Containerized IED Auto-Provisioning with Secure Remote Upgrades
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge of automatically detecting and remotely provisioning intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) in power grid networks, particularly for container-based IEDs, is complex due to the need for seamless updates and additions of applications without disrupting operations.
Innovation Solution
A method and system for automatically provisioning containerized IEDs through secure login, upgrade generation, and monitoring, using a device management system to identify, authenticate, and update IEDs with temporary virtual machines, ensuring minimal operational disruption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If automatic provisioning is implemented for containerized IEDs, then deployment efficiency is improved, but system complexity increases due to multiple authentication and communication steps
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by pre-establishing authentication mechanisms and communication protocols before the actual provisioning occurs. The device management system proactively identifies containerized IEDs, establishes secure login credentials, and prepares upgrade packages in advance, enabling seamless automatic provisioning without increasing operational complexity
Solution Approach 2:
A temporary virtual machine acts as an intermediary between the device management system and the containerized IED during the upgrade process. This intermediary handles the complex communication and data transfer operations, shielding the main system from the complexity of direct IED integration while enabling efficient automated provisioning
2Reliability
If secure authentication protocols are implemented, then security is improved, but provisioning time increases due to additional verification steps
Solution Approach 1:
Authentication credentials and security protocols are established in advance during the device identification phase. By pre-verifying and storing authentication parameters, the system eliminates time-consuming verification steps during the actual provisioning process while maintaining robust security measures
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the containerized IED provides basic details about itself, enabling the device management system to automatically generate appropriate authentication credentials and login protocols. This bidirectional information exchange streamlines the authentication process, reducing verification time while ensuring security
3Duration of action of stationary object
If application upgrades are performed in-place, then operational continuity is improved, but system stability may be compromised due to potential upgrade failures
Solution Approach 1:
The system creates a temporary virtual machine as a copy or replica of the containerized IED before performing upgrades. This temporary instance serves as a sandbox where upgrade failures cannot affect the operational system. The temporary virtual machine receives upgrade packages first, allowing for safe testing and validation before the changes are applied to the live IED, thus maintaining both operational continuity and system stability
Data Source
AI summary
Devices, systems, and methods for automatically provisioning containerized intelligent electronic devices (IEDs) of a grid network include identifying, by a device management system, basic details of a containerized IED provided by the containerized IED; determining, based on the basic details, that the containerized IED is running in the network; identifying, based on the basic details, a secure login for the containerized IED; sending a secure login request to the containerized IED based on the secure login; receiving, based on the secure login request, advanced details of the containerized IED provided by the containerized IED; identifying, based on the advanced details, an upgrade available to an application of the containerized IED; instruct a backup virtual machine of the containerized IED to run the upgraded application; and monitoring new upgrades and applications available for containerized IEDs in the network.