Background
In today’s world, our technologies and systems are only as good as the networks they rely on. When it comes to border security, the stakes are even higher. For many countries, border security systems are the first line of defense against a host of external threats, including, but not limited to, drug smugglers and human traffickers. Border security systems are often a comprehensive affair that emphasizes intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance to stay ahead of threats. One of the most powerful tools in the arsenal of border security authorities are drones, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), and surveillance cameras.
For drones, UAVs, and surveillance cameras to be effective, they must transmit data, including video, images, and sensor data, back to base stations accurately and promptly, 24/7, rain or shine. What’s more, as illegal border activities often occur in inhospitable and remote environments, harsh weather conditions must also be factored in to ensure the optimal transmission of data. As a result, robust and reliable outdoor wireless communication gateways are essential to the operation of drones, UAVs, and surveillance cameras for border security.
Requirements
Lanner collaborated with a Turkish system integrator to incorporate Lanner’s 4.5G LTE-enabled gateway appliance into a solution. The network appliance was to be used as an outdoor gateway to connect drones, UAVs, and surveillance cameras with LTE base stations. The requirements of the customer were far-ranging and comprehensive:
- Industrial-grade sturdiness and reliability for outdoor use
- Wide-temperature resistance for optimal operations regardless of the season
- Robust security for trusted communications: Trusted Platform Module
- Built-in Offload QAT for easier integration of built-in cryptographic accelerators into network and security applications
- Versatile wireless connectivity: Mini-PCIe for Wi-Fi expansion and 4.5G LTE slot
- Optional module: PGN-300/600
- Compatibility with Ubuntu and Centos to utilize firmware on Ubuntu
Solution
To meet the requirements of the customer, Lanner offered the NCR-1510, a wide-temperature fanless network appliance optimized for 4.5G LTE communications. This new offering allows service providers to deploy communication services in demanding environments and for critical infrastructure. Powered by an Intel® Atom® C3000 processor the NCR-1510 delivers robust performance. What’s more, with Intel QuickAssist Technology running up to 10Gbps, the NCR-1510 offers cryptographic communications with base stations and industrial-grade LAN functionality in a compact form factor.
This appliance (SKU D/E/F) is built with an optional removable M.2 LTE caddy, allowing for the installation of PGN-300 or PGN-600 swappable LTE modules.