RESILIENT COMMUNITY: Smart Local Networks

One of richest pathways towards improving the level of community coordination in the event of disaster/disconnection, is through the use of community Web sites that provide actionable information (here's an example of how this worked in San Diego during the recent fires) and reverse 911 data-sharing. Unfortunately, community emergency Web sites as well as basic data services are extremely vulnerable to disconnection. What's needed are smart local networks.

Smart Local Networks
(a local Internet or community Intranet)
Most of the local loops (from telco fiber to cable company coaxial) currently in place and/or being installed in the US are dumb (I suspect it is the same globally). They simply route data from local customers to regionally clustered corporate server farms and then outwards/back. This means that any disconnection (physical or logical fault) between local customers and these remote systems will result in a complete cessation of service. To correct this deficiency, communities need to start to think more like a corporation: security of data services are considered central to a company's survival. So, as part of future negotiations with cable/telcos, communities should request that companies allow them to piggyback on their "dumb" networks to create a smart local loops. This would entail:

• A high availability local network for emergencies. A local emergency network that connects all homes and business in the area by accessing the local aggregation nodes of cable/telco operators (which is actually a relatively trivial/inexpensive network exercise). It should become the default network if access to the greater Internet fails. Optimally, the network should sit astride both cable and telco services to provide a seamless community "footprint."
  
• High availability servers (computers that host Web sites) in the local loop. Servers that are on the community network and located within the communities environs. Back-up power should be provided to ensure that these servers maintain high up time.
  
• (futures) Community coordination software to sit on these servers. Easy to use and edit social software: blogs, wikis, etc. If the market is large enough, there will be software packages (hopefully open source) that replicate the functionality of a fully functional emergency response system (i.e. locally cached Google maps, etc.). In terms of operating this software, most communities could ask schools/boy scouts/etc. to maintain the software, even during an emergency (young people are much more likely to have the skill sets to do this w/o specific training).

Comments

[jeffvail]

One example of this that may be transferable is the radio communication networks of cruising sailors. It's very common in popular cruising areas (Florida, the Med, part of the Caribbean, etc.) to have semi-regular networks of cruising boats communicating via radio. These range from the standard practice of leaving one's radio on and tuned to Channel 16 so you can quickly contact all cruisers within a given area to more push-oriented daily broadcasts of weather conditions, local events, etc. by dedicated sailors. It's very common--and very easy--to coordinate meetings, consult on passage conditions, and coordinate flotillas this way. Additionally, these kinds of networks are extremely flexible and extremely resilient--they can easily adapt to local conditions, and there are no critical failure nodes. While I doubt most people will rush out and get a VHF radio set, most of us already have the necessary hardware (e.g. wireless laptops)--we just need the software/platforms in place...

[Selil]

ARRL is going to be so sad. HIgh availability communication networks exist with redundant power sourcing and resilient capability in the amateur radio operators. These operators can operate locally through repeaters, connect long distance to data networks wirelessly, and move message traffic highly professionally. Operators can work QRP (low power below 1 watt), or crank up to 2.5K watts and work globally. It is an often forgotten element in the emergency manager bundle of tools, but they are organized and prepared for about anything at a hat drop. Most of the amateur radio operators in emergency management train at least monthly and volunteer at non-emergency events to keep sharp. Unfortunately they get little respect from public entities and are only truly recognized when the pretty expensive glossy toys of emergency managers that are not sustainable (as said in the blog entry) break and are not useable. Barriers to entry on price and skills are very low. Capability is incredible. It is sustainable and flexible in operation. It is distributed and inexpensive. Social service groups already are interested from the boy scouts to the all terrain search and rescue groups.

73s KB7ZTY

[greendemon]

"Gears" from Google caches webpages locally, synchronising with the original whenever connectivity allows. Useful for preserving content on LANs...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_Gears

[James F. Elliott]

In Santa Clara County, California, there's a push by the county OES to get as many Community Based Organizations as possible to have a ham radio operator on staff.

[Michael Tanji]

Selil snakes me. I was going to say wire of any sort costs, doubly so for secure, redundant wire. Fine if you're a neighborhood full of people who can afford to cut a deal like that. Plus, if physical destruction is sufficient, no amount of wire may help. Go retro with radio or CB (good buddy). Drawback of course is that you need a smidge a training, have to try to enforce radio discipline, etc. Gotta get people to practice, keep gear in working order . . . sigh.

[chris23]

Meraki wifi meshnets are another possible solution. Open community intranets, off-web lilly pad deployments..

[Nancy & Cliff]

Every community striving for resilience should join a network where discoveries and best practices can be shared. Every community is unique, as will be the climatic challenges they face. But there are enough commonalities to make it worthwhile to avoid having to invent every wheel for sustainability. A social/knowledge network of community activists can also summon up more buying power and political influence than communities standing alone.

Resilience comes from gathering knowledge from diverse sources and contingency planning at all levels - social, political, economic, physical. We call it PREsilience, and it deserves its own digital infrastructure - social networks, blogs and wikis.

[docsharp01]

Good article about smart local networks. The USA is light years behind other countries in regards to high speed internet, but that's another story altogether.
http://www.pc-satellite-tv-reviews.com