Always a live wire

After finishing the IRRIIS research project, the Fraunhofer IAIS can present new results to reduce the susceptance to failure of critical infrastructures (telecommunication, energy- and water supply). Therefore, the scientists developed a simulation environment to analyze the dependencies between these critical infrastructures.

At 6th and 7th October, 2009, at the Fraunhofer Institut IAIS in Sankt Augustin/Bonn, the IRRIIS project was successfully concluded at its final review. The IRRIIS project (Integrated Risk Reduction of Information-based Infrastructure Systems) was an integrated project within the 6th EU Framework. Its goal was to enhance substantially the dependability of large complex critical infrastructures (CIs). Whereas risk factors within a single critical infrastructure are well understood and managed today the dependencies between different CIs are far more challenging. IRRIIS developed a holistic approach towards integrated risk analysis and management.

IRRIIS' main achievements are:

– appropriate methods and models for holistic interdependency analysis for dependent Critical Infrastructures which can be adapted to other power grids, telecommunication networks, oil and gas providers, etc.

– a new generation of simulation tools for dependent infrastructures: the SimCIP Federated Simulator for high fidelity simulations, and the Preliminary Interdependency Analysis (PIA) with stochastic simulations.

– new risk estimation, decision support, communication systems, preventive and defence measures to manage interdependent critical infrastructures.

All these issues deserve special attention in a rapidly changing world with new technologies, changing markets, and new political and regulatory conditions.

The project brought together research and industrial partners from ten European countries. Among them are key operators of telecommunication like Telecom Italia and Alcatel-Lucent, electrical power infrastructures (like Red Electrica d'Espagna and ACEA Roma) and technology providers like Siemens, the Spanish Groupo AIA. Fraunhofer IAIS was the coordinator of the whole Integrated Project, and additionally responsible for the simulation technology (SimCIP).

The IRRIIS consortium is prepared to support companies and organizations in using their achievements. For further information, please contact:

Dr. Rüdiger Klein
IRRIIS Project CKoordinator
Fraunhofer IAIS
Schloss Birlinghoven
53757 Sankt Augustin, Germany
Tel. +49 (0) 22 41/14-2608
Email: ruediger.klein@iais.fraunhofer.de