5 minute read
Restoring connectivity in a crisis - the role of satellite and software-defined networks in disaster response
Natural disasters continue to cause widespread devastation across the world. In 2023, there were 398 notable incidents produced – a staggering US$380 billion worth of economic losses – 22 percent greater than the average for this century. In natural disasters, power and communications are among the first services to fail, just when flooding, high-velocity winds, and storm surges make these services critical to survival and recovery. This has a ripple effect on recovery efforts: first responders need uninterrupted communications to coordinate life-saving operations, and a critical outage can severely hamper their efforts.
Will Mudge, Chief Technology Officer at Speedcast
In the Americas alone, there were 28 separate disasters attributed to climate change last year, and this year brings the threat of further incidents. The 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season in the Americas kicked off in June, with early forecasts from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)’s Climate Prediction Center suggesting an 85 percent chance of “above-normal” activity. Through the end of the season in November, between 17-25 named storms are expected to develop within the region, with as many as 13 likely to be Category One or above.
One such incident, Hurricane Ernesto, became the fifth named storm and third hurricane of the season. Designated Category One, the storm brought maximum sustained winds of 85 mph and 7-9 inches of rain to Bermuda when it made landfall on August 17. As a result, major power outages and flooding were reported in the area, as well as in nearby Puerto Rico. Hurricane Helene raised the bar at the end of September, coming ashore in Florida as a Category Four storm and tearing a path of destruction up through the American Southeast.
PORTABLE, POWER-PACKED SOLUTIONS
When traditional networks go down, satellite-based communication holds the key to effective disaster recovery. That’s why we are seeing increased use of rapiddeploy connectivity kits in disaster-struck regions.
Created to expedite disaster response efforts, these solutions are extremely portable, with all essential components for connectivity fitting into a compact, airlineapproved case. The design of the case is shock-resistant, dustproof, and watertight, safeguarding the equipment against any harsh conditions encountered in the field.
They enable first responders and aid workers to gain immediate, plug-and-play connectivity for voice and/or video, telemedicine, and Internet-of-Things (IoT) technologies. Responders can stay connected and collaborate effectively, enhancing coordination efforts to save lives in critical situations. Once up and running, additional connectivity options can be added to the kit to bolster reliability – whether it’s integrating cellular networks or other satellite services. Responders can tailor the setup to their needs depending on the conditions they find. The combination of an antenna, network device, and WiFi in an easy-to-carry case makes these the ideal, “on-thego” solution for first responders or remote workers in government or NGOs, especially in situations where time and remaining infrastructure is limited.
GOING ABOVE AND BEYOND
Beyond quick-deploy solutions for first responders, satellite communications and IT service providers are delivering critical restoration services post-disasters. For example, Speedcast was the first business to restore services for the Pacific Island of Tonga in 2022 after a devastating volcanic eruption that damaged the island’s major international fiber cable as well as domestic cables. Speedcast established critical satellite connectivity via Tonga’s major communications company, delivering highcapacity bandwidth to support the island’s restoration efforts.
The rapid response to the incident, which was supported by local in-region teams and coupled with disaster recovery and remote engineering expertise, enabled a quick restoration of services, including banking, just days after the eruption. This helped to minimize the disruption and financial impact of the disaster.
THE ROLE OF SOFTWARE-DEFINED NETWORKS
Software-defined networks (SDNs) have come to play a pivotal role in recovery efforts. The unique ability of Software-Defined Wide Area Networks (SD-WAN) to converge multiple networks – GEO, MEO, and LEO satellite, or fiber, microwave, and cellular – into a single WAN is transformative. By integrating multi-path, multi-orbit communication, SD-WAN delivers the necessary connectivity to help responders make a difference right in the heart of the disaster.
Imagine that a hurricane hits a region and takes out the terrestrial service locals depend on. With SD-WAN integrated into the network, this service can be bypassed in favor of the next optical connectivity path or a preinstalled satellite backup. It happens seamlessly and automatically, restoring connectivity almost immediately.
An SDN-based hybrid service also provides an integrated, cost-effective network solution for first responders. The solution’s intelligent routing and link prioritization capabilities automatically identify the most efficient connectivity paths and optimize network traffic. The streamlined user experience means this task can be carried out quickly – a key benefit in disaster recovery efforts when time is of the essence.
FUTURE INNOVATIONS
SDNs can also support preventative projects such as hurricane preparedness efforts. SDN network set-ups can enable tunneling at scale, for example, because they provide secure endpoints for traffic steering and traversing data securely. This tunneling enables secure links and firewalls, mitigating the need for private links to be set up.
As these technologies continue to expand, we will undoubtedly see new SDN services and solutions come to market that are ideal for disaster response and recovery. This will include greater management of the data going through the network and the more granular control and flexibility of services. First responders will be able to use data in the most appropriate way for their operational needs: for example, to fully control both application layer 7 and Wi-Fi management. With each advance, first responders and disaster recovery experts will gain faster deployment, higher capacity, and greater flexibility to match emergency connectivity to the urgent needs of the moment.
