Analysis of IP over power lines in conjunction with ADSL as a rapid network deployment package.

1. Analysis of IP over power lines in conjunction with ADSL as a rapid network deployment package. David Mackie Supervisor: Prof. P. Clayton

2. Power Line Communication (PLC) • “IP-over-Power” • Transmission of data across existing power circuits • Special applications in the past: • Street lighting & Geyser control • Door-bells and baby monitors • Relatively new and not in wide use to provide broadband networks • Up-and-coming, with Eskom showing an interest

3. PLC (2) • Growing demand for bandwidth • South African Context • Second Network Operator (SNO) • “Last Mile” alternative • Protected from free market force “Putting little in – getting lots out”

4. PLC (3) • High Voltage • Distribution network • Power lines • E.g. Eskom • Low Voltage (What we are using) • Building internal power circuit • Power sockets • E.g. SNO

5. Resources - PLC • “Glossy” company brochures • General Information from websites • Technical data is hard to come by • NDA’s & proprietary information • New technology • Standards • Confusing • different countries = different power regulations • Hampered by over-regulation of power networks

6. Resources – Low Level Possible areas I might have to look into: • Signal Processing • Low voltage power circuits in the South African context • 3-phase power circuits

7. Design Considerations • Initial decision on supplier decided by market & funder’s considerations • Ascom • ADSL as the data link • Match between bandwidths • Ease of install • Rapid roll-out • COE Project

8. Design Considerations (cont…) • Implementation in a Rhodes residence • Large number of users to test with • ResNet • Cullen Bowles (CB) has been initially chosen: • “Lego Land” • All cement and everything is built-in • Difficulty in wiring • Not on IT’s Road Map so far • Far from campus, long walk to the labs

9. Ascom • European Company • Local Supplier already has systems running in the country http://www.ascom.com/plc/

10. Independent Outdoor and Indoor Systems

11. Adapters Master Unit Power Circuit DSL Line Indoor System

12. Why 2 systems? • Provides a level of separation along “responsibility boundaries” • Utility Companies (Eskom & Telkom) • Owner • This Project only deals with the Internal System

13. Indoor System • Consists of a couple of “plug-and-play” devices which build on each other • Two main devices • Indoor Controller • Indoor Adapters (terminals) • Master-Slave principles

14. The Network • Shared medium • Bandwidth currently 4.5 Mbits/s • 20Mbits/s envisaged in the medium term • Point-to-Multipoint principle • Flexible bandwidth management • Packet-switched data transfer

15. Adapter • Like a modem • Plug into normal power socket • Standard interfaces • Ethernet, USB • telephone

16. Controller • Administrator • Gateway • Time-slices bandwidth • Configurable using DHCP and SNMP

17. The Work. • Initial investigation into CB’s power plant and circuit infrastructure (done) • Design of a optimised PLC system • Order & Implement a base system for testing and feasibility of original plan • Implement a full system • Test!

19. Expected Outcomes A report on the feasibility of implementing a PLC network in combination with ADSL as a rapid deployment package to buildings that do not already have a data network infrastructure Some of the things that will need to be investigated • Time scale for deployment and configuration • Costing considerations • Limits to the number of users/adapters • How the network handles: • Over-usage (students) • “Dirty” power and spikes • Other PLC systems like geyser control • … and the effect on the bandwidth

20. Possible Extensions As this project is going to be a “work-in-progress”, extensions can only really be looked at later in the year. But: • 3-phase power in CB • Continuing Education Centre • Link from Kimberly Kitchen

21. Questions?