[Info-vax] VMS and the Internet of Things (IoT)

[johnwallace4 at yahoo.co.uk]

On Monday, 12 September 2016 18:54:26 UTC+1, Chris  wrote:
> On 09/11/16 10:16, Simon Clubley wrote:
> 
> <snip>
> 
> >
> > So that's my take on the IoT. What's yours and where do you see a
> > possible place for VMS within the IoT world ?
> >
> > Simon.
> >
> 
> There's a lot of hype around this, a classic case being the front
> page of the Oxford Times (Oxford, Uk) this week, which describes
> a 3000 house "Futuristic City", with driverless cars and
> "intelligent buildings". Then goes on to say how the buildings will
> be "connected digitally", whatever that means. Pure hype to try to
> sell a "follow the money" project for business, as usual, using a
> few tech buzzwords to make it sound glamorous and futuristic.
> 
> A More concrete example is of course, the smart metering project
> that's being rolled out across the uk. We do embedded systems
> here, so it's of interest to me in terms of the technology used. All
> the docs are available online, but from the spec, looks like vast
> overkill just to gather gas / electricity meter readings.
> 
> In every home, the system will consist of a wireless network,
> using an encrypted proprietary protocol, gas and
> electricity meter collection interfaces, a user interface
> box with lcd display to allow monitoring of usage etc.
> Finally, a router communicating via a variety of wired and
> wireless protocols to a central server. Fwics, a company has
> been set up specifically to provide the server facilities. If
> I were paranoid, I might think so much infrastructure overkill
> was a bit creepy, but whatever :-). Of course, depending on the
> available network bandwidth, one could see all kinds of future
> uses, such as home security, appliance monitoring and even
> (gasp) government snooping of residents. Once the
> infrastructure is in place, no doubt they will find all kinds of
> uses for it in the future. As most homes already have high speed
> internet connectivity, one can only ask if the task could have
> been done at far less cost and duplication of effort.
> 
> As for VMS, I see no roll at all. It's too expensive, functionally
> deficient in many areas and arcane in it's user interface. If VSI
> are really serious about making it mainstream, it must have all
> mainstream computing facilities that everyone else in the industry
> takes for granted these days. I really would like to see a
> resurgence and the opportunity to use it again, but seems like
> there's along way to go...
> 
> Chris

Real(ish)-time meter readings can be gathered remotely with
kit costing maybe £50 per meter, subject to network coverage.
Joined up thinking might have seen this as an opportunity to
have meter reading companies and mobile network companies
co-operate to improve mobile coverage to make things like
this actually work... no chance.

The smart meters being rolled out in the UK are required to
have, as well as the remote metering stuff, a remotely
controlled power-off switch. No UK law currently permits use
of this off switch, but that can be changed at a few hours 
notice when the state of emergency arises. 

Do people want a Window box in charge of this capability?
When a Windows (or other) Update disables the USB-serial
adapter which is likely a critical piece *somewhere* in
the setup? Or any of the other usual unfortunate stuff
you get with the usual high volume low value commodity OS
used in a place where a high volume low value commodity
OS don't fit right?

Some might tolerate Windows as a GUI in the operations 
centre. Or as a part of a development environment. As it's
Capita that are doing the UK data collection, who knows
what delight the overall system will bring to us. We'll 
find out soon enough.