Wireless Network Management Device with Integrated Firewall
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing network management systems for industrial automation face challenges in protecting network boundaries with firewalls, managing security policies for redundancy, and ensuring secure communication across multiple security levels, leading to increased costs and complexity.
Innovation Solution
A network management system utilizing wireless network management devices with built-in firewall functions, connected via private communication lines, allowing concurrent operation across multiple security levels without external firewall installation, and enabling redundant configurations without affecting other networks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If external firewalls are installed to protect network boundaries, then network security is improved, but system complexity and installation costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the firewall function with the network management device to create an integrated security solution. The network management device now performs both network management and firewall functions, eliminating the need for separate external firewall installations and reducing overall system complexity while maintaining security.
Solution Approach 2:
The network management device is designed to perform multiple functions including network management, security policy enforcement, and firewall operations. This multi-functional approach allows a single device to handle both management and security tasks, reducing the number of separate components needed in the system.
2Reliability
If multiple firewalls are installed for different security areas, then network security is improved, but installation and maintenance costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple firewall functions into a single network management device that can enforce security policies across different security areas. This consolidation reduces the number of separate firewall installations needed, lowering both installation and maintenance costs while maintaining comprehensive security coverage.
3Reliability
If network switches are installed for redundancy configuration, then system reliability is improved, but labor for setup and operation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines redundancy management functions with the network management device, allowing it to directly configure and manage redundant network paths without requiring separate network switches dedicated solely to redundancy. This integration reduces the number of components and simplifies setup procedures.
Solution Approach 2:
The network management device automatically configures redundancy paths and performs self-diagnosis, reducing the need for manual setup and ongoing maintenance labor. The device can autonomously manage failover scenarios and configure backup paths without requiring extensive manual intervention.
4Reliability
If firewalls are installed at each network boundary, then security policy enforcement is improved, but the number of devices and system complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The network management device is designed to enforce security policies across multiple network boundaries simultaneously. It can manage security areas with different security levels and apply appropriate policies to each boundary through a single integrated device, eliminating the need for separate firewalls at each boundary.
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a network management system using wireless network management devices each having a plurality of security policies. With the network management system, the wireless network management devices can be concurrently used in networks with a plurality of security levels, and security can be ensured without installing firewalls externally, so that labor for setting and operating a network for redundancy can be saved. The network management system includes: a first network NW1 to which plant management devices 11 and 12 are connected; a second network NW2 to which field devices 51 to 5n are connected; and wireless network management devices 61 and 62 each having a firewall function and connected to the first network NW1 and the second network NW2.