gornergrat bahn in zermatt

Controlguide Iltis as a Service (ILaaS)

The most efficient Iltis solution for increasing requirements
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Introduction

Controlguide always up to date

Iltis as a Service (ILaaS)

As a rail operator, Iltis as a Service (ILaaS) allows you to obtain Iltis functionality in the form of a flexible service. While your focus lies on rail operation, Siemens Mobility keeps your operation and control system up to date and takes care of the cell hardware and all software releases, while ensuring compliance with statutory IT security requirements through the provision of IT security updates.

Benefits of Iltis as a Service (ILaaS)

IT-Security

With digitalization of the railway and the increased system networking associated with this, IT security is coming under increasing scrutiny. To meet the stricter security requirements, public authorities are demanding a high level of protection against external tampering. Among other aspects, this includes regular updates for Iltis computers. ILaaS ensures that your operation and control system infrastructure always complies with the latest IT security standards.

Investment protection

With ILaaS, there is no need for any local cell servers. Siemens Mobility is responsible for the operation and entire management of the Iltis hardware (cell servers) and ensures that your control equipment is up to date at all times. Meanwhile, you can continue to adapt the workstation hardware setup to suit your individual requirements. Future Iltis software releases are installed at no additional cost.

Always up to date

ILaaS creates the optimum conditions to flexibly and cost-efficiently activate new features/services, such as the PSS process interface, georedundancy in the cloud, or the Iltis detail view web service. Our specialists likewise ensure obsolescence management for you on request, as well as maintenance and monitoring of cell servers.

 

Focus

With ILaaS, you can fully focus on railway operations. You benefit from improved cost-effective operation and a high level of investment protection, while ensuring maximal availability and scalability thanks to the latest data center technology.

Redundant network connection for the best availability

Your cell servers are connected via a fully geographically redundant VPN tunnel network connection (provided by Swisscom). This ensures continued data exchange between cell servers and your workstation hardware in case of a connection failure.

Cryptoboxes for a secure connection

The latest encoding technology (cryptoboxes) secures the redundant connections, protects the data from external influences, and thus fulfills both the IT requirements and the rail safety regulations.

 

 

Comparison

Comparison between Iltis vs. ILaaS cloud service

Category
Criterion
Iltis
ILaaS
Provision and administration
Third-party software licenses for cell servers on the host
exclusive
inclusive
 
Operation of Iltis hosts
exclusive
inclusive
 
Update of Iltis releases
exclusive
inclusive
 
Corrective maintenance of the cells
exclusive
inclusive
 
Preventive maintenance of the cells 
exclusive
inclusive
 
Technical responsibilities and all maintenance activities are fully undertaken by Siemens Mobility
inclusive
inclusive
Category
Criterion
Iltis
ILaaS
On-site software updates
Full interlocking interface software updates
exclusive
inclusive
 
IT security management of workplaces, interlocking interfaces, and networks (regular security patches) included
exclusive
inclusive
Category
Criterion
Iltis
ILaaS
Georedundancy (half-cells) – from R62
Redundant cell hardware at two geographically distinct sites. In the event of malfunctions, operation switches automatically to the other half-cell with no interruption (hot standby)
optional
inclusive
 
Cell hardware at customer site, additional costs owing to lack of virtualization
inclusive
Georedundancy in the cloud, no critical hardware at rail operator’s site
Category
Criterion
Iltis
ILaaS
Corrective maintenance
Service Level Agreement: Best-effort/ on-site hardware deployments included (spare material at customer site)
optional
ILaaS Standard
 
Service Level Agreement: 24x7 – telephone callback within 30 minutes, remote login in four hours, on-site support within six hours included
optional
ILaaS Premium
Category
Criterion
Iltis
ILaaS
Preventive maintenance
Hardware replacement of material after six years ‒ interlocking interface / workplaces / operations cluster included
optional
ILaaS Premium
 
Spare material maintained by Siemens Mobility
optional
ILaaS Premium
FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

ILaaS is attractive financially since much less capital is tied up compared with having your own system. Under the licensebased business model, rail operators simply pay a fixed amount for use and maintenance. You incur no investment costs for setting up your own IT landscape. ILaaS guarantees regular security patching and a reliable update procedure based on permanent updates. Service and maintenance for on-site deployments are not required since the system is located at a Siemens Mobility site and is operated and maintained from there. Not only is this more cost effective, rather also decidedly ecofriendly.

 

 

 

 

 

Yes! ILaaS has already been in operation since 2016 and is currently used by the Gornergrat Railway and BOB. The Iltis servers are operated as virtual machines in specially dedicated data centers at Siemens Mobility sites in Switzerland. In addition, we have longstanding experience with virtualization techniques. ILaaS is state-of-the-art technology developed and operated by Siemens Mobility in Switzerland.

Two fixed maintenance windows are scheduled each year and the customer is informed accordingly. Any additional maintenance required is notified in good time and agreed with the railways where necessary.

Such a risk of collision does not exist since all work undertaken by Siemens Mobility is planned in advance and discussed with the customer early on. In addition, the georedundancy functionality will enable hot standby in the future, which means that the line can continue to be used in such cases.

A third rail operator is set to operate in a virtual environment from 2020 with Aare Seeland Mobil (ASm). A further Swisscom location is planned for summer 2020 in Zürich (with no additional costs for ILaaS customers) and additional customer queries are currently being processed. ILaaS helps to reduce hardware, simplify maintenance, and therefore protect the environment sustainably. 

References

Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB)

The Iltis controlguide has been in successful use at the Bernese Oberland Railway (BOB) since 2008. In April 2019, BOB migrated to the ILaaS cloud solution. The Iltis workstations are still in the control center in Wilderswil. Only the heart of the system – the computers – are located in Swiss data centers. Updates and faults are carried out, respectively rectified immediately from there.
The technology has been running without a single fault ever since.
John Meyer, Head of Technical Maintenance, Bernese Oberland Railway