NEC 2015 Annual Report Download - page 32

Contribute to Enhancing Expressway Safety and Security through the Use of SDN
Driven by its founding motto “100% safety and reliability,” West Nippon
Expressway Company Limited (NEXCO-West), which operates the
expressways of West Japan, has actively promoted road maintenance
and traffic safety measures. Further, NEXCO-West has taken steps to
enhance disaster recovery, raise local collaboration and customer
satisfaction and has contributed to the development of western Japan
based on the Group’s collective efforts. Above all, western Japan is the
area where damage from Tonankai or Nankai earthquakes is expected
and the expressway plays a key social role in delivering relief supplies
and personnel in times of emergency or disaster. With that in mind,
NEXCO-West is improving the earthquake resistant roads, conducting
disaster-preparedness drills in collaboration with local organizations and
reinforcing the functions of the traffic control centers by building a
backup system and a wide area network infrastructure.
Functions of Traffic Control Centers and the Challenges of
Existing Network Configuration
The traffic control centers observe local traffic volumes and weather
patterns using ample information from traffic measurement
facilities, and weather forecast equipment located at regular
intervals on the expressway network. They also function as the
“control towers” that provide guidance concerning on-the-spot
traffic regulations, the handling of accidents and other matters.
NEXCO-West has set up traffic control centers in Kansai, Chugoku,
Shikoku, and Kyushu that operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year
to support expressway safety.
However, at NEXCO-West, networks that connect the traffic
control centers and roadside equipment such as traffic
measurement facilities and weather forecast equipment are built
separately for each region and only exchange information within
those regions. Therefore, if the traffic control center of one region
ceases operation in the event of a disaster, its monitoring and
control of that region’s expressways become difficult. In order to
solve this problem, a mutual backup system that could compensate
and take over and manage a center’s functions was required.
Achieving Flexible Operational Management through
Centrally-Controlled Software
To solve this problem, NEXCO-West adopted NEC’s SDN solution. NEC
built an SDN network linking multiple routes between 45 traffic
control centers and expressway offices within a 4,000-km-wide area
to create a wide area network that connects multiple traffic control
centers in each region and enables advanced route control.
Since this network’s configuration can be changed instantly
through centrally controlled software in case of an emergency, the
access point of the network’s roadside equipment can be quickly
switched. Therefore, even during a disaster, a mutual backup system
can cover for each region’s center functions and stable expressway
service is maintained.
Future Development
SDN is a technology that revolutionizes existing networks and adds
new value to existing infrastructure. At NEC, SDN is held up as one
key area in the “Solutions for Society.” We will promote a safe and
secure social infrastructure for solving social issues with customers
by providing a wide range of solutions that leverage SDN.
Example of an SDN backup traffic control-framework for traffic control centers
Normal Time
sE
mergency
Each Traffic control center monitors own area
Kyushu
Traffic control
center
Chugoku
Traffic control
center
Kansai
Traffic control
center
Shikoku
Traffic control
center
Kyushu
Branch Office
Kansai
Branch Office
Shikoku
Branch Office
Kyushu
Traffic control
center
Chugoku
Traffic control
center
Kansai
Traffic control
center
Shikoku
Traffic control
center
Kyushu
Branch Office
Chugoku
Branch Office
Chugoku
Branch Office Kansai
Branch Office
Shikoku
Branch Office
Control functions taken over by another center
(Example below shows case of disaster in Kyushu)
31 NEC Corporation
Annual Report 2015