Here at DEXMA we’re obsessed with Stranger Things Season 2, so we thought: what better moment than All Hallow’s Eve to share the weirdest, scariest energy management horror stories we’ve ever heard… and how to avoid them, obviously!
With that, get ready for the most frightening 13 Energy Manager Nightmares!
Keep reading if you dare…??
Discover what are the 13 Challenges of a Energy Manager
1) When you Win the Biggest Project of your Life with hundreds of Locations and Data Points and… have no idea Where to Start #LostIntheDataForest
Okay, stop, breathe, and have no fear! Remember that data consistency is key here. Your first step is choosing an Energy Management System (EMS) that is:
- Scalable
- Proven with a decent number of existing customers
- Can handle projects from 1 to hundreds of locations with thousands of Data Points
- Doesn’t require massive set up
2) Excruciating Lag when your System gets Overloaded with Historical Data #ZombieOnPrem
This one is the WORST. Avoid by making sure your aM&T platform is SaaS and not on-premise (and therefore zombie-proof). Benefits include:
- No historical data limit
- No data insertion limit
- Upload millions of readings
- Single data insertion queue per customer, so you don’t get stuck if other customers upload tons of historical data
3) Lights Flicker, Communications Fail, and you Realise your Gateway lacks “Memory” or Resync Capabilities…
If you have installed a gateway such as DEXGate2 with 4GB storage, you’re in luck: you can still get the data from your devices without Internet and then send it to the cloud once your connection is back up. Whew!
In any case, we advise you to:
- Ask if your EMS provider offers a backups enrolled policy (26 snapshot backups always available)
- Create a disaster recovery plan that includes physical backups in different data centers, multiple accounts, two-factor authentication (2FA)
- Do a disaster recovery plan simulacrum to check that your protocol is working
4) You have to Integrate Third-Party Systems with your EMS but you don’t have an API… #TimeWarp
What is this, 1999? Dammit, Janet! Get with the times and start working with an open API!
And no, you don’t have to worry about developing your own from scratch – we saved you all that time so you can get started right away with the DEXMA open API. You’re welcome. Meow.
5) You need to Change a Simple Setting in your Gateway and you need to #RaceWithTheDevil 200km to go and physically Change it…
That is, unless you have a remote access such as DEXGate2…
The DEXGate2 comes with built-in secured VPN allowing you to save a LOT of time by connecting to your gateway remotely when adding new devices, changing Modbus settings, etc.
Learn more about how to get the most out of your energy efficiency hardware here.
6) When you Have to Deliver Reports within the first 3 Days of the Month but it’s #AllSoulsDay and you Have to Do them from your Haunted House
No problem! DEXMA automatically generates reports for you, even on All Hallow’s Eve, so you can spend the night trick or treating. Oh, the magic of SaaS.
7) Peaks in your Data because your Hardware got Possessed by Some Kind of #DemoGorgon…
Don’t worry, we know that the devil is in the hardware – that’s why DEXMA comes with more than 10 different use cases installed that can detect and automatically eliminate data peaks caused by hardware problems.
If you’re still doubting, have no fear: the superhero DEXMA Support Team is here! Find everything you need to know about understanding and solving #twinpeaks in this handy support article.
8) When you Want to Forecast Energy Bills Automatically but the Forecast isn’t Anywhere Close To the Actual Bill #Shocking
So annoying, right? Luckily, we’ve got a free webcast that deals specifically with automatic energy forecasting! Check it out here.
9) When you have to Provide Access to many Users and you have to Configure their Screens and Dashboards one by one and it takes forever…
With DEXMA Platform you can have your EMS up and running in minutes.
Seriously. It only takes 6 steps!
10) When you Buy the Cheapest Energy Management Solution on the Market and when Sharing Results with your Customer, it Crashes into a #TreeHouseOfHorror
D’oh! Time to consider switching to a platform with high availability and a public status page!
DEXMA has a 99.9% SLA and you can always use DEXMA Detect to make sure it’s running smoothly.
11) When your Customer asks “How Much we are Saving?” and you Have No Way to Verify if they are Suffering from an #EnergyVampire…
With DEXMA Detect, you can calculate Energy Savings Potential quickly, easily, and for FREE. Give it a try here – energy manager nightmares begone!
12) When you have Built an amazing Energy Management App but have nowhere to sell it… #AppGraveyard
Thank goodness for the Energy Apps Market that comes with the DEXMA Partner Program. Don’t be afraid to share your energy apps with the world!
13) You Don’t Have a Branded Version of your EMS…
Wake up, sleepyhead! Of course your EMS can be branded, even if it’s a SaaS solution.
Now that you’re nightmare-free, check out this special Halloween Edition of DEXMA Platform:
