SIPRNet to the Desk

The INTERCEPTOR™ Optical Network Security System is an effective method of protecting high-density, logically clustered groups of SIPR drops in point-to-multipoint (or hub-and-spoke) applications.

Using patented technology to monitor two or more fibers of the data cable being protected, INTERCEPTOR turns the entire length of the cable system – from the equipment room to the user drop – into a sensor. This allows monitoring architectures to mimic the physical network and enables efficient utilization of the monitoring device’s ports.

Point-to-multipoint monitoring enables many dozens of end-user drops to be protected by one alarm device, resulting in significant cost reductions, as well as ease of deployment.

The cost of an INTERCEPTOR is best measured by the cost of the device amortized over the number of drops it can support which is a variable number.  This number is dependent upon the type of connectors used is the monitored loop as well as the drop’s proximity to enable system inspection when necessary. Use our Cost Calculator to figure INTERCEPTOR pricing per user drop.

Types of Point-to-Multipoint Architectures

For a single drop or low-density application, the Home Run Architecture can be an obvious choice. In this scenario, INTERCEPTOR protects the cable going from the port to each user drop, creating a round trip circuit back to the data comm room and out again.

However, home run architecture is often too cumbersome and limited for the deployment of broader and more complex classified networks. In today’s environment, high-density SIPR deployments are prevalent, and thousands of drops are required in a building or across a campus. This has necessitated the development of more efficient physical topologies such as the Zone Architecture.  Click here for an example of a type of zone architecture.

A zone architecture is typically characterized by a single or several high fiber count optical trunk cable(s) deployed to a zone box or consolidation point within the work center or area requiring secure connectivity. This dramatically reduces the number of cables installed that have to be protected. From the zone box, patch cords can be installed and easily routed to each workstation. This configuration enables easy scalability to extend secure connectivity from a medium to a large deployment.

By concatenating dark fibers in the cables being protected, INTERCEPTOR makes it possible to create a continuous optical circuit throughout all of the cables making up the infrastructure – providing protection from the trunk through the zone or consolidation point and all the way to the end user drop.

Find out how INTERCEPTOR adds value with Information Assurance Analytics.