WLAN In Disaster and Emergency Response (WIDER)

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WLAN In Disaster and Emergency Response (WIDER)

• Final Presentation

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Participants

• Team
• Konstantinos Avgeropoulos
• Gerhard Caspar
• Khurram Jahangir Khan
• Ming-Shuang Lang
• Xiaoying Wang
• Principal Dag Nielsen
• Coach Catherine Mulligan
• Co-coach Fredrik Lilieblad

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Presentation overview

1. Background and objective
2. Network architecture and operation
3. End user services
4. Project evaluation
5. Future work
6. Conclusion
7. Video
8. Discussion

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Project background

• Ericsson Response program started by Ericsson.
• WIDER project initiated by Ericsson Response and
  KTH to provide an enhanced communications network
  in disaster sites.
• The project gained attention by international
  telecommunications and humanitarian organizations
  (ITU, Red Cross and others).

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Motivation

• Operations performed by Humanitarian Relief
  Organizations increased in size and frequency.
• Contemporary communication (mainly voice) is not
  efficient in many cases. Data communications
  needed.
• Satellite links used even for local calls. Waste
  of resources.
• Need for Internet access and related services
  (e.g. e-mail, Web browsing etc)

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Project goal and outcome

• Purpose To design and implement a complete,
  reliable and efficient communication solution for
  Humanitarian Relief Organizations operating in
  disaster sites.
• Main outcome An Ericsson Response Unit (ERU)
  containing equipment and instructions on how to
  deploy and operate the communications system.

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Main Aspects What is WIDER?

1. A wireless network that connects relief
   organization camps allowing local communication.

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Main Aspects What is WIDER?

1. A standalone network that operates in areas when
   there is little or no infrastructure.

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Main Aspects What is WIDER?

• 3) A highly portable Internet Service Provider
  network that uses a satellite system to reach
  Internet.

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Design Requirements

• Efficient use of communication resources
• Security
• Mobility
• Ease of use
• Fast deployment
• Redundancy

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Network topology
Satellite Link
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Authentication mobility
Valid User
OK
Access Granted Red Cross VLAN
User Moving to other Network
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End User Services

• The main purpose of the WIDER network is to
  facilitate relief workers.
• End users should be thrilled by the benefits of
  the system
• Only this way will the project be successful.

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End User Services (Contd.)

• We have identified a great need for text based
  services i.e. Written communication
• Communications today are mainly covered by radio,
  i.e. Voice, which has many disadvantages
• Text based services needed to complement existing
  communication channels

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Instant Messenger
Exodus Client running on Jabber Server

• An Instant Messenger has all the benefits of
  voice communication but none of the drawbacks
• Fills the gap between voice communication and
  written communication

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Bulletin Board
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Other Services

• Webpage
• Information and instructions for end users
• FTP Server
• For exchange of files and documents
• E-mail Server
• For internal and external e-mail
• Web cache
• Faster web browsing, satellite bandwidth
  efficiency

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Project evaluation - Achievements

• Network Design satisfies most of the requirements
• Implementation
• WLANs
• Wireless links
• Internet services
• Advanced authentication system

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Project evaluation - Unfinished parts

• GSM/GPRS and IP network integration
• Satellite link
• Redundancy
• Explicit documentation

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Further work and improvements

• Unified central database
• Hardware based firewall
• Alternative technologies for point-to-point links
  for longer range
• Improvement of the performance of TCP over the
  long delay satellite links
• Field testing
• Packaging

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Conclusion

• We believe that we designed the final product to
  the best of our knowledge and effort.
• The WIDER network will soon be ready to be
  launched on the field.
• We hope that it will prove a useful and reliable
  tool in the hands of its future users.

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Conclusion (Contd.)

• Our experiences and gains
• Solutions Design and Network Architecture
• Hands-on experience with high-end hardware
• Working in a professional environment
• Team work
• Project management
• Finally, a solid and good friendship

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Video
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Thank you for your attention.

• Please feel free to ask questions.

csd2003-team7_at_csd.ssvl.kth.se
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Welcome to our demonstration.

• Get a hands-on experience of the WIDER network!

Place Electrum Atrium, Kista Date Friday, May
23rd 10.00 14.00