Peer-to-Peer (P2P)

DI peer-to-peer (P2P) is a technology that allows agents on DI meters to exchange encrypted data packets between agents on the same meter and other meters before it is transmitted to an application or HES. ApplicationServices (AppServ) provides the primary mechanisms for cross-agent communication, including security and protection for transmission.

For some Itron-developed apps, such as Location Awareness, P2P technology enhances a utility's ability to maintain the topology information of which meters are connected to which transformers in their electrical distribution system. Other Itron-developed apps leverage the P2P technology differently, all taking advantage of the meters' own decentralized processing power.

The data an agent makes available to publish to other agents may be high-resolution AMI data, outcome data, or some combination of both. It is first pushed to its AppServ and identified by a Feature ID and Data ID. For one agent to consume the data published by another agent, it must first subscribe to the data's exact Feature ID and Data ID. AppServ coordinates the establishment of the publish-and-subscribe relationship between agents.

How and when AppServ transmits the data from one agent to another, the transmission type the data uses to traverse the network, and how an agent utilizes data it receives from another agent, are all designs made by the app's developer (so long as they meet Itron's certifiable regulations), and defined by the origin AppServ. During the subscription process, the origin AppServ passes this, and all other necessary information along to the destination AppServ.

Both Itron's OpenWay Riva ACT Network and GenX Network support DI P2P. Utilities and other third-party developers may develop agents and apps that employ P2P as well.