Transcript The Importance of Standards

National Public Safety Telecommunications Council
Public Safety Communications Summit
John Powell, Chair
National Public Safety Telecommunications Council
Interoperability Committee
and
SDR Forum Board of Directors
Presentation Overview
• Develop and promote statewide plans.
• Solutions that deliver network and
application broadband interoperability.
• Interoperability between different data
systems of various speeds, broadband
and wideband.
• The importance of standards.
• Where does SDR and CR fit in?
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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What is Interoperability?
• The ability to talk to who you
need to talk to when you need to
talk to them (data and voice,
realtime).
As authorized
• NOT the ability to talk with
everyone all of the time!
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Statewide Planning
• Statewide Communications
Interoperability Plans (SCIPs)
– Required by DHS per 2006 SHSGP
Grant Guidance.
– Required by DOC for PSIC Grants.
– Filing deadline 3 Dec 2007
• All 57 States & Territories met deadline.
– Plans were reviewed by peers from all
levels of government.
– All SCIPS have now been approved.
– About 2/3rds of states and territories
have to complete work on PSIC IJs.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Statewide Planning
• “Statewide” means that there
must be practitioner input and
buy-in from all levels of
government in each state.
• SCIPS are strategic in nature.
• Promotion of advanced, but
stable, technologies encouraged
for PSIC grants.
• Identified Points of Contact within
states/territories.
– State Interoperability Coordinator
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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New SAFECOM Continuum
• Updated SAFECOM Continuum is
in final review by DHS
• Adds data elements to technology
lane
• Makes minor changes to other
lanes
– Recognizes importance of SCIPs
– Encourages multiple exercises
• Removes concept of “best” always
being to the far right.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Updated Continuum
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
Broadband Interoperability
• Critical to interoperability is the selection
of a single nationwide standard
– Technology trends point to LTE.
• Devices must be able to operate in
absence of a network
– Ad hoc networks?
– Multimode?
• Important security issues
– Authentication
– Certificates (validated with/without network
availability.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Broadband Interoperability
• The network, in whatever form it
eventually takes, is just the pipe.
– True for all IP-based systems
– Critical for public safety is “hardening”
• Priority, Restorability, Survivability
– Quality of service must be provided
• Dynamic and instantaneous
• Depends on incident and application(s).
• Applications must also be
interoperable if there is a desire to
share information.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Application Interoperability
• Compatible data structures
– XML-based
• Appropriate authorizations and
certificates
– Federated identity system
– Who establishes and maintains?
– What happens where there is no
network?
• Compatible security methodologies
– Encryption
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Broadband and Wideband
Interoperability
• Requirement for application
compatibility, authorizations and
certificates, and compatible security
methodology remains unchanged.
• Interconnection of networks will
require an IP-based hub (gateway)
to interconnect different types of
networks.
• “Direct mode” off-network will
require a common waveform
– May be a separate/distinct mode.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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The Importance of Standards
• A common standard ensures
interoperability
– Essential for digital platforms
– Requires conformance testing of
critical features and functions.
• Standard must be supported both
on the device and network sides
– With over 60,000 individual agencies,
don’t expect help to come to your area
and work with “your standard” if it is
not “the standard.”
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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The Importance of Standards
• For FCC acceptance as a
requirement, standards must be
ANSI certified
– Example: 700 MHz voice
interoperability channels.
• Many different standards exist, but
that doesn’t mean they are
compatible
– Example: voice codecs
• “IP” doesn’t ensure interoperability!
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Where Does SDR and CR Fit
Into This Equation?
• Software Defined Radio (SDR) is
an enabler for Cognitive Radio
(CR), but not a requirement for it.
• SDR allows a device to be built to
support multiple “waveforms”
– A waveform includes the modulation
and air protocols that support a
technology platform.
– Generally less expensive if mass
produced.
– Upgradability to future features and
functions, and new waveforms.
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Where Does SDR and CR Fit
Into This Equation?
• SDR platforms are entering the
public safety voice market
– Harris 30/132 – 800 MHz product
based on AN/PRC-152
– Thales 132 – 800 MHz Liberty
• Critical need is for manufacturers to
agree to cross-license legacy
waveforms to other manufacturers.
• Ideal interoperability device is an
all-mode, all-band SDR radio
carried on the responders hip!
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Presentation Overview
• Develop and promote state plans
• Investigate, report on, and propose
solutions that deliver network and
application broadband
interoperability
• Interoperability between different
data systems of various speeds,
broadband and wideband
• The importance of standards
• Where does SDR fit in?
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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Questions?
• http://www.npstc.org
• http://www.sdrforum.org
• Email: [email protected]
• Contact information
John Powell
[email protected]
NPSTC is a federation of organizations whose mission is to improve public safety communications
and interoperability through collaborative leadership.
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