Experiences with an IP/MPLS Network in Utility Environment

摘要

On the one hand, TSOs (Transmission System Operators) are facing increasing communication needs with more and more different external parties such as client sites, offshore stations, energy market players, … On the other hand, TSOs deploy packet switched networks to efficiently connect native Ethernet and IP (Internet Protocol) devices.This paper describes the experiences with the IP/MPLS (Internet Protocol/Multi-Protocol Label Switching) technology and the major design options we have chosen. This technology allows a TSO to deploy a packet switched network for its own needs and also to connect safely external parties. VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) can be configured to segregate the own traffic flows as well as isolating traffic flows from external parties. It is a common and mature technology used by many telecommunication providers for their next generation packet switched networks.Protection communication on packet switched networks is a greenfield area for most TSOs. At the time being, interoperability tests between protection equipment manufacturers and telecom equipment manufacturers are very rare. The paper contains a summary of the test setup, test methods and main results of various tests performed by Elia in this domain.