Ensuring the Security, Reliability and Performance of Mission-Critical Communications
Various government directives such as the Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act of 2022 (CIRCIA) and the EU’s Critical Entities Resilience (CER) Directive mandate enhanced protection for critical infrastructure, technologies such as non-terrestrial networks (NTNs), positioning, navigation, and timing (PNT) systems, IT architecture and field communications. With such directives in effect, the security, reliability, and performance of mission-critical communications has never been more essential.
Deploying advanced tools such as digital twins and post-quantum cryptography (PQC) can mitigate risks, ensure resilience, and support compliance. This blog explores how VIAVI addresses the challenges of mission-critical systems.
NTN Digital Twin Testbed
Many applications – from IoT through to autonomous driving – require exceptionally low latencies and wide-ranging coverage. Recent years have seen the introduction of Non-Terrestrial Networks (NTNs) to support these applications, for example through the use of Ku-, Ka- and S-band communications to give web access in disaster recovery scenarios, as well as for automotive navigation and in-flight infotainment systems.
While these NTN systems are becoming more commonplace and micro-launching companies help reduce some expenditures, the cost of launching into space is still exceptionally high. This high price tag demands a thorough evaluation of every element before an NTN launches.
VIAVI and Rohde & Schwarz have partnered to develop an NTN digital twin testbed for LEO (Low Earth Orbit), MEO (medium earth orbit) and GEO (geostationary earth orbit) that can accurately validate end-to-end connectivity, performance, reliability and stability without disrupting live operations. The digital twin testbed helps in the proactive identification and resolution of potential bottlenecks and vulnerabilities before they arise in situ.
The VIAVI and Rohde & Schwarz NTN testbed supports SKY Perfect JSAT’s recently unveiled Universal NTN Innovation Lab. Launched in November 2024, the NTN Lab will serve as a testing hub for the realization of the “Universal NTN”, a pioneering concept leveraging Geosynchronous Earth Orbit (GEO) and non-GEO satellites, and High-Altitude Platform Stations (HAPS) with technology that enables automatic routing to the optimal communication path.
Network Synchronization
Accurate and secure timing is critical for synchronized operations, cryptographic security, and reliable network performance, especially in mission-critical scenarios. Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) services have become indispensable, enabling precise synchronization and coordination across various sectors.
At its core, PNT relies on signals from global navigation satellite systems (GNSS) to provide accurate location and timing information. These signals are essential for a wide range of applications, from guiding aircraft and ships to synchronizing financial transactions and power grid operations. However, the widespread dependence on GNSS signals also exposes critical infrastructure to vulnerabilities and risks, making it susceptible to disruptions caused by signal jamming, “spoofing” and other forms of interference.
VIAVI’s SecurePNT™ with SecureTimeSM Services represents a major advancement in safeguarding critical infrastructure against the vulnerabilities inherent in traditional GPS and GNSS systems. The solution provides a highly accurate and stable timing reference for PNT synchronization, ensuring resilience against external threats.
Spectrum Optimization
Efficient use of the Radio Frequency (RF) spectrum is crucial for handling simultaneous critical services in congested or emergency scenarios. Spectrum optimization enhances capacity and minimizes interference, enabling reliable communication even in the most challenging environments.
VIAVI’s OneAdvisor 800 is a versatile solution designed to optimize spectrum usage. Real-time insights into frequency usage, as well as proactive identification and resolution of signal conflicts help prevent interference. The OneAdvisor 800 empowers network operators to maximize performance and maintain service quality in high-demand scenarios.
Assurance Monitoring
As networks grow increasingly complex, real-time monitoring of performance, security, and service quality becomes essential. Assurance monitoring allows operators to identify and address issues before they escalate, ensuring uninterrupted network operations.
VIAVI NITRO® AIOps’ AI-driven capabilities serve mission-critical networks by simplifying NOC complexity and streamlining operations. NITRO AIOps is an advanced, end-to-end, top-down intelligent engine that seamlessly integrates across multi-vendor, multi-technology and multi-domain environments. It bridges the gap between complex networks and efficient operations – enabling a transformative approach that leverages AI, ML, and big data analytics to automate and enhance end-to-end multi-domain network orchestration.
Quantum Security Testing
We are entering a post-quantum cryptography (PQC) world, with experts estimating that there is a more than 50% chance of quantum computers being powerful enough to break standard public-key encryption in less than 15 years. This means the systems developed today will likely still be active and developers must take this risk into account and develop the next generation of ultra-secure communication methods.
Introducing cryptographic protocols can create additional network performance overhead, which affects end-user quality of experience. VIAVI’s TeraVM Security Test is trusted by leading network security infrastructure vendors, service providers, research institutes, governments and enterprises to emulate large-scale user endpoint traffic applications over secure access connections while measuring individual traffic flow performance across multiple quality vectors. TeraVM Security Test validates quantum-safe algorithms and ensures that encryption methods can withstand quantum computing attacks.
VIAVI at Mobile World Congress 2025
Where mission-critical means zero tolerance for failure, our solutions spanning NTN lab validation, network synchronization, spectrum optimization, assurance monitoring, and quantum security testing ensure operations stay secure, connected, and ahead of emerging threats.
We will be showcasing our solutions for mission-critical communications at Mobile World Congress (MWC) Barcelona 2025 from March 3 through 6 at Hall 5, booth A18. Click here to learn more.
Come and talk to us about your challenges and needs and see how we can help you ensure the security, reliability and performance of mission-critical communication networks.
