• Hybrid testing of grid and communication components, and services
• Utilization of 5G commercial and test networks
• Multipoint QoS measurements
• Traffic shaping and security testing
• Development of monitoring and AI solutions
• Diverse infrastructure including, e.g.:
  • protection and control devices,
  • HW-in-the-loop simulation,
  • adaptive video streaming,
  • sensor mesh network,
  • communication emulation, and
  • time synchronization services

Contact: [email protected]

• A systematic approach to security begins with reducing the vulnerable surface of the industrial control system network. Policy-based systems are more flexible than rules-based systems.
• Aalto is developing a cloud-based cooperative firewall that uses personalized security policies for providing ultra-reliable network communication.
• The solution finds its applications in specialized networks such as smart grids.
• The user-centric security approach to admit traffic based on the expected flows of end devices is used instead of applying the same policies to all the end-users as in the traditional firewalls.

The solution has various components:

• Policy creation engine: Policy creation begins with identifying assets that need protection. Any network-enabled device on the control network must be considered critical for security. In order to create a comprehensive policy, policy creation engine can be used as a centralized management system to collate information from all devices, networks, applications and users. These information is used to create and manage policies across all security devices. In our Github repository, Security policy management is the tool for managing policies.
• Policy Enforcement: The industrial control system network should be segmented to isolate the corporate network, individual control centers, and remote stations. Firewalls must be deployed to enforce a mutually untrusting policy at these subnet perimeters. Segmentation using subnets and firewalls helps in limiting the extent of damage caused by any cyber event. Customer Edge Switching is a cloud-based firewall which enforces security policies creating a strong defense perimeter.
• Repository: https://github.com/Aalto5G/

Contact: [email protected]

Mobile multicast

In communications networks, multicasting is defined as a method for transmitting data from a single source to multiple recipients. Multicasting has been supported by mobile network standards for more than 10 years, primarily targeting video broadcasting solutions. However, these services have so far not been widely deployed due to insufficient demand.

The power grid problem

In order to overcome decreasing grid inertia, Nordic transmission system operators introduced in 2020 a new reserve product, Fast Frequency Reserve (FFR). The FFR reserve should be capable of becoming activated within 0.7–1.3 seconds to compensate for the decreased inertia. Control messages (“switch off commands”) should be transferred within that time frame to a large number of scattered devices (loads) in distribution grids.

The solution

A purpose-built measurement setup, including a real 4G and 5G packet core, base station and terminals, was developed to evaluate the performance of an enhanced Multimedia Broadcast/Multicast Services (eMBMS) – multicast solution to the power grid problem.

The results

an eMBMS-based solution can fulfil the FFR activation time requirements
a straightforward method exists for estimating demand response potential arising from electrical heating systems

Contact: [email protected]