Full of Fiber

Wim D’Hooghe explains the need for communication solutions and the push for fiber optics in today’s transportation industry.

“The transport network is the heart of your operations. It should operate round-the-clock and be possible to break into”
-Wim D’Hooghe

INFRA. What different uses, and in which environments, can a communication network be utilized?
Wim D’Hooghe. The most important telecom subsystem for metro organizations, intelligent motorways, bridges or tunnels is the fiber optic backbone. It carries all information needed to run the daily operations. Needless to say that the network should be extremely reliable and provide maximum resilience to cope with the inevitable faults that will occur, for example cable breaks. Another important requirement to the network is that it should be easy to manage – actually it should be child’s play. And unlike enterprise equipment, network (software) upgrades should be avoided. In most cases there’s simply not enough time to switch back to the ‘old’ configuration, so why take the risk?  Also, make sure the backbone has a guaranteed life span of at least 10 years, preferably 15. 

INFRA. How important is it that a transport communication solution is able to handle differing data types and a wide diversity of applications?
WD’H. The last thing you want to do is install multiple networks for the different applications. It would not only cost an arm and a leg, but it would also become very hard to manage and lead to high OPEX (Operational Expenditures). Keeping things simple by choosing a network that can combine all the applications without jeopardizing the performance of any of them. A metro environment is probably one of the most complex ones because of the wide variety of applications encountered – safety applications, security, train control, passenger information, station management, etc. Moreover, each of these applications has their own specific requirements towards the transmission network: the CCTV application can only tolerate a maximum delay of 150 milliseconds (from camera to control room display – for pan-tilt-zoom purposes); the radio network might require synchronous links; and the SCADA system might need a process control type of connection. Not to mention the legacy equipment that still might be out there with its traditional (analog) interfaces. To make things even more complicated you don’t want any of these applications to interfere with one another. Imagine a surveillance system bringing your SCADA down due to unforeseen high traffic? That’s completely unacceptable. Hence, choose a system that can guarantee 100 percent separation between every single application.

INFRA. What role do fiber optics play in modern communication networks? Why are they superior to more traditional copper cabling?
WD’H. Installing fiber has become nearly as easy as pulling a copper cable. The connectors available on the market today make a fiber installation as easy as ‘plug and play’ and the benefits are numerous. The bandwidth provided is virtually unlimited, as well as the distances that can be spanned. We are no longer talking about Gbps (Gigabits per second) but Tbps (Terrabits per second), far beyond the bandwidth that is currently needed to run the daily operations. Also, fiber cable is immune to electromagnetic interference, which is often a nightmare for equipment manufacturers and for end users.  So, today, fiber cable has become a no-brainer in the industry.

INFRA. How important is it that transport communication networks are robust and secure? What are the potential risks if such networks are not protected from interference and intrusion?
WD’H. Again, the transport network is the heart of your operations. It should operate round-the-clock and be impossible to break into. The latter is easier said than done.  Open standards have brought us interoperability – the internet but with it hackers and firewalls. The train operator’s worst nightmare is that someone breaks into the network and accesses the train signaling or safety applications. Not only could it stop the system from operating but it could also put lives in danger. It is my recommendation to take all possible precautions and select a system that is designed for the worst case.

Wim D’Hooghe is co-founder and CEO of OTN Systems. Prior to that he was in charge for all indirect business and the industrial market at Nokia Siemens Networks and, at Siemens, was in charge of the OTN Business Unit.