Overview

Due to the volatile nature of the BTR infrastructure and the necessity for rapid deployment and repair of BTR infrastructure, the decision has been made for the BTR to operate through wireless network technologies both nationally and locally. The network diagram below allows for secure communication between all locations and the central data centers in Ellsworth, South Dakota.

Each location maintains separate SQL Server databases handling data on inventory, staffing and use that is critical to that installation. The Ellsworth location, in addition to its local networks and databases, also houses the central BTR information systems for tracking national data. Information from each of the branch locations in synchronized with Ellsworth on a nightly basis for the purposes of data mining, statistics management overview, and other needs.

National Network Diagram

Click a location on the map to view its network diagram at the "medium level view" of the EA's Technology Infrastructure

Methodology

The Bureau of temporary relocation requires a robust, reliable, and secure infrastructure to achieve its mission of providing safe and comfortable refuge to citizens affected by disasters. Efficiency, effectiveness, and usability of the technology deployed is of key importance when dealing with the unknown and with national security. The IT infrastructure must support the systems and processes critical to ensuring operations and planning. These systems and processes are Basic needs and housing, Transportation & logistics, Community, Administration and Information & Communication. In order to support these and future operations, BTR must implement a infrastructure of suitable magnitude, complexity, and reliability.

A wireless mesh network will be implemented to support the networking needs of all 8 centers. The network will be decentralized to avoid a central point of failure and control, and that the technology used will be both cheap enough and simple enough that it can be maintained and expanded. A partial mesh topology where nodes are connected to some and not all of the other nodes.  Based on the assumption that some or all of the centers might change position over time, a network that handles many-to-many connections and is capable of dynamically updating and optimizing these connections is of the essence.

Ellsworth, South Dakota will be the headquarters and server location due to its geographical location in relation to the other services. The center will be connected to all 7 centers via a communications satellite. The communications satellite will relay all telephone and data transmissions to and from each center as well as external networks. All housing centers will have the capability to support various clients: PDA, mobile phone, laptops, smart phones, cell phones, radios, etc.

Deploying communication satellite technology to support the networking needs of each center is the most effective, efficient, and flexible way to ensure BTR goals and objectives are met, in the event of a breakdown in national grid infrastructure caused by an unlikely disaster. Wireless satellite technology provides the highest data upload/download speeds and also enables secure transmission using high-end encryption techniques. Optimized for maximum performance, this technology has with built-in advanced networking capabilities like TCP spoofing, web acceleration, intelligent caching, and HTTP. It allows full flexibility and scalability in times of uncertainty and disaster allowing additional housing centers to be added on to the network as well as discontinuing existing centers easily and quickly. Also mesh hardware is typically small, noiseless, and will be encapsulated in weatherproof boxes. Costs are significantly reduced as expensive OC1 cabling is not deployed. The character of mesh topology and ad-hoc routing promises greater stability in the face of changing conditions or failure at single nodes. Also some nodes can be deployed as completely autonomous units with solar, wind, or hydro power. This results in a high ROI and low operating costs. Redundancy of critical systems are spread across the other 7 centers. with backups occurring very frequently. In the event of disruption of services at Ellsworth, the corresponding backup system will automatically kick in.