Learnings

Outcomes

The outcome of this project has been a set of documented reports exploring the key existing, and future connectivity use cases within NGGT, the available technology, and an assessment of the requirements and considerations for their implementation, as a desktop study, and subsequently demonstrated, enhanced, and validated though their design and physical implementation on a technical demonstrator within Lagoni Engineering’s offices. 

This generated a concept future connectivity architecture, as an extension of existing NGGT sites, and a cyber security driven implementation, based on existing open-source technology, and tailored for the specific operational policies, procedures, and people within NGGT, and general OT practices. 

This implementation has allowed the assessment and iteration of the key identified future connectivity use cases, allowing lessons learned and recommendations to be identified early, prior to commercial implementation as part of RIIO-T2, de-risking, and optimizing this process for both cyber security posture, and to drive effective value for money. 

Through engagement with other bodies outside of the NIA project, additional lessons have been learned, through the re-deployment of the developed implementation in other environments, providing a NGGT driven, but holistic view on future connectivity requirements and considerations within CNI and the wider energy industry. 

Lessons Learnt

Closure 2020/21: 
Key lessons and high-level findings were found in the following areas: 
Security Design: There are varying requirements for confidentiality, integrity, and availability for the transmission of remote data, depending on the use case, and the divide between process and security data.  It was found that the design was greatly simplified by the introduction of dedicated OT, and security zones, with a tightly controlled conduit between. This allowed the security design to be tailored to the requirements, and crucially, capabilities of the respective OT and Security teams. 

Protocol Standardization: It was found that conversion to a standardized set of simplified protocols, at the edge, greatly simplified the management, cyber assessment, and software requirements. In addition, to allowing a unified security interface, and a reduction in uplink bandwidth.  

Security Insight: It was identified that significant security insight could be gained through the active, and effective collation and monitoring of existing security logs within the end servers and network devices.