Central provision of DCC Technical Contacts for requesting test certificates
Summary
In order for central systems testing (including maintenance and emergency testing) to be undertaken by the Switching Operator, certificates from the SDSPs and CSS User communities are required to interact with CSS in the testing environments. The Switching Operator was able to issue certs to the simulator provider during the Switching Programme, but the replacement process via Service Now no longer allows this – instead placing onerous activity on Parties to collaborate with the Switching Operator to give them the ability to request certificates on their behalf. This change has been raised to ensure that test certificates are held at all times for enough parties to enable changes to be tested with enough simulation to replicate live operational scenarios. The solution proposed is that the Switching Operator can nominate Technical Contacts (TC) for all CSS Users, in order that certificates can be requested for simulators in the test environments. CSS Users would continue to be able to nominate / remove their own TCs as now (and be able to remove the Switching Operator-nominated Technical Contact), and would see all TCs listed on the Switching Portal.
Latest update and next planned activity
Date of latest update
Latest Update
19.09.2023 - approved for implementation in February 2024 Release
Impacts Overview
Impacted REC Parties and Market Participants
Other
Impacted REC Documents
Schedule 25 - Central Switching Service
Impacted REC Services
Central Switching Service (CSS)
Priority and rationale
High
Priority last updated on 29 May 2026
Solution development
Problem Statement
Due to certificate expiry, there are not currently sufficient test security certificates for connecting to CSS test environments and emulating CSS Users (simulators). The current process for CSS Users to request certificates is inefficient and is reliant on the CSS Users obtaining new certificates in a timely manner. Without sufficient test certificates, the Switching Operator may not be able to fully test changes to the CSS system.
Proposed solution summary
- As the SO, I want sufficient simulators to be available in the test environments, so that I can test changes to CSS systems for all necessary scenarios
- As a CSS User, I want changes to the CSS systems to be robustly tested, so that implemented changes align to their design and deliver the planned benefits
- As a CSS User, I want to be able to manage my Technical Contacts, so that I am in control of my responsibilities under the REC
No documents available.
Change Plan
Impact Assessment period - start date
Completed
Start:
23 Mar 2023Due:
19 May 2023Completion:
19 May 2023Impact Assessment period - end date
Completed
Start:
19 May 2023Due:
28 Jul 2023Completion:
28 Jul 2023Preliminary Change Report issued and consultation started
Completed
Start:
28 Jul 2023Due:
11 Aug 2023Completion:
11 Aug 2023Consultation end date
Completed
Start:
11 Aug 2023Due:
04 Sep 2023Completion:
04 Sep 2023Final Change Report issued
Completed
Start:
04 Sep 2023Due:
15 Sep 2023Completion:
08 Sep 2023Responsible Committee decision
Completed
Start:
15 Sep 2023Due:
22 Sep 2023Completion:
19 Sep 2023Original submission
Change details
Ann Perry - -
23 Mar 2023
Change details
Central provision of DCC Technical Contacts for requesting test certificates
Within the test environments of the CSS, simulators are key functionality to carry out testing. Simulators mimic the activity of all the SDSPs and the CSS User communities (e.g., one simulator will be able to act as any supplier for which it holds a certificate). In order for central systems testing (including maintenance and emergency testing) to be undertaken by the Switching Operator, certificates from the SDSPs and CSS User communities are required to interact with CSS in the testing environments. The Switching Operator was able to issue certs to the simulator provider during the Switching Programme, but the replacement process via Service Now no longer allows this – instead placing onerous activity on Parties to collaborate with the Switching Operator to give them the ability to request certificates on their behalf. Certificates are expiring in number at the moment, and new test environments (e.g., UIT-B) do not have certs at all. The impact is that currently it is becoming increasingly difficult to find data to test with associated to the diminished certificates in the simulators, which will quickly lead to an inability to test future changes to the CSS systems (or perform maintenance) if a solution is not implemented.
There has been minimal impact to date other than an extension to lead times for test phases in order to source increasingly scarce data caused by the lack of certificates. With insufficient numbers/types of party certificates available, changes may not be fully tested for all scenarios as there will be no data to support them. Given that the certificates were requested in bulk at specific times within the Switching programme it is likely that big tranches will expire at the same time causing rapidly diminishing test capability. The current situation around test certificates is: • Pre-production no longer has the minimum number of required JWS certs for the test tooling to operate. The immediate impact is this prevents planned and necessary NFT post functional testing on CSS. • UIT-B only has 5 MPID certs, which is not enough to support testing for R0067 in the short term, or any other testing subsequently. • SIT-A (maintenance) and SIT-B (major change) have a diminishing number of active certs, propped up by the interim process. At least 50% of these expire in June. • UIT-A down to 11 certs, which severely limits the capability to support external testing and will ultimately prevent it.
Test certificates are held at all times for enough parties to enable changes to be tested with enough simulation to replicate live operational scenarios. A solution has been identified, whereby the DCC will register three (subject to review as part of the CP) named individuals within the Switching Portal as Technical Contacts for each CSS User (existing users or new users as they accede), as a bulk data amendment for test environments only. The certificates will be monitored for expiration and renewed as necessary to maintain sufficient number of simulators to complete testing of changes to CSS systems. This does not impact parties maintaining and registering their own Technical Contacts (multiple TCs can be nominated, for the parties or their adaptor providers), or requesting their own certificates for test environments. In many cases both the party and the simulator can hold certificates for the test environments, and there is an established process for a party to request decoupling of a simulator so they can connect directly (the processes for test environments are predicated on simulators being preferred testing options – therefore simulators should be connected unless a specific request is made and accepted). Furthermore, a party could choose to remove any Technical Contact including any registered by the DCC for the purposes described in this Change Proposal, and also could revoke certificates.
An interim process was operated by the DCC to enable rapid turnaround of certificate requests in bulk to facilitate test phases during the Faster Switching Programme. Certificates for any/all organisations were made available on request to populate the simulators. There was not a requirement for DCC to validate the use of the certificates in simulation in the test environments with the organisation who “owned” the MPID/role combination. Since the Switching programme closure, DCC has employed the interim process on a limited basis in the interests of facilitating critical testing. However, this was not desirable as it created mismatches in Switching Portal metadata, and was disabled
Impacts
Other (please specify in the Additional information box below)
Other (please provide details in Additional information box below)
No direct Consumer impact
Schedule 25 - Central Switching Service
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No details provided
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No details provided
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No details provided
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No details provided
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Central Switching Service (CSS)
New process to be followed to manage certificates and request new ones as they expire or for new CSS Users
No details provided
CSS Users
The solution proposed is that the Switching Operator can nominate Technical Contacts (TC) for all CSS Users, in order that certificates can be requested for simulators in the test environments. CSS Users would continue to be able to nominate / remove their own TCs as now (and be able to remove the Switching Operator-nominated Technical Contact), and would see all TCs listed on the Switching Portal.
The solution proposed is that the Switching Operator can nominate Technical Contacts (TC) for all CSS Users, in order that certificates can be requested for simulators in the test environments. CSS Users would continue to be able to nominate / remove their own TCs as now (and be able to remove the Switching Operator-nominated Technical Contact), and would see all TCs listed on the Switching Portal.
No details provided
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No
No details provided
Priority & timing
Yes
Due to the limited number of certificates remaining: • Pre-production no longer has the minimum number of required JWS certs for the test tooling to operate. The immediate impact is this prevents planned and necessary NFT post functional testing on CSS. • UIT-B only has 5 MPID certs, which is not enough to support testing for R0067 in the short term, or any other testing subsequently. • SIT-A (maintenance) and SIT-B (major change) have a diminishing number of active certs, propped up by the interim process. At least 50% of these expire in June. • UIT-A down to 11 certs, which severely limits the capability to support external testing and will ultimately prevent it.
Before the next significant test event is due
No
No details provided
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Activity
Proposed solution summary changed to As the SO, I want sufficient simulators to be available in the test environments, so that I can test changes to CSS systems for all necessary scenariosAs a CSS User, I want changes to the CSS systems to be robust…
Proposed solution summary changed to As the SO, I want sufficient simulators to be available in the test environments, so that I can test changes to CSS systems for all necessary scenariosAs a CSS User, I want changes to the CSS systems to be robustly tested, so that implemented changes align to their design and deliver the planned benefitsAs a CSS User, I want to be able to manage my Technical Contacts, so that I am in control of my responsibilities under the REC.
Show moreImplementation Date has been updated to 23 Feb 2024.
colette.baldwin has been allocated as Lead Analyst.
beth.brown has been allocated as SME.