Smart, resilient systems are acknowledged as being a key global driver over the next 20 years in which energy, water, transportation, public health and safety, and other key services are managed in parallel to support smooth operation of critical infrastructure.

Within this, energy infrastructure through smart grid is arguably the single most important feature. If unavailable for any significant period of time, all other functions will eventually cease. Smart Grid however presents new challenges given the greater number of intelligent devices managing both the electricity supply and network demand which may act as attack entry points. In addition with Physical Security, unlike the traditional power system where there is an implicit trust between devices, a smart grid network includes many more potentially vulnerable components outside the utility’s premises.

Ultimately, the entire operation of the smart-grid will rely on the ability to securely identify each device. Devices that consume as well as supply power to the grid. Without this capability, there can be no real trust in the declarations of supply and demand and without these declarations there can be no dynamic market.

Ultra provides solutions which support delivery of the evolving Smart Grid sector including resilient power systems and simple encryption modules. Ultra additionally supports the North American Electric Reliability Corporation-Critical Infrastructure Protection (NERC-CIP) plan. Ultra’s products meet all applicable standards to ensure secure inter-operability with devices and applications. Validated encryption and authentication protocols with hardware accelerators ensure critical national operations, requiring high levels of security and high throughput, are protected. Ultra’s physical security solutions make compliance with CIP standards affordable and easy, without having to hire excess network security professionals or station monitors.

Ultra has designed and developed radio leading-edge services for the transportation industry, and behind many key radio system suppliers, an Ultra wireless product is the communication engine. The Group’s solutions cover a diverse range of applications from intelligent traffic signalling and prioritisation systems to wireless video applications, ensuring passenger safety onboard both trains and within the platform.

Ultra supplies a range of high-performance wireless video and telemetry transmission systems to support digital CCTV monitoring for security within the station and data transport for the public information boards, as well as train-to-platform safety monitoring solutions. In addition, Ultra has also supplied communication solutions which enable Network Rail passenger information systems. These consist of fully-configurable radio modem-supporting synthesised VHF and UHF options and a choice of over-air protocols to balance throughput and data link integrity.

Ultra also supplies road traffic light monitoring and prioritisation systems. These systems enable the sequence of the traffic lights to change as a bus approaches. In this way a city’s transport authorities are able to ensure its bus fleet is given priority over other traffic and provided with clear passage through congested routes. This system was successfully deployed by Transport for London to support the delivery of the London 2012 Olympic Games. As part of this solution, over 17,000 units were manufactured, all compliant with the RTIG standard and fitted to buses and traffic lights across London.

Government agencies and industries are seeking innovative, cost-effective solutions which ensure critical infrastructure systems are more resilient to failure and are more efficient to operate, while also increasing security. Ultra’s EnergyGuard™ system provides organisations with the ability to securely monitor and control areas for potential physical and cyber intrusions and allows for more efficient management of facility energy utilities.

The EnergyGuard™ system utilises an array of industrial control and communications technologies to provide secure monitoring and control of designated infrastructure equipment, such as heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems, generators and water treatment pumps. EnergyGuard™ integrates SCADA/DDC systems into a local monitoring, control and reporting architecture. It complies with strict Department of Defense directives for information assurance and security requirements for cryptographic modules.

EnergyGuard™ provides a defence in depth solution, with multiple, sequential security controls to prevent unauthorised access or manipulation of sensitive devices.

The system reduces energy costs, having been proven to help efficiently manage energy usage. It also supports agency Green IT initiatives and energy reduction efforts.

Further cost-effectiveness is provided by the use of secure wireless nodes to repurpose the existing network infrastructure and to augment the system. EnergyGuard™ is scalable to both small and large facilities, through a “plug-and-play” architecture, which allows it to interface with legacy systems via standard industrial protocols.