A network survivability model for critical national infrastructures

Abstract

Critical national infrastructures for power, finance, transportation, and other basic resources rely on information and telecommunications networks (voice, data, Internet) to provide services and conduct business. While these networks tend to be highly reliable, disasters may lead to extended outages requiring days/weeks to repair. These outages can cause loss of emergency services, financial transaction failures, power distribution and transportation inefficiencies, and other malfunctions, resulting in inconvenience, financial ruin for individuals or businesses, or even loss of life. In this paper, we describe the life cycle of a disaster first and then present an approach for modeling information network disasters and their impact on other national infrastructures. Central to the approach is a simulation engine that Bell Labs has developed. The engine uses publicly available data (e.g., demographics, census, infrastructures) and, coupled with Bell Labs' network design and operational expertise, it effectively models network performance. This is particularly useful in the analysis of failure scenarios during and after a network disaster, providing insight for improving networks, procedures, and policies.