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Those early first steps have now been superseded by the latest Airports 4.0 initiative, empowered by Huawei‘s Fully Connected Fibre Network Solution. The primary objective of this initiative is to enhance connectivity and real-time information exchange, which can only be accomplished by connecting all passengers, tenants, airport staff and other stakeholders.
And it centres around four key areas of digital transformation:
- Terminal operations: Use data and analysis to improve daily operational efficiency.
- Passenger experience: Provide passengers with more control over their journeys and more personalized services.
- Security and safety: Redefine airport security and passenger safety using target recognition and intelligent video analysis.
- Employee activity and productivity: Improve employee efficiency through digital means.
Working with Huawei, the market leader in digital airport technologies,
Upgrading operations
While new digital technologies are improving the passenger experience, the needs of freight operators and customers have not been forgotten. Airlines and cargo forwarders provide transport services from airports that, in turn, need high network reliability and security. The original network architecture of
The primary challenges that the airport faced were:
- Poor reliability and scalability: Airport services and surrounding tenants required numerous virtual local area networks (VLANs). However, the two core switches were operating at near-full capacity, preventing the deployment of new service systems.
-
Manual configuration and difficult O&M:
Malaysia Airports' service systems used to be manually configured and were prone to faults, resulting in time-consuming and difficult repairs. It took at least 10 days to roll out new service systems for airlines, ground handling departments and airport security. -
Critical services could not be isolated: Air traffic management (ATM) authorities and some airlines required physical isolation for independent networking, while
Malaysia Airports could not meet this requirement.
To overcome these challenges,
Unlike traditional network architectures, Huawei’s solution uses a dual-plane architecture that combines Internet Protocol (IP) and Dense Wavelength-Division Multiplexing (DWDM) technology. The router and DWDM planes back each other up for cross-domain protection, capitalising on physical and logical service isolation to provide a highly reliable bearer of services for ATM authorities, airlines and terminals.
By utilising Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) and 10-Gigabit Symmetric Passive Optical Network (XGS-PON) technology, Huawei’s solution achieves natural Layer 2 isolation, mitigating risks such as network storms. In addition, the solution features passive aggregation so that fewer extra-low voltage rooms (ELV rooms) are required, and airport operations will become greener and more efficient. The solution also supports flexible capacity expansion from
Going optical
As installed in
Huang mentioned that to establish a future-ready airport, it is significant to ensure seamless connectivity across all ecosystems and people. The airport network must be robust, simple, and easily manageable. As what he shared, Huawei simplified the whole architecture of the network in the airport. By adopting this simplified and reliable network, airports can optimise operations, enhance passenger experiences, and improve overall management effectiveness.
As
With Huawei’s help, KLIA took only four and a half months to migrate and upgrade the entire network. Usually, such a large-scale project would take 12 to 18 months.
Future airports
Since the transformation supported by Huawei,
“Airports of the future will be expected to deliver ultra-reliable connectivity in all areas, providing a seamless travel experience for passengers. This places higher demands on airport networks which Huawei’s systems can support,"
Automated processes and powerful network capabilities enrich the passenger experience. Online check-in brings shorter queues and less congestion, passengers can find their flight schedule and boarding gate using a mobile app and then travel smoothly from the airport entrance to the boarding gate. This delivers a smooth boarding experience that helps airports manage passenger traffic effectively, reduces congestion at all checkpoints and ensures passengers can spend time shopping or dining at airport stores.
Intelligent airports cannot be built overnight. The need to deliver an excellent passenger experience and satisfy customer demands will always come first. Huawei commits to helping its partners and customers to develop airports with both a transport hub and a destination by delivering the ultimate memorable airport experience through continuous technological innovation.
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