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The PAMS Interactive Agent does not perform any type of direct data manipulation on either system. Data exchange with the CIS, (adding debits and credits), is performed via file transfers and calls to existing processes provided by the CIS vendor.
The ability to access both AMR and CIS data is a critical component of PAMS. In order to accommodate this access, the PAMS Interactive Agent is installed on a local computer that is |
| connected to the electric service provider’s local area network. Appropriate permissions must be held to access either local web services (if provided by the vendor) or direct read only access to the databases. |
| The PAMS Interactive Agent communicates with PAMS via the internet using Secure Socket Layer protocol and 128 bit encryption. |
| During the account setup process, CIS account information is requested by PAMS. All requests received by the Interactive Agent are validated and processed by the Interactive Agent. Once the requested information is obtained from the CIS, it is packaged and encrypted before being sent back to PAMS. |
| Usage data is requested from the AMR database on a nightly basis. A list of prepaid account meter numbers is provided by PAMS and the interactive Agent returns the previous day’s meter data. |
| Payments and charges that are entered into PAMS are transmitted to the CIS in the appropriate file format for processing on a scheduled basis. Payments that have been previously posted in the CIS are pulled by the Interactive Agent and sent to PAMS to ensure that all credits are posted to the consumer’s account. |
