The post vendor MAP defines the bilateral messages to the extent of how they are used in standard processes and as a series of Forms for the creation and presentation of these messages. This is a good foundation but the definition lacks the rigour required by IT professionals to guarantee standardisation and compatibility. In the absence of these standards SWIM Pool provides a flexible modern approach to sharing data securely between water market participants.
SWIM-pool has been designed to facilitate non-primary communications, also commonly known as operational or bi-lateral communications, between market participants, both retail and wholesale. It is a water market specific solution built from our extensive experience of developing and maintaining secure market communications.
C&C Group are contracted to deliver both Wholesaler and Retailer versions of SWIM-pool by a broad list of SWIM-ware clients in advance of shadow operations and have been engaged with users to define, design and build the application over the past number of months.
SWIM-Pool will contain all the Forms defined in Part 3 of the Operational Terms of the Wholesale Retail code. It will also provide a mechanism to enable communications between Wholesalers and Retailers where there is a process described in the Operational Terms but where there is no corresponding Form.
SWIM-pool (and SWIM-ware) are designed as loosely coupled components in a service oriented architecture and as such come fully interfaced with one another so that primary (MO) and non-primary (operational) messages can be administered via a common user interface.
It is possible to link and automate both market transactions and bi lateral information with Wholesalers as SWIM-ware and SWIM-pool share a common database, consequently both MO (CMA and MOSL) and bi-lateral messages are available to transmit and importantly query and report on via the SWIM GUI.
The SWIM-pool concept is organisation oriented but will easily support the possible future transition or evolution from an organisation oriented landscape to a shared service landscape (to facilitate tri or multi-party comms) depending on how the English market evolves.
Wholesaler Functionality
- A web-portal for Retailers to enter requests compliant to the Forms specified in the latest MAP.
- The web-portal can also be used by Retailers to track the status of their request and to see responses from the Wholesaler (LVI).
- This includes the capability for a Wholesaler to respond with a query (e.g. for further information) and for a retailer to reply outside of the form.
- Web portal includes basic content management capabilities for posting documents, announcements and alerts.
- A SOAP web service will allow Retailers to submit requests via XML and to receive responses back (HVI).
- A passive web-service interface for use by the Wholesaler to integrate in with its internal (downstream) systems.
- The Wholesaler may also update requests directly in the web-portal. This includes the ability to initiate and respond to notifications outside the standard forms.
Swim-pool (can share) a database and GUI with SWIM-ware. Wholesalers (who use both ware and pool) can view and manage both primary (MO) and non-primary (bi-lateral) messages in one place either separately, together and in the context of a process and includes Jeopardy Management guaranteed standards integration.
The application will produce compliance reports for the Regulator for all defined SLAs in the Operational Terms and for the SLAs outlined in CSD0002 Section 4. Swim-pool can also facilitate Wholesaler to Wholesaler messaging and Wholesaler to retailer notifications and requests without a form. All Data validation and verification will be done using daily MOSL MDS extracts.
Retailer Functionality
The Retailer version of Swim-pool provides a web-portal for Retailers to enter requests, compliant to the Forms specified in the latest MAP. Note: this is a single portal instance at the Retailer which then routes the messages to different Wholesalers as appropriate.
- The web portal will be internal to the retailer (but messages described below are sent externally over secure comms).
- A web-service interface for use by the Retailer to integrate in with its internal systems for B2B interfacing.
- The requests will be sent on to the appropriate Wholesaler via
- XML SOAP where the Wholesaler has a SWIM-Pool listening service or,
- a generic output.
- This will conform to industry common standards.
- Receipt of information back from Wholesalers using a compatible platform such as SWIM-pool (Wholesale edition)
Excel export capabilities will be provided for Retailers to allow them to save their requests to a spreadsheet and to take these ‘offline’. The exports will be available from list screens within the portal and will be simple CSV formatted files which provide the key common details of the requests only (for example type of request, SPID, address, status and last status change date).
Data validation and verification will be using daily MOSL MDS extracts.
Infrastructure SWIM-pool Cloud
Contingency and Support
- High resilient and redundant dedicated infrastructure.
- No single point of failure.
- Geographically disparate ISO certified Tier 4 data centres data centres for production and DR
- Load balanced
- WAF protected
- 24*7*365 availability, active monitoring and support
- 2nd line and 3rd line support
Swim-pool is designed to best practice and is modular service oriented architecture that integrates with our SWIM-ware product to provide Wholesalers and Retailers with a best of breed water market communications platform across primary and non-primary communications.
Our client list to date includes Affinity Water Business Stream, Severn Trent (Retail and Wholesale), UU.
To find out more and why C&C Group’s SWIM products are market leading please email sales@candc-uk.com
