B&B Electronics' European operation has provided an extensive, rugged communications network for the Volvo Ocean Race Galway Grand Finale, the 9-day festival built around the final leg of the Volvo Ocean Race 2011-12 in Galway, Ireland, which took place from June 30 – July 8.
The physical communications infrastructure included Internet access and a ruggedized network used by the race teams, media, and Galway event management.
"It's the most difficult network project I've ever managed in my life," said Fergal Concannon, the B&B Electronics engineer responsible for the Galway site network during both the 2009 race and again in 2012.
Deployed across 10 event locations including the docks area, event headquarters, media center, Race Village, Global Village, and seaside resort of Salthill, the network supports security, crowd management, web feeds, live TV and radio broadcasts, video streaming, credit card and point-of-sale facilities, commentator feeds, big screen displays, and interfaces to Volvo's own IT Group.
Multiple Technologies Used
Fiber, cellular, and other wireless communications technologies were used to make remote connections and ensure network redundancy. The 20 km of fiber in the docks area includes sections microtrenched into the ground as well as marine fiber installed by divers. The company used its GhostBridge Wireless Ethernet Bridges to create point-to-point equipment links across the harbor and to establish Internet connectivity at remote locations where wired infrastructure was not feasible. Cellular wireless routers were used for failover connectivity.
B&B drew from its recently expanded portfolio of industrial networking products including fiber acquired from IMC, and M2M-connecting cellular technology acquired from Conel.
"This installation really pushes the edge," explained Jerry O'Gorman, managing director of B&B Electronics Europe. "Our engineers are increasingly asked to help connect M2M devices being deployed in increasingly challenging locations, and where network boundaries are being relentlessly stretched to reach them, but this project takes the cake."
The 2012 event attracted more than 800,000 visitors, with the 6 boat fleet racing the final 550 miles from Lorient due into Galway on Tuesday, July 3rd.