Ruggedized network systems are used around the world to cost-effectively deploy and extend secure networks, enable machine-to-machine (M2M) applications, connect digital oil fields and smart grids, facilitate and enhance public safety networks, and bring Internet access wherever and whenever it is needed – regardless of terrain or how remote an area may be.

In desert, arctic, mountainous, rainforest, and offshore settings ruggedized enclosures allow network systems to operate in virtually any condition – including temperatures ranging from severe arctic cold to intense desert heat and other forces of nature such as high humidity, sandstorms, rain, sleet, and ice. Network technology must operate faster, at longer distances, and with lower latency (the time delay between two network nodes) to enable a vast array of applications ranging from SCADA and M2M to Internet access and voice over Internet Protocol to real-time video surveillance.

Equipment must work reliably and consistently in the most extreme conditions and must be able to be updated and configured remotely over the air. These design considerations reduce or eliminate the need to send service crews to work on network equipment mounted on towers and masts in remote areas. They also minimize or eliminate downtime where network outages can cost millions of dollars in lost production per minute or can expose personnel to risk. One tool that can accommodate such demands is the Virtual Fiber network system from Redline Communications. Its design can overcome deficiencies of throughput, range, and latency that distinguish the performance of lesser wireless systems from that of fiber-optic networks. Virtual Fiber networks can operate at Ethernet speeds up to 100 megabits per second in both uplink and downlink paths and can maintain broadband throughput across distances up to 80 km (50 miles) with industry-leading low latency.

The need for connectivity

There also was a need for a nomadic solution that would allow moving assets like rigs and trucks to have connectivity even as they move throughout the field. This required a solution that not only could withstand the rigors of industrial, security, and military applications but that also could address additional challenges of operating from a semimobile platform. First, the nomadic solution would need the same ability to operate in extreme environments as the stationary solution. Second, the nomadic solution would need to be able to withstand the vibrations and shocks that occur when assets move within the network area. Third, the nomadic solution would need to be able to be easily set up and operated by people having a wide variety of job functions – not just by the experts who installed the fixed wireless network.

The company’s rapid alignment system (RAS) nomadic platform is one such solution that can extend high-speed wireless connectivity to moveable and roving assets located within a private wide-area network. Built using the Virtual Fiber wireless broadband network system, this platform is the first wireless broadband networking system that instantly locates, aims toward, and connects to a network base station, automatically establishing high-speed connectivity to and from roving assets over extended areas.

Speeding up the game

With drilling rig rentals costing anywhere between US $100,000 and $300,000 a day, one of the key goals of an early RAS user was to make the drilling operation more efficient to cut down on the time needed for each rig. Prior to that, RAS network limitations forced a lag in data analysis that created an inevitable delay each time a rig had to be moved. Even with satellite service there was a delay just from the time it took to properly align each antenna. With a platform in place such an RAS setup was instantaneous. The connection speed also was substantially faster since the user was able to analyze data in real time for the first time, which resulted in savings on drilling operation rental fees and time.

Conventionally, networking options in the field require either significant time to set up and specialized information technology (IT) skills and training to operate, or they are limited in their ability to function within the application. Omnidirectional antennas such as those used in Wi-Fi access points can broadcast radio signals in all directions simultaneously, limiting their range and creating uncontrolled radio frequency interference. Satellite-based connectivity is costly and requires additional time and special training for setup and operation. In addition, its long signal delays result in substantial latency that renders satellite connectivity unsuitable for real-time applications.

A platform such as RAS can enable multiple applications from a single vehicle or rig, including real-time M2M communications, SCADA, high-resolution video, Wi-Fi, telephony, and automation controls. Because the platform automatically connects to the best available base station, roving RAS-equipped rigs, vehicles, and other equipment gain automatic wireless connectivity as they move from place to place across large distances in rugged terrain and harsh environments.

An automatic provisioning feature enables establishment of the required quality of service and security settings to bring the network connection online in the correct configuration. The wireless link quality is monitored continuously, and a new scan is activated automatically if required due to signal blockage, radio frequency interference, or a change in orientation. Full over-the-air management, configuration, and upgrade capabilities allow the IT department to keep the platform properly configured and in compliance even while the units are deployed and operational in the field.

Comparing a nomadic platform with satellite

One early RAS user began its field test of the platform by installing it on a lone drilling rig while the other rigs at this site continued using satellite. It was during this early field test that the user’s IT department had to push a critical update to all the laptops in the field. Since this update was too major to be handled over satellite, employees were required to drive off the oil field to an office to get the update. But the employees at the RAS-connected rig site quickly got the update over the Redline wireless network.

Once all rigs had a connection to the platform, the company turned up a broadband “guestnet” that allowed its contractors to connect to high-speed Internet from the oil field. This was impossible to do with satellite connectivity.

While understanding that the full return on investment derived from deploying RAS may yet be months away for most customers, what is already clear is that the system pays for itself quickly, and the benefits surpass those of other network solutions available.