The utility grid has been undergoing a fundamental change from a rigid Operations Technology (OT) centric one-way energy flow model, to a more dynamic data-driven model supporting intermittent renewable resources and flexible customer loads. This has resulted in Advanced Distribution Management System (ADMS) grid technologies providing next-generation control capabilities such as management of Distributed Energy Resources (DER) and battery storage, and tighter integration with utility tools to manage overall grid reliability. This global ADMS market is being driven by several key factors such as the increase in demand for energy, rapid grid development pushing towards 100% renewables, the need for improved customer service and better Grid efficiencies. In addition, net-zero carbon footprint strategies and consumer cost savings are also pushing global ADMS markets forward.
Utilities can streamline operations and reduce expenses while enhancing reliability by virtualizing their ADMS. The virtualization of these utility systems enables the decoupling of application and hardware refresh cycles, delivering non-disruptive updates and reduced operational expense (OpEx). The adoption of virtualized Hyperconverged Infrastructure (HCI) models removes the dependencies on Storage Area Network (SAN) and Fiber Channel components. Utilities can now eliminate associated SAN/FC capital expense and OpEx spending, and redirect resources to more value-add activities. Dell VxRail HCI solutions will automate and eliminate many manual hardware and maintenance activities for drastically improved lifecycle management, that lowers total cost of ownership while enhancing data security, compliance, protection and recovery.