for controlling the assignment of a system nodes to a variable number of communication servers, such as to advantageously provide escalation and redundancy in the system.

The combinations of selected aspects of the described technology correspond to a plurality of different embodiments of the present specific material. It should be noted that each of the example additions presented and discussed here should not imply limitations of the present specific subject. In addition, the features or steps illustrated or described are part of an embodiment can be used in combination with aspects of another embodiment to give even additional additions. In addition, certain features may be exchanged with similar devices or features not expressly mentioned which perform the same or similar function.

Reference will be made in detail to the currently preferred embodiments of the apparatus and object firmware download methodologies. Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is an illustration of a block diagram of an advanced measurement system (AMS) generally indicated with the number 100 according to the present specific subject.

The advanced measurement system (AMS) 100 according to the present specific subject is designed to be a comprehensive system for providing information and advanced measurement applications to utility services. The advanced measurement system 100 is built around the industry's standard protocols and transports, and is designed to work with components that meet third-party standards.

The main components of the advanced measurement system 100 include such as the respective example meters 142,144,146,148,152,154,156 and 158 and one or more radio networks including the network neighborhood area network (RF NAN) 162 and the accompanying radio relay 172 and the neighborhood electric power line communication area network (PLC NAN) 164 the accompanying PLC relay 174; a public data concentration based on IP (Internet Protocol) 180; and a collector motor 190. Other components within the advanced measurement system 100 include a network of neighborhood area 192 and firewall 194 through which the communication signals to and from the collection engine 190 can be transported from and to the respective meters for 142, 144, 146, 148, 152, 154, 156 and 158 or other devices including , but not limited to radio relay 172 and PLC 174 relay.

The advanced measurement system 100 is configured to be transparent in a transport context, so that the respective example meters: 142, 144, 146, 148, 152, 154, 156 and 158 can be interrogated using the collection engine 190 regardless of what network infrastructure exists between or in between such components. In addition, due to such transparency, the meters can also respond to the collection engine 190 in the same manner.

As represented by the illustration of Figure 1, the collection engine 190 is capable of integrating radio meters, PLCs and Internet protocol connectors. To facilitate transparency, the advanced measurement system 100 operates and / or interfaces with the ANSI standard communications protocol C12.22 for networks. C12.22 is a transparent network protocol which allows communications through disparate and asymmetric network substrates. C12.22 details all aspects of communications, allowing C12.22 compliance meters produced by third parties to be integrated into a unique advanced measurement interface (AM) solution. The advanced measurement system 100 is configured to provide the meter reading as well as the load control / demand response in domestic messages, and pause and restore capabilities. All data flows through the system and is sent in the form of tables C12.19. The system provides complete two-way messages to each device; however, many of its functions can be provided through transmission or multicast messages and less-session communications.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is illustrated a block diagram representation of components of the collection engine 190 according to an example embodiment of the present specific material. Collection engine 190 is a collection of software-based function that provides ANSI C12.22 services to devices comprising the C12.22 network including one or more cell relays 172 and 174 (Figure 1) as well as metrology and end devices 142, 144, 146, 148, 152, 154, 156 and 158 (Figure 1). Although such components are preferably software-based, those with ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that several equivalent forms of implementation provide the same function. Conceptually, the collection engine 190 is composed of three main components, the system or Orchestration Administrator generally 220, the master relay / authentication host 210, and the server or communication servers (represented by the illustrated components 212, 214 and 216) The collection engine 190 is preferably implemented so as to be capable of distributing work across multiple servers 212, 214 and 216) in order to facilitate scaling.

The Orchestration Manager 220 controls the number of communication servers for the number of nodes C12.22. The multiple communication servers 212, 214 and 216 can be advantageously used by the present specific subject in conjunction with providing scaling and redundancy. For example, a provisioning algorithm for present specific matter can provide load balancing in the collection engine 190. Load balancing affects two aspects of data collection: contact end-end devices for reading data, and receive exception reports from end devices. The rebalancing function for the present specific matter is periodically operative to relocate nodes systems between communication servers, thus maintaining the efficiency of data collection. Such rebalancing functionality also advantageously redistributes the end devices of a failed communication server to the other active servers, and / or communication server that becomes active. All requests for end device communications are directed through the Orchestration Manager 220. A working system is used to organize to track concurrently in progress actions on communication servers 212, 214 and 216; to pass the interrogation parameters on a large scale to such communication servers; to receive the status of such communication servers, and in the case of failure to provide persistence of the collection engine status information on a backup orchestration manager or communication server (not currently illustrated) in its role as a host of notification C12.22, the Orchestration Administrator 220 generally coordinates the processing in relation to the registration on communication servers 212, 214, and 216.

Within a C12.22 system, the master relay 210 is the coordination process for the global system. More specifically, in order to send or receive the C12.22 messages, the respective nodes must be registered with the Master Relay 210 before a node is allowed to register, it must be authenticated. The authentication host provides such a function in the present example embodiment. The station to Master Relay 210 responds to the current meter registration process, communicating with the meter through messages C12.22.

As will be understood by those with an ordinary skill in art, each of the main components respective of the 190 Collection Engine, is in turn made of a series of smaller components and functional feature sets. The Orchestration Layer or Administrator 220 provides coordination between such components, and presents a unified unified API (Application Programming Interface) to the upstream systems. The system or Orchestration Administration 220 - runs as a single master orchestration service (its functionality) and as a series of agents. Each separate physical server will have an orchestration agent to tie it to a larger system. The application programming interface requests are directed to a master orchestration service (or functionality) which in turn works with the orchestration agents to ensure that the requested work or methodology is carried out or executed.

The Authentication / Master Relay 210 host will provide the standard C12.22 registration function / service as well as the integrated C12.22 network authentication services / function. A vision for protocol C12.22 is one similar to DNS (Domain Name System), a C12 master relay. 22 can be created which can be shared among multiple utility services, perhaps providing services to a region or entire county. With such an approach in mind, the implementation of a master relay in accordance with the present technology should provide full support for the use of other hosts. authentication, and to send notification messages to registered hosts. Additionally, the Orchestration Layer 220 is preferably implemented so as to be able to receive notifications from master relays from other manufacturers, meaning that an implementation of the present specific matter can be performed using a master relay from external sources.

In the representative communication servers 212, 214 and 216 provide the communication function with the devices, such as to grammatically review and translate such communications, and subsequent or return data as necessary. Communication servers 212, 214 and 216 therefore preferably may comprise a series of services / functionality to achieve such overall functionality for the present specific subject. Within the communication servers 212, 214 and 216 is a series of main components: a meter communication host, a data program - exception event manager. The meter communications host is responsible for listening to network communications and for sending network communications. It is the component that both "speaks" C12.22 and "interprets" the data table C12.19. The data program and the exception event manager provide mechanisms to get the meter data in shape and the exception events respectively to the upstream systems.

Although the present specific subject has been described in detail with respect to the specific embodiments thereof, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art to achieve an understanding of the foregoing that alterations, variations and equivalents of such incorporations can easily occur. Therefore, the scope of the present disclosure is by way of example rather than by way of limitation, and the specific description does not preclude the inclusion of such modifications, variations and / or additions to the present specific subject as will be readily apparent to one. with an ordinary skill in art.

Claims (23)

1. An Orchestration Administrator to distribute utility service meter data communications functionality across multiple servers comprising: a master relay configured to register and authenticate multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters and to assign the communication functionality associated with the multiple communication nodes to a plurality of communication servers; Y a plurality of communication servers configured to communicate with at least a selected part of the multiple communication nodes, each communication server is configured to send and receive network communications and to acquire the meter data of multiple communication nodes.

2. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that each communication server comprises: a meter communication host configured to send and receive network communications; a data program configured to receive the meter data of the respective utility service meters associated with a communication node; Y an exception event manager configured to receive the exception events of the respective utility meters associated with a communication node.

3. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 2 characterized in that said meter communications host is configured to communicate in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol.

4. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that the multiple communication nodes associated with one or more of the respective utility meters comprise at least one communication node operating on a radio network and at least a communication node that operates over an electric power line communication network (PLC).

5. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said master relay is configured to receive the communications according to a standard meter communication protocol from said multiple communication nodes.

6. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said master relay is configured to periodically assign the communication function associated with said multiple communication nodes to said plurality of servers, such as to periodically perform the load rebalancing between said plurality of communication servers.

7. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said master relay is also configured: to redistribute the communication nodes from a failed communication server to the plurality of communication servers; to copy to another location the status information for the one or more respective meters associated with the respective communication nodes previously in communication with a failed communication server.

8. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1, characterized in that it also comprises a work system configured for perform and track currently in progress on said plurality of communication servers.

9. An Orchestration Administrator as claimed in clause 1 characterized in that said master relay comprises a software-based application programming interface.

10. A method for controlling the provision of network nodes in a utility meter environment to a variable number of servers, to effect efficient utility meter data communications, the method comprises the steps of: identifying a plurality of communication nodes, each communication node being associated with one or more respective utility meters; assigning to the respective selected servers the communication functionality associated with the respective selected parts of the plurality of communication nodes; Y performing the two-way communication between each selected part of the plurality of communication nodes and their respective assigned server, wherein said communication of Two way is carried out according to an open standard meter communication protocol.

11. A method as claimed in clause 10 characterized in that it further comprises a step of receiving the meter data from the respective utility meters associated with each communication node.

12. A method as claimed in clause 11 further characterized in that it comprises a step of receiving exception event data from respective utility meters associated with each communication node.

13. A method as claimed in clause 12 characterized in that it comprises a step of when receiving exception event data indicating the failure of one or more servers, redistributing the communication nodes from being assigned to a failed server to be assigned to one active of the plurality of servers.

14. A method as claimed in clause 13 further characterized in that it comprises a step of copying to another location the status information for one or more respective meters associated with the respective communication nodes previously communicating with a failed server.

15. A method as claimed in clause 10 characterized in that said assignment step is performed on a periodic basis, to perform the periodic load rebalancing between the plurality of servers.

16. A method as claimed in clause 10 further characterized in that it comprises a step of tracking actions currently in progress on the plurality of servers.

17. A method as claimed in clause 10 characterized in that it also comprises a step of matching and authenticating each of the plurality of communication nodes.

18. An advanced measurement system to control the provision of network nodes in a utility service measurement environment to a variable number of servers, such as to effect efficient utility meter data communications comprising: a plurality of end devices, at least one of whose end devices comprise metrology devices; Y a network including a central installation having a collection engine including an orchestration administrator to distribute the metrology device data communications functionality across multiple servers.

19. An advanced measurement system as claimed in clause 18, characterized in that the orchestration manager comprises: a master relay configured to match and authenticate multiple communication nodes associated with one or more respective utility meters and to allocate the communication functionality associated with said multiple communication nodes to a plurality of communication servers; Y a plurality of communication servers configured to communicate with at least a selected part of said multiple communication nodes, each communication server configured to send and receive network communications and to acquire meter data from multiple communication nodes.

20. An advanced measurement system as claimed in clause 18, characterized in that each of said communications server comprises: a meter communications host configured to send and receive network communications in accordance with an open standard meter communication protocol; a data program configured to receive meter data from the respective utility meters associated with a communication node; Y an exception event manager configured to receive the exception events of the respective utility meters associated with a communication node.

21. An advanced measurement system as claimed in clause 18, characterized in that said multiple communication nodes associated with one or more of the respective utility meters comprises at least one communication node operating over a radio network and at least one communication node operating over a power line communications network (PLC); Y said master relay is configured to receive communications according to a standard meter communication protocol of said nodes of multiple communication; to periodically assign the communication function associated with the multiple communication nodes to said plurality of communication servers such as to periodically perform the load rebalancing between said plurality of communication servers, to redistribute the communication nodes of a failed communication server to an active one of said plurality of communication servers, and for copying to another location the status information for the one or more respective meters associated with the respective communication nodes previously in communication with a failed communication server.

22. An advanced measurement system as claimed in clause 19, characterized in that said orchestrated administration also includes a work system configured by organizer and follow-up actions concurrently in progress on said plurality of communication servers.

23. An advanced measurement system as claimed in clause 19, characterized in that said master relay comprises a software-based application programming interface.