For airlines to run critical operations on networks that are set up and run for them, removing the complexity and cost of managing connectivity themselves, air industry tech firm SITA has launched a new network solution designed to support the demands of complex airport and transport environments.

With around 2,500 customers, SITA technology supports more than 1,000 airports and more than 19,600 aircraft worldwide. The company said that it also helps more than 70 governments “strike the balance between secure borders and seamless journeys” and connects 45-50% of the industry’s data exchange to enable complex global networks to operate smoothly and reliably.

As part of the latter aim, the SITA Campus Network, powered by HPE Aruba Networking, aims to offer a managed network service covering more than 150 countries wherein SITA takes care of the design, procurement, shipping, installation, configuration and support for all devices involved. Boasting a low total cost of ownership (TCO), SITA is proposing “one of the most competitive” fully managed local area network/wireless local area network (LAN/WLAN) available in the industry.

Explaining the rationale for the launch, SITA noted that managing networks across multiple locations, devices and suppliers is complex and costly. Furthermore, it said that when networks are fragmented, performance suffers and disruptions can spread quickly.

SITA Campus Network is attributed with being able to remove this burden by delivering a fully managed network across wired and wireless environments. The campus network is claimed to combine “robust” connectivity with centralised, cloud-based management to ensure consistent, reliable performance across airport campuses and other large transport hubs.

Designed for high-density environments such as terminals, hangars and airline operations centres, the solution is said to support large volumes of users and devices without compromising performance, even during peak demand. By integrating HPE technology into its managed service, SITA’s customers get a network that is centrally operated by SITA while retaining the flexibility to use different technologies and vendors.

Available in more than 145 countries, with 24/7 operational support, SITA assured that by reducing the need for costly hardware and simplifying operations the network lowers both upfront investment and ongoing costs. Its pay-as-you-go model allows customers to scale usage up or down based on demand, with rapid deployment across locations.

This is said to reduce the need for on-site support, spare equipment and recurring training, freeing up IT teams to focus on higher-value activities. Where needed, the campus network connects to SITA’s global wide-area network services. This connectivity links more than 600 airports worldwide.

As is the norm with other leading networking solutions, the SITA Campus Network uses AI to improve visibility across the network, detect issues earlier and automate troubleshooting, helping reduce downtime. It also provides centralised management, allowing infrastructure and devices to be monitored and controlled across both on-site systems and remote environments.

Martin Smillie SITA senior vice-president of communications and data exchange, said integrating diverse systems and devices across airport environments is becoming more complex as operations become more connected: “At the same time, expectations on performance, resilience and security continue to rise. With SITA Campus Network powered by Aruba, we take on that complexity. We deliver a network that is set up, run and continuously optimised, so our customers can focus on keeping operations moving while maintaining control across increasingly demanding environments.”

Sujai Hajela, executive vice-president and general manager for enterprise campus and branch at HPE, added: “Airports and airlines have to support thousands of staff, passengers and mission critical systems across terminals, gates and airside areas – and any network issue shows up immediately as delays and frustration.

“SITA Campus Network powered by HPE Aruba Networking is built on our secure, AI-native technology to deliver a self-driving network that spots and fixes problems in real time, often before anyone notices, so operations keep moving and passengers stay connected.”

China-linked hackers are using networks of vulnerable internet-connected devices, including home routers, printers and smart devices, as cover to mount espionage and hacking operations.

The technique is now used by the majority of China-linked hackers as a way to obscure hacking and espionage attacks launched against organisations in the West.

The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and national agencies in nine other countries have warned today that Chinese-linked groups are now leveraging networks of infected devices “at scale” to target critical sectors globally and steal sensitive data.

According to an advisory issued by the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing alliance – comprising the UK, the US, Canada, Australia and New Zealand – and 10 other countries, Chinese groups are exploiting security vulnerabilities in unpatched internet devices to create networks to use as a staging post to launch further attacks.

“We know that China’s intelligence and military agencies now display an eye-watering level of sophistication in their cyber operations,” said NCSC chief Richard Horne in a speech at its CyberUK conference in Glasgow.