2.2.2 Single Access to Multiple Information
Providers
To an energy consumer, it is usually transparent as to where and how electricity
reach the home or office. In a similar manner but more complex ways,
the NIG can provide a measure of transparency the users as to which IP
provides the information. This capability will be a value-added feature
that can only be provided by an NIG operator. With it, users need
only make a single connection to the NIG through a single delivery mechanism
in order to gain access to the various IPs, using a standard user interfaces
that the NIG operator provides. Figure 2-2 below illustrates this
feature.
Figure 2-2. Single access function to several
Information Providers
Taking this view further, the NIG operator can also develop its own query-handling facility that will interrogate multiple IPs in order to satisfy a single query. This additional feature will add more value and accessibility to both the NIG and the Information Providers. To illustrate this feature, Figure 2-3 below shows an example of the possible result of a query based on “ABC Plastics Berhad” (a fictitious company) using a fax machine as a delivery mechanism. The information delivered would have been gathered from several IPs and consolidated by the NIG operator before delivery to the user.
