News & Analysis
Comment
przemek
@Nic_Mokhoff: I don't agree that "Open and Secure" was historically incompatible ...
KB3001
Cost is the main factor I should think.
Echelon rolls Linux-based smart grid products
Rick Merritt
9/8/2010 6:46 PM EDT
SAN JOSE, Calif. – Echelon Corp. rolled out Wednesday (Sept. 8) a Linux-based software environment for smart grid applications and new hardware to run the code. Duke Energy signed a $14.5 million deal to use the new products it expects to start field testing before the end of the year.
The Echelon Control System (ECoS) is a framework and set of tools for distributed smart grid applications built on Linux. The Edge Control Node 7000 is a family of modules that can support a variety of peripherals and wireless and wired networking options.
A datasheet on the 7000 node provides no details on what components Echelon uses in the module.
The new products essentially extend Echelon's products beyond its proprietary LonWorks environment into the arena of open software and hardware interfaces. The news comes just days after Cisco Systems bid to acquire sensor network designer Arch Rock as part of its smart grid business unit.
More than 90 million of the company's proprietary LonWorks Neuron chips have been installed to date, the company said in April. The latest version Neuron 5000 revved the chips to 40 MHz and slashed the cost per node in early 2009.
Duke's deal to use the new products stems from a long-term supply agreement the companies signed in August 2009. Echelon expects to complete deliveries to Duke of the ECN 7000 nodes covered by the deal by the middle of 2013.
|
|
|
|
|
kinnar
9/9/2010 6:03 AM EDT
Echelon's initiative is very much appreciable as they have selected Linux for implementation of their new modules range of Smart Power Grid.
This will open new avenues of developments in the emerging technology using the open source software and OS.
There are also many giants present in the market of Smart Grid but choosing Linux will become a plus for infrastructure facilities deployment. When it is point of choosing the technology for a state wide or country wide implementations attention always goes towards the open source.
Sign in to Reply
Nic_Mokhoff
9/9/2010 3:12 PM EDT
Open and secure used to be an oxymoron for Linux. This would be especially be true for such a vulnerable application as an "open" smart grid. But as it turns out Echelon has secured ECN 7000 nodes. From their FAQ: Besides built-in anti-tamper and location awareness detection, the node has SSL connection support, 128-bit encryption with protection against record/playback attacks, 802.11X security, access control lists, denial of service attack prevention; and other measures built into the ECoS software. Maybe we are ready to feel secure using Linux?
Sign in to Reply
t.alex
9/9/2010 8:14 PM EDT
I wonder what is the main factor for choosing Linux here? Will the code be opensource ? Can outside developers contribute to the code in the future?
Sign in to Reply
KB3001
9/12/2010 5:18 PM EDT
Cost is the main factor I should think.
Sign in to Reply
przemek
9/14/2010 11:22 AM EDT
@Nic_Mokhoff: I don't agree that "Open and Secure" was historically incompatible in Linux. In fact, large portion of the security infrastructure (encryption, authentication, etc) was invented in the Unix/Linux environment, and Linux always treated it seriously. Other proprietary platforms, including but not limited to Microsoft Windows, often lagged in adoption of secure practices: e.g. famous LANmanager password vulnerabilities, and the entire litany of breaches of proprietary encryption (WEP, Mifare, various satellite TV protocols, etc etc). Consider that Windows domain security infrastructure is essentially Kerberos.
Sign in to Reply