The Brick
Bulk Reliability in a Compact Kit
The PowerSimulator BRICK is a compact dedicated LINUX server with its own dedicated wireless or Ethernet network. It is a stand-alone server containing one or more PowerSimulator models used to wirelessly deliver training to single students or larger groups. 
 
The BRICK supports “multi-player team play” and has been used in both individual utility and regional system restoration drills to simulate, drill in and train-on various electric grid system contingencies including black start. 
 

Classroom-Based Simulator Training
The BRICK is uniquely suited to team training including practice in NERC roles and communications under normal and emergency conditions. Students can be in the same room with face-to-face communications or they can be located in different rooms practicing mobile phone and radio communications.
 
Leading training organizations like PJM, ISO-New England and SOS Intl are using the BRICK to train as many as 80 operators at a time. These photos (link) show the BRICK in action at the PJM Spring 2006 Seminar, the ISO-New England Fall 2007 restoration drills and at the PG&E blackstart drill in November, 2007.
 
The BRICK is portable and easily carried and installed in classrooms or hotel conference centers. A non-technical trainer can easily install the BRICK and students can then connect their laptops to the BRICK using a hard-wired or wireless network. The BRICK supports multiple students and team training on one or more sessions.
 

Security
The PowerSimulator BRICK has been introduced for organizations that want greater security, more reliable performance and faster response than is available over the Internet.
 
In addition to being an effective training tool, some companies use PowerSimulator for Contingency Analysis and System Operating Limit, or SOL, Evaluation as required by NERC standards.
 
In these applications, the PowerSimulator BRICK can retrieve real-time data from your EMS or SCADA so that the simulator can be automatically initialized from a snapshot of the real-time system conditions. Utilities may prefer to not send this data outside of the control center firewall, for security and FERC code of conduct reasons.
 
The BRICK can also be installed in the Control Center with an Ethernet connection to operator PCs and consoles to support mission critical real-time Contingency Analysis studies.
 

Easy to Administer
Since The BRICK is a completely turnkey Linux system much like TIVO, it requires no system administration. The user never interacts with the operating system. Instead, they carry out all tasks such as session start-up, model loading and user log-on through a few simple menus.

By arranging for the annual subscription service, BRICK customers can also choose to have SOS Intl provide regular model updates to keep the simulation current and accurate with the actual system.

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