Many utilities struggle to utilize their GIS data effectively across the enterprise, especially when that data resides within GE Smallworld. With more utilities looking to leverage the power of Esri’s ArcGIS Utility Network to gain more functionality—especially for huge datasets—the ability to migrate Smallworld data to the Esri platform is becoming a must.
So when BC Hydro faced limitations in the tools it could use to work with its transmission and distribution GIS information effectively, the company knew it was essential to make its Smallworld data accessible on Esri.
As IT Advisor Evan Schwab noted, “Other business groups in the company, like our power generation group, were using Esri for GIS data. While we currently have two GIS systems, we’re looking to develop new capabilities on the Esri platform going forward.”
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Eager to gain ready access to the GIS data required to provide reliable service to more than 50 million customers, BC Hydro turned to Epoch Solutions Group’s EpochSync automated data migration tool. This scalable solution synchronizes data between Smallworld Version Managed Data Stores and Esri ArcGIS Enterprise Geodatabases, enabling even the largest utilities to easily migrate Smallworld data to an Esri geodatabase.
Once the initial synchronization is done, EpochSync only needs to perform periodic data synchronizations, ensuring just the incremental data changes are synchronized. And through a .NET-based user interface and Smallworld Magik components, EpochSync makes it easy to develop flexible mappings that support data syncing between different data models, empowering a utility’s staff to create those mappings to extract data with minimal training.
At BC Hydro, EpochSync provides a “set it and forget it” solution that runs nightly and is easy for internal staff to configure and maintain. Now, this British Columbia-based utility can use tools like ArcGIS Story Maps to develop distribution planning maps and share GIS data with external groups to provide much-needed situational awareness when major events happen.
Read the BC Hydro case study to discover all the business benefits that EpochSync provides for leading utilities.
About GE Smallworld to Esri Migrations for Utilities
Many utilities adopt a phased migration approach that allows legacy systems to remain operational while data is incrementally validated in the new Esri environment. This reduces operational risk and supports continuity during transition.
EpochSync is a configurable, off-the-shelf application designed specifically for utility GIS synchronization. Unlike traditional ETL tools that often rely on custom scripts, EpochSync reduces complexity by using configuration-driven rules tailored to utility data models.
Modern synchronization tools can handle massive volumes efficiently; for instance, BC Hydro successfully migrated over 20 million records in less than four hours using EpochSync.
Yes, through delta processing and bi-directional syncing, changes made in one system (like Smallworld) are automatically propagated to the other (Esri), ensuring data consistency across both platforms throughout the entire migration timeline.
