https://www.americancityandcounty.com/wp-content/themes/acc_child/assets/images/logo/footer-logo.png
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcast
  • Resources & Events
    • Back
    • Resources
    • Webinars
    • White Papers
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • Municipal Cost Index – Archive
    • Equipment Watch Page
    • American City & County Awards
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Privacy Statement
    • Terms of Service
American City and County
  • NEWSLETTER
  • Home
  • Co-op Solutions
  • Hybrid Work
  • Commentaries
  • News
  • In-Depth
  • Multimedia
    • Back
    • Podcasts
  • Resources/Events
    • Back
    • Webinars
    • White Papers/eBooks
    • IWCE 2022
    • How to Contribute
    • American City & County Awards
    • Municipal Cost Index
    • Equipment Watch Page
  • About Us
    • Back
    • About Us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise
    • Cookie Policy
    • Privacy Stament
    • Terms of Service
  • newsletter
  • Administration
  • Economy & Finance
  • Procurement
  • Public Safety
  • Public Works & Utilities
  • Smart Cities & Technology
  • Magazine
acc.com

Smart Cities & Technology


Event-resolution system keeps Denver International Airport flying

Event-resolution system keeps Denver International Airport flying

DIA also is the fifth-busiest airport in the country, setting new records nearly every month for passenger traffic. In 2006, the airport served 47.3 million
  • Written by American City & County Administrator
  • 21st November 2007

DIA also is the fifth-busiest airport in the country, setting new records nearly every month for passenger traffic. In 2006, the airport served 47.3 million passengers, nearly 10 percent more than the previous year.

To successfully manage the day-to-day operations of one of the world’s largest and highest-volume airports requires an airport staff of more than 30,000 people, including 45 information technology (IT) professionals. It also requires a sophisticated IT and communications infrastructure that must be up and running 24/7.

Outages in any support system can be costly, resulting in passenger delays, safety and security concerns and further system outages. The impact to the airport, airlines, travelers and the economy could be significant.

In order to identify IT exceptions and events at each layer in its network structure that could affect airport operations, DIA implemented HP Software’s OpenView and Network Node Manager.

Once operational, DIA focused on the automated notification and resolution of detected exceptions to ensure that events were dispatched and resolved as quickly as possible. For these sophisticated capabilities, DIA turned to AlarmPoint Systems to assist in automating IT event notification and resolution and disaster notification.

A major upgrade over previous method

Having previously managed the IT event-notification and -resolution process manually, the airport leveraged AlarmPoint to substantially relieve administrative burdens and resource constraints, especially important in such a time-critical environment.

Airport management felt that the earlier manual method was too slow and unreliable, with a system that could issue approximately 50 notifications in one hour. After the airport’s AlarmPoint Enterprise deployment—during an issue encountered with a network switch, for example—the airport was able to send 14,000 targeted notifications in just minutes. This represents a 560,000 percent increase in the number of notifications sent on average than the previous system could issue in the same amount of time.

Reducing the risk of systems outages

AlarmPoint Enterprise automatically sets in motion critical notification processes when any systems issues occur at the airport across its IT, telecommunications and maintenance operations. AlarmPoint provides advanced notification for approximately 250 critical airport systems comprising DIA’s operational infrastructure, ranging from Flight Information Display Systems (FIDS) and 911 dispatch servers to network switches and financial services databases.

For example, if a disruption occurs in any critical network server, AlarmPoint automatically routes alerts to a targeted list of individuals in the IT group who can fix the problem. Or if a jet bridge is damaged by a baggage cart, predetermined contacts in the maintenance group immediately will be notified. Response actions then can be taken immediately to restore service before the airport’s operations are impacted.

Crisis communications

Since its initial deployment of AlarmPoint to support network management, the airport has significantly expanded its AlarmPoint implementation to serve as the backbone of its mission-critical Communications Center.

DIA’s Communications Center serves as the “command post” for the entire airport, ensuring emergency situations are managed and resolved as quickly and effectively as possible by keeping all relevant parties fully apprised. All incidents taking place at the airport—from weather to security—are immediately routed through the Communications Center, which relies on AlarmPoint to automatically notify a targeted set of individuals that varies according to the situation.

Most notifications are issued to internal airport staff. However, AlarmPoint also reaches key external customers, including the Federal Aviation Administration, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, city officials in Denver and airline managers. When the airport expects an incoming blizzard, for example, AlarmPoint will proactively issue emergency notification messages to 175 key airport personnel in only four minutes.

In another scenario, Transportation Security Administration officials may uncover something suspicious when screening bags that they want investigated by a police officer or bomb-sniffing dog. The DIA Communications Center will gather the available information and use AlarmPoint to issue notifications that ensure the desired response, from a perimeter check to a full airport evacuation.

Best practices model for other airports

With its sophisticated notification and resolution system from AlarmPoint, DIA’s Communications Center model is unique, and represents a best-practices model for other airports nationwide, many of which still are conducting notifications manually.

Pleasanton, Calif.-based AlarmPoint Systems provided this case history.

Tags: ar mag Smart Cities & Technology

Most Recent


  • infrastructure
    Infrastructure improvements in cities often feature clean energy or connected technologies
    The most in-demand products and services in local governments fall into three interconnected buckets, says Matthew Britt, general manager of smart cities at Honeywell. The buckets, he says, are urban mobility, sustainability and resilience, and public safety. “Urban mobility begins with road infrastructure and understanding how to move people around cities more effectively and sustainably. […]
  • With the digital evolution, equity in accessibility is of utmost importance
    When historians write the history books of tomorrow, they’ll note a sharp divide in the timeline: Pre-pandemic and what came after. This chasm spans industry and locality, impacting just about every aspect of society, such as the way governments interact with constituents in the digital realm. Before stay-at-home orders and mask mandates were issued, residents […]
  • MSPs
    The MSP downstream cyberthreat paradox: Understanding the city and county connection
    Recently the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) along with the FBI, NSA, and international cyber authorities issued a cybersecurity advisory aimed at protecting managed service providers (MSPs) and their customers. This high-level advisory has been gestating for some time ever since the SolarWinds and Kaseya supply chain cyber-attacks. A software supply chain attack occurs […]
  • As ransomware threat increases, a shift in minimum cyber insurance standards is hardening digital defenses
    In the last decade, the threat of ransomware and other cyberactivity has increased dramatically—more than ever, targeted organizations are paying the criminal perpetrators to have their information restored.  “Over the last year there has been an almost threefold increase in the proportion of victims paying ransoms of $1 million or more: up from 4 percent in 2020 […]

Leave a comment Cancel reply

-or-

Log in with your American City and County account

Alternatively, post a comment by completing the form below:

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Related Content

  • Prioritizing rapid restore leads to stronger ransomware attack recovery
  • Today’s infrastructure needs greater than roads and bridges - It’s time to face our digital connectiveness
  • Gamifying city pandemic recovery to help small businesses
  • Four steps to City 4.0: Insights from the “Smart City Solutions for a Riskier World” study

White papers


Hand Hygiene: Compliance Matters

23rd May 2022

What it Takes to Build a Winning Esports Program

23rd May 2022

Sixth-Largest US School District Saves Over $500,000 by Utilizing a Cooperative

23rd May 2022
view all

Events


PODCAST


Young Leaders Episode 4 – Cyril Jefferson – City Councilman, High Point, North Carolina

13th October 2020

Young Leaders Episode 3 – Shannon Hardin – City Council President, Columbus, Ohio

27th July 2020

Young Leaders Episode 2 – Christian Williams – Development Services Planner, Goodyear, Ariz.

1st July 2020
view all

Twitter


AmerCityCounty

Infrastructure improvements in cities often feature clean energy or connected technologies dlvr.it/SR6vm8

26th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Ahead of Surfside condo collapse anniversary, Florida’s legislature approves statewide inspection standards dlvr.it/SR6qL7

26th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

American City & County survey highlights civic engagement priorities in public sector dlvr.it/SR3hMS

25th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Changing recruitment practices can ease retention challenges dlvr.it/SQzzPt

24th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

EVs are coming in a big way – Will charging infrastructure be ready? dlvr.it/SQzfL1

24th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Optimizing the 3 stages of RFP creation for faster results | June 16, 2022 at 2 PM ET dlvr.it/SQzV7d

24th May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Amid digital evolution, equity in accessibility is of utmost importance dlvr.it/SQwZ3b

23rd May 2022
AmerCityCounty

Hand Hygiene: Compliance Matters dlvr.it/SQwL8f

23rd May 2022

Newsletters

Sign up for American City & County’s newsletters to receive regular news and information updates about local governments.

Resale Insights Dashboard

The Resale Insights Dashboard provides model-level data for the entire used equipment market to help you save time and money.

Municipal Cost Index

Updated monthly since 1978, our exclusive Municipal Cost Index shows the effects of inflation on the cost of providing municipal services

Media Kit and Advertising

Want to reach our digital audience? Learn more here.

DISCOVER MORE FROM INFORMA TECH

  • IWCE’s Urgent Communications
  • IWCE Expo

WORKING WITH US

  • About Us
  • Contact Us

FOLLOW American City and County ON SOCIAL

  • Privacy
  • CCPA: “Do Not Sell My Data”
  • Cookies Policy
  • Terms
Copyright © 2022 Informa PLC. Informa PLC is registered in England and Wales with company number 8860726 whose registered and Head office is 5 Howick Place, London, SW1P 1WG.
This website uses cookies, including third party ones, to allow for analysis of how people use our website in order to improve your experience and our services. By continuing to use our website, you agree to the use of such cookies. Click here for more information on our Cookie Policy and Privacy Policy.
X