UK Link Disaster Recovery Test 2020

As part of our annual programme of disaster recovery (DR) and resilience testing, the UK Link Disaster Recovery test for 2020 will be implemented over the weekend of 4th, 5th and 6th December 2020. 

This is to test and prove the DR capabilities and procedures of UK Link and will be managed end-to-end by Xoserve.

Please find more details below and the actions being taken:

We plan to go ahead with the UK Link DR test activities on the above dates/times. Contingency dates are also provided if we are unable to proceed with the activities. Please note the impacts to systems are below.

UK Link System Application (SAP ISU)

The UK Link System Application will not be available during the outage window.  The files received prior to processing are expected to be concluded prior to taking the application down. Users are requested to maintain ‘normal’ processing volumes on these days but overrunning jobs may need to be suspended and restarted after the outage.

It is expected that the system will be returned prior to processing of any User files on a non Supply Point System Business Day, including the issuance of the Daily Meter Reading files.

UK Link Network (IX) Users can continue to send files to Xoserve via the UK Link Network (IX). These files will be held and processed once the system is available. Please note that files, including response files, may be delayed until processing has been completed.

UK Link Portal

This component will not be available during the outage window. This component allows Users to access the following systems, therefore Users will not be able to access the User Interfaces during the outage period:

• Contact Management Service (CMS)
• Data Enquiry Service (DES)
• UK Link Online Services

Contact Management Service (CMS)

There will be an extended outage to CMS from Friday 4th December at 11pm until Saturday 5th December at 10am. Files sent to or from the CMS system will be held for the duration of the outage, and will be released and processed once the system is available.

Data Enquiry Service (DES)

The DES dataset will be at Day-2 when the system is released at 10am on Saturday 5th December and 7am on Sunday 6th December. The system will return to Day-1 once catch-up activities have been completed.

Data Discovery Platform (DDP)

Please note that the Shipper Management Information (MI) and Winter Annual Ratio (WAR) Band dashboards will be unavailable via the DDP between Friday 4th December at 6pm until Monday 7th December at 8am, to support the UK Link DR test. Data will be updated to reflect the latest position, 5th December, once platform availability has been restored.

Application Programme Interface (API) Services

All data provisioned via the API services will be an additional day out of date, Day-2 instead of Day-1, from 7pm on Saturday 5th December until 7pm on Sunday 6th December.

Gemini

We are not anticipating any impacts to the Non-Daily Metered (NDM) Gas Nominations (Demand Publication) process in Gemini as we are planning for the up-to date forecast weather values to be processed in UK Link in readiness for the scheduled NDM Gas Nomination runs. In the event this is not possible the following contingency would apply:

• Gas Flow Days 4th and 5th December, calculated at midnight on Saturday 5th December, will apply the forecast weather values used at 4pm on Friday 4th December
• Gas Flow Day 5th December, calculated at 10am on Saturday 5th December will apply the latest available forecast weather values for Gas Flow Day 5th December
• Gas Flow Days 5th and 6th December, calculated at midnight on Sunday 6th December, will apply the weather values used at 4pm on Saturday 5th December

Market Information Provision Initiative (MIPI)

We are expecting minor impacts to the publication of the forecast weather values:

There will be a delay in the publication of the 8am forecast weather values on Saturday 5th December for Gas Flow Days 5th and 6th December

If you require any further information or have any questions between now and the DR test, please email uklink@xoserve.com.

If you have any issues contact the Xoserve Service Desk on 0845 600 0506, or alternatively email servicedesk@xoserve.com.