The Department of Energy (DOE) as well as state and local power authorities utilize optical fibers in aerial environments (on poles) as a typical component of their network architecture. The stakeholders in these deployments are aware that because these aerial networks travel across difficult to secure areas, a significant threat for malicious activity, such as denial of service or terrorist attack, is present.
Network Integrity Systems (NIS), the leader in network infrastructure security, was asked to participate in a recent aerial fiber test installation at a DOE campus where the NIS INTERCEPTOR™ Optical Network Security System was deployed on aerial cables equaling approximately nine miles. After several weeks of monitoring, NIS found that aerial strung cable creates a greater challenge for detection of subtle intrusion events than does static cables deployed in an inside building or buried OSP environment. Data obtained through the pilot allowed NIS engineers to design a special version of INTERCEPTOR that is optimized for this challenging environment. This allows, for the first time, nuisance alarm free monitoring of aerial deployed optical infrastructure. The aerial optimized product (8100-A series) is now available as an addition to the extensive INTERCEPTOR and VANGUARD product line.