On this page
Enexis is a local grid operator (Distribution System Operator, or DSO) in the Netherlands. With 4,700 employees, Enexis manages the electricity and gas grid for over 3 million households and businesses. In 2019 several projects required data streaming capabilities at Enexis. This triggered them to explore solutions.
This use case is about how Enexis implemented Axual’s platform to enable them to start with real-time data. During their proof of concept, they implemented the Kafka based platform with the help of our lead developer and started with an initial use case around smart metering.
Take complexity out of Kafka
Axual offers an out-of-the-box Kafka solution for energy companies. Our platform combines the data streaming capabilities of Strimzi, an open-source Kafka on Kubernetes framework, with a user-centric interface that enables large organizations to utilize Apache Kafka with enterprise features such as access control, data governance and a visual way to see where data is flowing. The goal of our platform is to take the complexity out of Kafka so organizations such as Enexis can focus on building out their use case instead of maintaining Apache Kafka.
Solution for Data Processing
Enexis needed a solution that would be responsible for smart meter lifecycle management, data processing, branching to BI systems and connecting with technologies such as Tibco, Menix, Debezium, OSGI, Jaba, S3 and Snowflake. In addition, the organization needed a solution that would provide the streaming capabilities of Kafka, without the need for the technical knowledge required for managing Apache Kafka.
Use case Smart metering
Enexis’ first and biggest use case is built around lifecycle management of smart meters. These smart meters collect vast amounts of consumption data from households and business. This is required for all kinds of purposes, from billing to grid management and from power quality to fraud detection. Within their initial setup, an employee would collect the required data by logging into their low-level AMR system. This workflow was labor-intensive. In addition, company and data rules weren’t being enforced because this wasn’t possible. Because this workflow wasn’t really standardized, request responses were messy.
A streaming plaform
To solve this problem, Enexis required a data streaming platform that would be controllable, scalable, reducing development cycles and manageable in costs both for development and maintenance. Axual provides just that, a reliable and scalable solution around Kafka that doesn’t need a lot of technical knowledge. The platform enables you to assign roles and visualize the data flows. This way, smart meter data is efficiently collected, processed and sent to the teams that required this for their use case.
To enable Enexis to really get going with Kafka, Axual provided support with the implementation and enabled teams by providing training to speed up their adoption path. One of our lead-developers set up the infrastructure and connections to make sure that data produced by smart meters would be available to the people requesting this.
The Result
This implementation of the Axual Platform has resulted in an ongoing collaboration between Enexis and Axual. Enexis has successfully scaled the Axual platform internally, now supporting over 70 streams, 60 applications, and more than 150 developers collaborating on the platform.
Download the Whitepaper
Download nowRelated blogs
Read how Rabobank became an event-driven bank and scaled Kafka across 150+ DevOps teams.
Understanding Kafka can seem challenging, but in this blog, we simplify the concepts of Kafka’s maximum message size, how to use Kafka producers, and what consumer groups do. Ideal for beginners and those looking to expand their knowledge.
Linger.ms in Kafka optimizes batch sending delays, balancing throughput and latency. Kafka Operators help manage this setting in Kubernetes, simplifying configuration and performance tuning for efficient data handling.
Answers to your questions about Axual’s All-in-one Kafka Platform
Are you curious about our All-in-one Kafka platform? Dive into our FAQs
for all the details you need, and find the answers to your burning questions.
Simplification: Apache Kafka users benefit from Axual's simplification of managing Kafka complexities through a user-friendly interface and tools that abstract away much of the operational overhead associated with Kafka clusters, thereby reducing the learning curve and operational burden for teams.Enterprise-Grade Security: Security is a top priority in enterprise environments. Axual's out-of-the-box security features, including encryption, authentication, and authorization mechanisms, provide immediate protection for your data and Kafka infrastructure, ensuring they are secure from unauthorized access and breaches.
Axual for Apache Kafka supports a wide range of connectors, enhancing its versatility and integration capabilities. Some of the connectors you can use with Axual include: Debezium, Cassandra, JDBC and IBM MQ and many more. Explore our full list of connecters(link to connectors page)
Using Axual includes access to support services and expertise from Kafka and streaming data specialists. This can be invaluable for troubleshooting issues, optimizing performance, and planning for future growth.