On-Ramp joins GE and Honeywell, among others, as the only communications solution to be recognized
On-Ramp Wireless, developer of wireless solutions for energy automation and M2M communications, was recognized as one of the Top 10 Smart Grid Vendors to Watch in 2013 by Greentech Media Research, a leading green energy research and market analysis group. The On-Ramp Total Reach Network was the only communications solution to be recognized, reflecting the tremendous value it offers as the ideal wireless communications platform for a broad range of smart grid applications.
The On-Ramp Total Reach Network is an efficient wide-area wireless network, providing unparalleled machine-to-machine (M2M) connectivity that dramatically reduces network infrastructure and operational costs. As the demand for smart metering, grid automation and remote monitoring grows, On-Ramp offers the only wireless communications solution that can handle all these applications on a single network at the lowest total cost of ownership, even if the assets are remote or underground. On-Ramp Total Reach Network provides unmatched range, capacity and scalability for M2M applications, including those in the utility, energy, agriculture and asset tracking markets.
“Our utility customers and partners are increasingly recognizing the value that On-Ramp’s game-changing, M2M wireless communications solution provides for smart metering, grid automation and demand response applications,” said Kevin Hell, president and CEO of On-Ramp Wireless. “This award unequivocally validates that demand, and we are honored that our solution has been recognized by such an experienced and esteemed research group.”
On-Ramp’s communications network has been selected to support some of the world’s leading smart grid solutions, including those of San Diego Gas and Electric (SDG&E) and General Electric (GE). On-Ramp’s network has allowed SDG&E to realize its mission of a ‘self-healing’ grid for San Diego residents, significantly improving the reliability and reducing the outage times of the city’s electric grid. GE also selected On-Ramp’s Total Reach Network to provide the communications platform for its Grid IQ™ Advanced Metering Infrastructure (AMI) Point-to-Multipoint solution, allowing a utility to record meter data across widely disperse geographic territories – from urban to rural areas – with minimal network infrastructure.
About On-Ramp Wireless
On-Ramp Wireless has developed the first wireless communication system purpose-built to efficiently connect billions of hard-to-reach devices in metro scale and other challenging environments. The On-Ramp Total Reach Network enables low-power monitoring and control applications for Smart Grid, oil and gas operations, water management, industrial sensing, and location tracking. Operating in unlicensed spectrum, the On-Ramp signal processing innovation finds weak signals even in high noise environments, yielding unprecedented range, extreme coverage, immunity to high interference, and significantly lower cost. For more information, visit www.onrampwireless.com or follow @onrampwireless.
About GTM RESEARCH
GTM Research, a division of Greentech Media, provides critical and timely market analysis in the form of research reports, data services, advisory services and strategic consulting. GTM Research’s analysis also underpins Greentech Media’s webinars and live events. Our coverage spans the green energy industry including solar power, smart grid, energy storage, energy efficiency and wind power sectors.
Press Contact
Lydia Howard
Vantage Communications for On-Ramp Wireless
+1.413.461.1218
lhoward@pr-vantage.com
On-Ramp Wireless presents it’s vision for the M2M future in a feature article on the Smart Energy Universe blog.
…San Diego Gas & Electric (SDG&E) chose the On-Ramp solution to automate several of their distribution automation (DA) devices. For this project, On-Ramp installed 35 access points covering 4,500 square miles of urban and coastal terrain, as well as rugged mountains and deserts. With > 99.7% reliability on sensor readings, the project yielded excellent results, estimating that average outage time of overhead circuit faults was reduced by more than 30 minutes. Even with 4,000 FCI, smart transformer, and aviation light monitoring devices on the network today, less than 1% of the system capacity is consumed. Fueled by these results, SDG&E and On-Ramp Wireless are now expanding the network to reach the 60% of SDG&E’s Distribution Automation assets that are underground, and are working with additional device partners to add other high-value applications such as AMI.s…
In an early blog post I discussed the principles governing the design of the security solution for the On-Ramp Total Reach network. These governing principles were then used to devise the security mechanisms used in the various phases of the product lifecycle. In this post I will describe these phases and explain how these principles were applied. The product lifecycle will be divided into the following phases:
Design phase
Implementation phase
Provisioning phase
Deployment phase
Post-deployment phase
The design of the security mechanisms for the Total Reach network was done as part of the design of the entire network. Security solutions were not bolted on once the system design was completed. This ensures that security is an integral part of the Total Reach solution. The Total Reach network is expected to contain lot of devices with constraints related to processing speeds, memory, power, bandwidth etc. And such devices are expected to last for several years (10+) in the field. The security mechanisms leveraging standard algorithms have been designed for such constrained, long-lived devices. During the design phase we followed recommendations by various widely respected organizations such as the NIST as prescribed in NISTIR-7628. We have also incorporated security practices followed by the cellular networks, since the cellular network is similar to the Total Reach network in terms of the topology (star), architecture and security requirements.
During the implementation phase we followed industry best practices for building secure software. This includes conducting regular code reviews, leveraging static code analysis tools, and using various software tools during testing to verify the hardness of the implemented solution from a security perspective. We have also implemented development recommendations from various standard bodies such as NIST (SP 800-64) to ensure that information security is integrated into the software development life cycle. Simplicity of the design mechanisms is very crucial not only to ensure easy implementation but also to ensure efficient validation of the implementation.
During the design of the security mechanisms we also need to be cognizant of the impact of security on manufacturing of hardware and provisioning of the security keys. These aspects of “manufacturability” and provisioning require that the security mechanisms lend themselves to scaling in a simple and secure fashion. Scaling is important in order to be able to manufacture millions of end devices. Simplicity and security is vital given the capabilities of the workforce on the manufacturing floor. And all this needs to be done while adding very little extra cost. Add in constraints related to manufacturing facilities located offshore and this can very quickly lead to a lot of friction during the manufacturing and provisioning process.
During the deployment of the Total Reach network, we have to work with the IT departments of the enterprise to ensure that the security policies in place are adhered to. This dictates that On-Ramp security solution use standard IT security practices such as properly configured firewalls, disabling of unused ports, different security tiers where the components live, access control to the components, cryptographic key management, password management, user management for access to the components of the backend network, and system account management to name a few. All user actions are logged and audited to detect any abnormal activity. The Total Reach logging and audit framework follows standard and efficient logging practices such as user identities, activity dates and descriptions. This feature captures a log item each time devices are added or removed, or when a Total Reach system configuration parameter is set or changed. In addition, all Total Reach system or user-generated events are also time stamped using GPS time synchronization in the network and NTPv3 time synchronization throughout the back office.
Finally during the post-deployment phase, the security mechanisms need to make the “defense-in-depth” approach possible. I will explain this in a future blog post. I would though like to remark that utility security solutions also have additional requirements related to regulations, compliance, etc. For example, the utility industry has NERC CIP compliance (NERC CIP 002-009) required for the end-to-end deployed solution. The security solution should be designed to make it easier to demonstrate such compliance.
The On-Ramp Total Reach Network AMI solution dramatically reduces utilities’ network infrastructure costs and accelerates ROI.
On-Ramp Wireless, developer of wireless solutions for energy automation and M2M communications, today announced the launch of its advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) solution which is built on the On-Ramp Total Reach Network, its award-winning wireless communications infrastructure. Through partnerships with industry-leading meter and meter data management system (MDMS) providers, On-Ramp supports state-of-the-art smart metering capabilities on the same network infrastructure that supports grid automation and demand response. On-Ramp is pleased to announce that GE has selected On-Ramp’s Total Reach Network for its Grid IQ™ Advanced Metering Infrastructure Point-to-Multipoint (P2MP) solution, which includes GE’s proven residential and commercial/industrial meters and GE’s Smart Metering Operations Suite (SMOS). This is another validation of the benefits of AMI and Smart Grid solutions Powered by On-Ramp.
The On-Ramp Total Reach Network offers unmatched range and capacity, enabling the broadest AMI network coverage for dramatically less than competing solutions. Purpose-built to realize the incredible promise of the machine-to-machine vision, including AMI, On-Ramp’s solution delivers advanced metering features and standard integration with billing, meter data management, and other utility systems. With proven network-wide security, this simple star topology network enables very accurate network planning, rapid and flexible deployment scheduling, and lower capital and operations costs than other solutions. With these factors, utilities achieve accelerated ROI as they migrate from manually read or one-way AMR systems, without lengthy or restrictive deployment programs or hard-to-reach meter issues in rural and urban environments. The lowest total cost of ownership combined with rapid realization of advanced metering benefits yields the fasted ROI in the industry.
Once deployed, the high capacity On-Ramp Total Reach Network is designed to efficiently manage two-way AMI communications and readily handles periodic surges in data traffic such as a wide-scale power outage notification. The huge capacity of the network means that even a fully deployed electric AMI solution has plenty of available capacity to add gas metering, water metering, grid automation and demand response on the same On-Ramp Total Reach Network.
“On-Ramp has leveraged its proven expertise at secure, wide-area M2M communications to create the most effective AMI solution available today,” said Kevin Hell, president and CEO of On-Ramp Wireless. “Utilities are benefiting today from the growing ecosystem of meter manufacturers and MDMS providers Powered by On-Ramp. No other solution offers the cost, coverage and capability of the On Ramp Total Reach Network.”
On-Ramp Wireless will be demonstrating its AMI solution and introducing its AMI partners at TechAdvantage 2013 (booth 1253) in New Orleans February 18-21.
About On-Ramp Wireless
On-Ramp Wireless has developed the first wireless communication system purpose-built to efficiently connect billions of hard-to-reach devices in metro scale and other challenging environments. The On-Ramp Total Reach Network enables low-power monitoring and control applications for Smart Grid, oil and gas operations, water management, industrial sensing, and location tracking. Operating in unlicensed spectrum, the On-Ramp signal processing innovation finds weak signals even in high noise environments, yielding unprecedented range, extreme coverage, immunity to high interference, and significantly lower cost. For more information, visit www.onrampwireless.com or follow @onrampwireless.
Press Contact
Lydia Howard
Vantage Communications for On-Ramp Wireless
+1.413.461.1218
lhoward@pr-vantage.com
San Diego Gas & Electric has announced a broad-plan to roll-out On-Ramp Total Reach Network to build a “self healing” smart grid. By using On-Ramp’s network SDG&E can connect all of their grid assets with the Total Reach Networks unmatched reach, capacity and security.
…By using an efficient broad-based wireless network provided by a local San Diego company called On-Ramp Wireless, the fault detectors…immediately send alarms to grid operators if a problem occurs anywhere along the power lines. Instead of the time-consuming process of dispatching crews in the field to look for faults on electric wires during an outage, SDG&E will know where the outage occurred on the electric line and can quickly send crews to that location based on the automatic wireless signals sent by these devices. SDG&E has installed 2,000 of these devices throughout the region and intends to install 10,000 by 2017…
General Electric announces integration with On-Ramp Total Reach Network to offer advanced metering options Powered by On-Ramp as part of their GridIQ product line.
…Built on On-Ramp Wireless Inc.’s next generation wireless technology, the Grid IQ AMI P2MP also can monitor multiple distribution-sensing applications, such as smart meters, transformers, fault circuit indicators and other grid assets, under one unified network, accelerating the utility return on investment. By gathering data from all of these devices, a utility can use its back-end applications to monitor and analyze the data to improve grid reliability and outage prevention, while reducing costs associated with installing additional infrastructure and performing routine maintenance on networks for multiple, different applications…
In an article in Transmission and Distribution World BG&E presents the case for using wireless connected FCIs for grid optimization. The GridSense TIQ-P device was used for above and below ground feeder monitoring.
Advances in technology and communications have resulted in the development of FCIs with advanced features and communications capabilities. Today, FCIs are designed as low-cost sensing devices, which are easily deployed on the utility’s power system network. These devices can be installed on the power lines using a standard hot stick, which locks them into place…FCIs help utility personnel to identify a fault location faster, thus improving system reliability…
Security design is a critical aspect of wide-area M2M communication system design.
The Internet and the cellular revolutions have resulted in major changes in society. Nearly all aspects of life have been impacted from communication through commerce. However, this revolution has been largely centered on people and how people interact. Machine-to-machine (M2M) communication has not yet been revolutionized in the same way. The “Internet of Things” (a.k.a. M2M or Industrial Internet) – the connecting of billions of industrial and commercial devices – could add $15 trillion to global GDP by 2030 according to analysis done by GE (1). This next wave of M2M communications and data technologies stand to dramatically alter the course of commerce and society in much the same as the Internet and cellular technologies.
There are a few vital areas that are prerequisites for the success and durability of this revolution. While communication effectiveness, capacity and scalability are critical, security of that communication is equally vital. On-Ramp Wireless is focused on providing the secure wireless communication technology to empower this M2M revolution. To ensure that security is never a weak link in the network, we have followed a few principles in the design and implementation of the security of the On-Ramp Wireless system. The principles followed by On-Ramp Wireless are as follows:
On-Ramp Wireless believes that there is a need to focus on security solutions that are as simple as possible (but no simpler) given the modest computing resources of sensor endpoints.
The security solution should make use of standard algorithms and proven techniques.
The security framework interoperates with enterprise and utility systems and business processes.
In future blogs I will explain the security design and framework of an On-Ramp Wireless network in the light of the above principles.
The ability to predict coverage is critically important in understanding the total cost of ownership (TCO) of a prospective wireless machine-to-machine (M2M) solution. A more accurate understanding of the true cost of grid deployment is beneficial for a number of reasons:
Accurate costs can be ascribed to competing technologies with a greater likelihood that the solution with the best return on investment (ROI) will be selected.
Whether to proceed with any solution can be objectively explored if the ROI case is invalid for all of the proposed approaches.
For approaches that are projected to yield a positive ROI, the true cost of the project can be understood up-front and the network provider maintains credibility.
Fortunately, the mobile wireless industry has made a large investment in the ability to understand wireless coverage. It has developed methods to accurately predict coverage and site base stations so as to maximize profit. There is a clear benefit in leveraging this work for the M2M where possible. To that end, On-Ramp Wireless has developed a comprehensive wireless coverage methodology for our network. It leverages the existing cellular work where possible, and develops additional models where required.
One of the key findings of our study of RF propagation is that the mobile cellular model has limitations when directly applied to devices that are physically stationary. A mobile phone is typically either in motion or stationary but supported by a feedback loop which “encourages” the consumer to move to RF favorable locations – even if it is a subconscious operation for most at this point. By contrast, many M2M wireless modules, like a smart meter, spend its entire lifetime at just a single physical location.
Based on thousands of data points, the measurements show that the existing cellular model does not adequately predict the RF behavior of the stationary device. Most notably, ergodicity, which is a property that is almost taken for granted in the mobile cellular model, is lacking. Simply stated, the lifetime statistics of the channel between two deployed devices that are separated only by a matter of inches can be substantially different. Understanding this in detail has clear implications in the density and placement of wireless infrastructure and needs to be carefully factored into any ROI analysis. We will detail this model further in subsequent posts.
The M2M problem is fundamentally one of cost-effective scaling.
A system with the ability to provide service proportional to increasing hardware capacity is said to be a scalable system. This is not the same thing as being a high capacity system or a high performance system. Both capacity and performance refer to the operational bounds of a particular configuration while scalability is the attribute of being able to expand those bounds as needed.
It is the cost effectiveness of scaling that often leads to the confusion and commingling of these distinct concepts. A scalable system made of high performance and high capacity components will be more cost effective to scale than one composed of poorly performing components. So while scalability is a fundamental aspect of a system design, the ability to scale inexpensively requires high performance and high capacity components.
The machine-to-machine (M2M) communication problem is one that is fundamentally about cost-effective scaling. With smart metering, distribution automation, oil pipeline management, asset tracking, agricultural measurement, etc., some estimates put the total number of potential M2M end-points in the hundreds of billions over the next decade (1). Typically these endpoints are relatively low cost and the value of any single data point is low. However, in total and aggregating across all data points, it is possible for an M2M system to provide deep operational insight. While a utility may benefit from instrumenting a small number of transformers for example, instrumenting all of them yields efficiencies and insights that exceed the sum of the parts. This effect is multiplied further by combining data from various meter and distribution automation (DA) devices into a total operational view of the grid. The value of M2M is scale and the greater the scale the higher the value.
The three layers of scalability that are necessary in an M2M system are:
Transport. Can the underlying communication network grow in a cost effective manner? An M2M network must have the link budget and capacity necessary to handle rapid growth and to reach devices regardless of where they are deployed.
Application Services. Do the systems for aggregating data present bottlenecks or can they handle the increasing load? Does the system retain its usability despite large increases in load? An M2M system must be able to process and aggregate data in fixed time despite growing workloads.
Insight. As more devices and more data points come online, does the system provide additional information and visibility? Does the value of the network increase in a greater than linear manner than the number of devices added? A M2M system has to support large numbers of diverse devices to deliver the most value.
As we move toward the world of hundreds of billions of wirelessly connected devices instrumenting everything from utilities to farms to oil pipelines, the cost of the endpoints will fall and the value of the aggregate data will grow. The underlying communication platform and system must be designed to support this dynamic.
– Joseph Papa, Director of Software and Network Operations
