You may have learned what a Data Diode does for the protection and connection of your digital assets. But what about protection when the connection of your digital assets runs through very harsh environments, where temperatures drop and humidity reaches levels above the ordinary? That’s when the Rugged Data Diode comes into play. Let’s have a look at it!
Data Diode basics
We start with some basics. A Data Diode guarantees safe one-way data transfer by only allowing data to travel in one direction – in concept, the same way an electronic diode conducts current. Hence the use of the word diode.
The Data Diode separates your secured side, where your systems (servers) may be, from the not-so-secure side, where your users (clients) may be.
The Data Diode performs this separation by isolating the secure side from the not-so-secure side galvanically, which means there are no electronic connections between the two sides. No copper cables, no steel cables, no iron cables. The Data Diode uses fiber optics to enable the flow of data from the secure side to the not-so-secure side, but not the other way around.
The harsh environment
Standard Data Diodes mostly live in cabinets in data centres, where the environment is friendly to electronic and digital equipment. But there are environments around the world that are not that friendly.
Think of positions in an aircraft operating at high altitude, where the temperature drops heavily. And imagine a mine far below the surface, where humidity is high and vibrations could shake things apart. Feel the salt fog on a vessel crossing the oceans and consider what such a fog could do to the equipment. And think of the dust you may have come across in computer chassis, and consider the consequences of such dust in a power station in the desert. In all those places that are not so friendly to electronic and digital equipment, digitization grows, and with digitization comes the demand for the security provided by a Data Diode.
You can clearly see that there are places demanding capabilities from components that are not available in their standard versions. Standard components must be rugged.
So, there is a need for the Rugged Data Diode.
The Rugged Data Diode
The Rugged Data Diode shall withstand several abnormal operating conditions.
The Rugged Data Diode shall operate at low air pressure, for example in air transportation. It shall withstand both extremely high and low temperatures. High humidity, rain and salt fog shall not interfere. Vibrations and shocks shall not break the diode.
The Rugged Data Diode is water protected and dust protected. In order not to be influenced by electromagnetism, it is EMC (Electro Magnetic Compatibility) protected. And to prevent the Rugged Data Diode from being disturbed by electromagnetism, it is also EMI (Electro Magnetic Interference) protected.
The Rugged Data Diode complies with several military and industrial standards covering the equipment’s design for the conditions it will experience throughout its service life.
Summing up
Now you know more about the basic concept of the Data Diode and the living conditions of the Rugged Data Diode. Since we launched our first Data Diode in 2006, we’ve seen an increasing demand for cyber security. First came the Defense industry, followed by the Energy industry, and now we see the Financial industry, the Medical industry – well, almost all industries – taking an interest in the concept of Data Diodes. And as digitization grows everywhere, especially in harsh environments, the demand for rugged components increases.
In short – we will see more Rugged Data Diodes!
You may download this White Paper as a PDF file here
