CIM interoperability challenges

The IEC Common Information Model (CIM) is central to many existing interoperability standards as well as many interoperability standards being developed for the Smart Grid. Where `CIM' itself is often a generic term often applied to an ontology for a given domain, the IEC CIM as currently defined by IEC 61970/61968 standards can be viewed as core to the Smart Grid. At the same time, the CIM alone is not sufficient for interoperability. There are several dimensions to the problem, including the existence of other ontologies, the variety of ways an ontology can be leveraged to define standard interfaces, and the depth of integration.