Ferranti International's Network Information Management System (NIMS) provides computer-based monitoring and supervision applicable to utility networks in the electricity, oil, gas, water and chemical industries. NIMS provides dynamic viewing and control of networks from high powered, high resolution colour graphics workstations, communicating with dual redundant database servers. A case study of an electricity distribution application has demonstrated the enhanced facilities, greater safety, improved security, and reduction in operating costs, which this type of system can offer a utility network.