Smart Industry 1/2018

Smart Lifestyle Smart Airports
IP-based solutions. This will immediately
enable better connectivity between
people, processes, and smart
“things” – and simplify IT management
into the bargain. This is where
the connected airport comes in.
Digital security is a top
priority across the board
Whether it’s IP security cameras; heating,
ventilation, and air conditioning
(HVAC) systems; or information
boards, running all processes on a
single network infrastructure is more
cost-effective to manage and maintain
and offers much greater visibility
on an enterprise-wide scale.
But there are dangers to poorly
secured deployments and any compromised
device can be a possible
backdoor into the network. As more
fixed and mobile devices connect to
the network edge, it becomes increasingly
important that these IoT devices
are properly contained.
Making the right
connections
Enabling better
connectivity between
people, processes,
and “things” will
make airports smarter
and more efficient
Using network virtualization techniques,
it is possible to create virtual
isolated environments on a single
infrastructure and make the Internet
of Things more manageable. This
empowers different departments or
teams to maintain their own, dedicated
IoT network deployments.
Virtual segmentation on the network
can create “IoT containers” to group
together, manage, and secure devices
and users, and in the event of
a breach, they can also stop threats
moving across the network.
IoT containment also makes it possible
for the different departments
to enforce their own customized
quality of service (QoS) policies on
the general network to optimize
specific operational processes.
In each virtual container it is possible
to see and manage all the traffic and
users, prioritize applications and
devices, reserve or limit bandwidth,
blacklist devices, or monitor for
suspicious traffic patterns. QoS
policy enforcement can ensure that
critical operational processes or
network assets can always be given
access to the resources they need to
function properly.
Stakeholder cooperation
and collaboration
Enterprises are now shifting towards
connected platforms where people,
processes, and things can connect
and collaborate, airports included. The
complex community of stakeholders –
airport operators, airlines, ground
handlers, passengers, authorities, and
regulators – can all benefit by removing
the barriers to information flow.
Airports can optimize operations,
manage passenger movement, and
implement better emergency communications.
Airlines can provide a
hassle-free customer experience by
relying on infrastructure elements,
such as beacons for automated notifications.
Passengers can get real-time
updates about estimated waiting time
at security lines or locations of specific
air line check-in counters, gates, or
baggage belts.
Retail concessions and restaurants
can use location-based services to
promote offers, leading to increased
inter action with passengers and a subsequent
increase in revenue. Critical
passenger or situational information
can be shared directly between relevant
parties in real time – getting the
right information to the right people,
exactly when it is needed.
For all this to happen, systems need
to be “de-siloed” and communication
tools, such as instant messaging, voice,
document sharing, video, and alerts,
need to be integrated directly into
applications and systems. This is possible
with open application programming
interfaces (APIs) beginning to
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