Development of highly scalable and secure communication architecture for on-train networks

Current on-train network ( connecting panels, amplifiers, screens etc.) broadcasts messages to anyone willing to listen. However, such an architecture is impossible to make secure.

On the other hand, on-train networks have many parallels with current highly-scalable cloud based microservice systems:

• Many different services
• Many services of each type
• Flexible architecture (think adding connecting trains together to form a new train)
• High availability
• Detection of failure and automatic take over (respawning of service on other physical device…)

But also some differences:

• Physical location of each service (e.g. amplifier) matters
• Each unit can operate on its own or connected to another unit (multiple possible brains, only 1 needs to be active)

This thesis will explore the possibility of using the communication networks used in scalable microservice systems as a on-train communication architecture. The thesis student will develop a communication architecture that allows the required flexibility and security necessary for trains. Finally, he will build a proof-of-concept network demonstrating his architecture.

Nature of the work

• Level: Master
• Specialty: Software
• Expected outcome: Research: 20%, Implem. 40%, Experim. 20%
• Location: University, Televic
• Type: Programming, Simulation, Literature Study, Design
• Number of students: 1 or 2