Customer Success Story
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is chartered with planning and providing for secure public transportation facilities and services throughout the state. With the goal of integrating numerous applications that require highly secure delivery of wireless data and full-motion video, the Department chose Cisco for integrated services across its network.
Business Challenge
The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) is responsible for keeping people and business moving by operating and improving the state's transportation systems. This mission encompasses a diverse transportation system that includes highways and roads, bridges, tunnels, intercity passenger rail, general-aviation airports, and the state's renowned ferry system.
To provide data communication and network services to 220 agency locations, the WSDOT relies on a network comprised of wireline and wireless components, various access technologies, and a combination of leased and owned WAN connectivity. The network is used by 6000 employees.
Six region offices and Washington State Ferries (WSF) are connected to Olympia headquarters by a statewide 100 Mbps fiber ring network, called NoaNet that is owned and used by a consortium of state Public Utility Districts. Attached to each region headquarters office are multiple subordinate offices that are located within the respective region. For example, WSF includes the ferry headquarters in Seattle and 20 ferry terminals around the Puget Sound. Each ferry terminal connects to the ferry headquarters over a network link, which may be fiber owned by the WSDOT, leased fiber, a T-1 connection, or a virtual private network (VPN) link over the Internet. Traffic from VPN locations actually travels to the WSDOT's Olympia headquarters over the State of Washington's single large Internet connection for delivery to the proper regional office.
In 2004, the WSDOT undertook several projects aimed at meeting new requirements for increased security and performance. The WSDOT's goal was to provide a broadband network foundation for extending new wireless, security, video, data, and voice capabilities to all of its facilities over time. The first project extended high-performance network capabilities to small or remote locations that had dial-up connectivity-or no connectivity at all. Depending on the local access choices available, these locations were converted to DSL or cable modem connections. Another project involves connecting all of the WSDOT's traffic management cameras, weather information systems, and intelligent transportation system devices so that management personnel could simplify traffic management across the state, make road and weather information available to the public over the Internet or by cell phone, and expand monitoring coverage throughout Washington.
"All of these projects fit together and all required the ability to transport real-time, full-motion video from all of our monitoring locations to their respective traffic management centers," explains Dennis DeFries, network services manager for the WSDOT. "From there, we need to transport it to our Internet portal, where it is accessible to users around the state."
DeFries' major challenge was implementing and transporting full-motion video on the Washington State Ferry system. Washington State Ferries provides the primary link from the mainland terminal in Anacortes to the San Juan Islands with four terminals on San Juan, Lopez, Shaw, and Orcas Islands, as well as in Sidney, British Columbia, Canada. In total, WSF operates in eight counties on the Puget Sound region using 29 vessels over 10 routes, and carries 25 million riders annually. The WSDOT's primary need was to send video data wirelessly from each ferryboat to land-based ferry terminals. Second, wireless voice capabilities were important. Regulations require each vessel to have voice communications; however, the only way to provide voice service was using cell phones. Not only was this expensive, but coverage was poor because cell phone towers usually are not aimed at large bodies of water.
"We evaluated a number of possible network solutions," said DeFries. "We considered each vendor's installed base of customers, the ability to easily deploy and manage wireless capabilities, and the ability to prioritize traffic over the network. We plan to expand our use of wireless technology significantly and this was a primary consideration for a new network solution." With Cisco Systems® routers already existing in its network, WSDOT chose Cisco wireless solutions to meet the agency's requirements and take further advantage of an existing investment.
Network Solution
Today the WSDOT uses Cisco routers and switches across its 220 sites, and implemented Cisco Secure 802.11i for its wireless deployment. The agency's Olympia headquarters uses Cisco Catalyst 6513 switches to connect to a new building that houses 500 employees. The main ferry administrative location also has deployed Cisco Catalyst 6513 switches. The Cisco Catalyst 6513 Switch is a flexible, scalable platform that supports converged applications, such as data, wireless, and video. The WSDOT deployed its Cisco Catalyst 6513 switches with the Wireless LAN Services Module, which provides a Layer 3 wireless roaming capability.
Cisco 7200 Series routers provide gigabit network backbone capacity and connect to NoaNet directly. A Cisco 7200 Series Router provides the agency's single access portal to the public Internet through Olympia headquarters. All 220 locations access the Internet through this portal. Traffic from locations that connect to the WSDOT's network using a commercial provider, such as those with DSL connections, arrive at headquarters over a VPN and are routed to the Internet through the portal. This design minimizes exposure to viruses, worms, and other external threats.
In locations where the WSDOT owns fiber links, Cisco Catalyst 3550 Series switches are used to create a private LAN, connected to the rest of the WSDOT's network using a Cisco 2500 Series Router. Because remote locations require wireless connectivity, a VPN connection, or voice over Frame Relay links, the WSDOT recently upgraded existing Cisco 2501 or 3810 routers to Cisco 1841 or 2800 series integrated services routers. The new routers enable the WSDOT to deliver high-performance, concurrent data, wireless, and security services to all locations.
"Our state security standards mandate that we provide multiple layers of security for our wireless infrastructure," says DeFries. "We choose to implement three layers. First, we use the built-in IPSecurity (IPSec) VPN encryption features. Next, we implement the Cisco IOS® Software Firewall Feature Set to secure all wireless traffic. Finally, we use the Cisco Secure Access Control Server (ACS) in conjunction with a RADIUS server to perform authentication of individual users. We can easily and securely converge multiple functions over a single platform."
Cisco Aironet 1300 Series outdoor access points are deployed in a portion of the ferry fleet vessels and ferry terminal buildings. These systems provide cost-effective, high-speed wireless connectivity for video data and servers, which are also installed on the boats. If images need to be transported back to the ferry terminal, traffic management center, or the ferry regional office, they are sent over the Cisco Aironet 1300 Series access point.
"We also implemented voice over IP (VoIP) and network connectivity to the vessels using the same wireless link," says DeFries. "We use one IP network for everything-voice, video, and data."
Cisco Aironet 1200 access points are deployed in ferry terminals for ferry maintenance applications. Not limited to use for the ferry operations, the Cisco Aironet 1200 Series are deployed to provide wireless network connectivity in road maintenance facilities, at headquarters, and in selected regional offices. Authenticated users can connect to WSDOT's network from their vehicles, from a parking lot, in conference rooms, and from other locations.
Business Value
"Because the Cisco integrated services routers can deliver data, voice, video, and wireless traffic securely over a single platform, the decision was easy to cost-justify," says DeFries. "A single, integrated architecture made it much easier."
The ferry video data, voice, video, and security capabilities enabled the department to meet federal security requirements and simultaneously improve coverage. The network now enables even remote offices to send engineering drawings, plans, productivity applications, wireless data, and traffic management video to Olympia and region offices. Approximately 20 private branch exchanges (PBXs) connect to the Cisco network backbone, enabling WSDOT to reduce long-distance telephone charges.
The new network provides a robust foundation for extending wireless data, VoIP, and video applications wherever they are needed. One current project is a new fast-track toll payment system that is being installed on the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, which will enable motorists simply to be scanned using a transponder device attached to their vehicles and pay their tolls in one monthly bill. That scanning traffic will traverse the Cisco network. Traffic cameras, traveler information services, weather updates, satellite images, and traffic management systems all use the network.
Next Steps
DeFries says that the WSDOT has implemented a fraction of the planned deployments to date. "We will be deploying many more wireless systems, video monitoring, and video servers in ferries and ferry terminals," he says. Small offices that received broadband connectivity in 2004 will receive wireless capabilities throughout 2005 and 2006.
"Of course we'll be adding traffic cameras throughout the state so that travelers and commuters can visit our Website and see what the traffic looks like where they're trying to go," adds DeFries. Plans call for this information to be available over cell phones as well. He expects to soon make several important applications available over the wireless network, such as a revenue collection system, a bar-code-based scanning system for vehicles that travel on the ferries, and an application that senses ice conditions so that surfaces can be properly de-iced.
DeFries is also evaluating CiscoWorks LAN Management Solution (LMS) and CiscoWorks VPN/Security Management Solution (VMS) as management tools for managing device configurations, software updates, and VPNs.
"The Cisco team has been very helpful in enabling us to fulfill many of the regulations we are subject to, and they have helped us deploy solid wireless technology," says DeFries.
For More Information
To learn more about Cisco wireless solutions, visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/wireless.
To learn more about Cisco routing solutions, visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/routing.
To learn more about Cisco switching solutions, visit: http://www.cisco.com/go/switching.
To learn more about Washington State Department of Transportation visit: http://www.wsdot.wa.gov
This customer story is based on information provided by Saint Luke's Health System and describes how that particular organization benefits from the deployment of Cisco products. Many factors may have contributed to the results and benefits described; Cisco does not guarantee comparable results elsewhere.
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