Local Area Networks (LANs) in Aircraft - FTP Directory Listing - FAA

(AJ) or low probability of intercept/low probability of detection (LPI/LPD) waveforms are used.
This study recommends further research using AJ waveforms for air-to-ground communications.
8.4 NETWORK MANAGEMENT EXTENSIONS.
Network management is a very significant network design issue that was previously discussed in
section 4.6. A basic network management tenet is that from a single management station the
authorized manager should be able to: learn the current state of the total network system, and
perform the appropriate management functions. This tenet is challenged by the network
partitions that occur by deploying VPNs. Because it is unlikely that crew members will have the
sophisticated training needed to perform traditional network management functions, the network
designers need to consider just how network management should be performed. This is a very
important issue that is directly related to the underlying concept of operations for aircraft.
Relevant issues include the following:
• Will many management functions become automated so that human managers will be
presented with a high level of abstraction? If so, then the education requirements for the
crew could be reduced, but what would happen should successful attacks occur against
the automated management systems themselves (e.g., how will those successful exploits
be discovered and handled)?
• Will the network management of airborne aircraft actually occur from the ground? If so,
then what would happen should the integrity of those management systems become
compromised or air-ground connectivity be lost? In such a situation, will pilots have an
override control capability? If so, how will the pilots discern that the integrity of the
management system is in doubt?
Because these issues are directly related to airline, manufacturer, and FAA the concept of
operations, this study has not provided a well developed network management recommendation.
Nevertheless, these issues need to be competently addressed and a viable network management
system needs be designed if airborne LAN systems are to be safely networked.
Figure 35 shows an example airborne network that has chosen to locate a network management
station in the aircraft’s cockpit network. As previously discussed, this design would enable the
network manager to potentially manage all of the devices within the network except for those
that are physically located in a VPN. It could not manage devices within VPNs because it
cannot “see” them (or even know about them) because they operate on a different IP protocol
stack (i.e., an encapsulated one) than that used by the rest of the airplane.
119