More Fiber in your Diet Richard Krock National Conference on Emergency Communications Systems December 12, 2005

REK 12/12/ Issues and Problems of Terrestrial Systems ter·res·tri·al 1. Of or relating to the earth 2. Having a worldly, mundane character or quality. 3. Living or growing on land; not aquatic Antonyms: cosmic, heavenly, otherworldly

REK 12/12/ Disaster Events  Hinsdale Fire  September 11  Recent Hurricanes

REK 12/12/ Illinois Bell Switching Center Fires 1929 – Downtown Chicago 1946 – River Grove Hinsdale

REK 12/12/ Hinsdale Fire

REK 12/12/ May 7, Logical Interconnection HINS A B D G EF C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7

REK 12/12/ May 7, Physical Interconnection HINS A B D G EF C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7

REK 12/12/ May 8,1988 – Lack of Interconnection A B D G EF C1 C2 C3 C4 C5 C6 C7

REK 12/12/ September 11  Difficulty in Maintaining Diversity –Utilizing multiple carriers does not assure diversity  Importance of wireless communication in an emergency –Radio systems may have interoperability issues – cell phones don’t –Importance of text messaging –Wireless Emergency Response Team (WERT) assisting in search and rescue

REK 12/12/ Hurricanes  Everything is eventually terrestrial –Wireless is only wireless from the handset to the cell tower  You need Power –Without power, nothing works –Fuel is a key issue  You can’t always design for the worst case scenario

REK 12/12/ Lessons  Hinsdale –Need for physical diversity  September 11 –Difficulty in Maintaining Diversity –Importance of wireless communication in an emergency  Hurricanes –Everything is eventually terrestrial –You need Power –You can’t always design for the worst case scenario

REK 12/12/ What to do with Lessons – Learn?  NSTAC – Network Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee –Advises the President on Telecommunications Issues –Task Forces Telecommunications and Electrical Power Interdependency Next Generation Networks  NRSC – Network Reliability Steering Committee –Recommendations to the industry by the industry  NRIC – Network Reliability and Interoperability Council –Identify industry Best Practices

REK 12/12/ NRIC Best Practices Network Reliability and Interoperability Council History & Focus NRC IINRIC IIINRIC IVNRIC VNRIC VI Homeland Security Packet Switching Y2K Interoperability (Telecom Act of ’96) NRIC VII Emergency Services Historic Analogy Systematic Vulnerability Assessment Systematic Vulnerability Assessment

REK 12/12/ Ingredients of a Communications System Hardware Software Environment Payload NetworksPolicy HumanPower C OMMUNICATIONS I NFRASTRUCTURE Other Infrastructures TRANSPORTATION ENERGY FINANCIAL PUBLIC HEALTH LAW ENFORCEMENT Prevention Perspective: Communications Infrastructure Ingredients

REK 12/12/ Best Practices, Standards or Regulations ?  Regulations –legal process; technical expertise may be compromised –speed: S L O W t o a d j u s t –posture: mandated behavior  Standards –competitive process; influence of strongest competitor wins –speed : M E D I U M t o a d j u s t –posture: ranges from voluntary to mandated  Best Practices –expert process; expertise and experience are trump –speed : FAST to adjust –posture: implementation is voluntary

REK 12/12/ NRIC Best Practices  Currently over 800 Best Practices –Wireline – 777 –Wireless – new –Satellite – 749  Key characteristics of Best Practices –Do not endorse commercial or specific "pay for" documents, products or services –Address classes of problems –Already implemented –Developed by industry consensus –Sufficient rigor and deliberation 

REK 12/12/ Characteristics Of A High Fiber Diet TT he communications network is highly reliable EE verything is eventually terrestrial MM ust keep an eye on diversity TT he industry continues to identify improvements II t keeps you regular – which is better than regulated