A router has a first processing element managing a first virtual private network (VPN) 14 or VLAN and a second processing element managing a second VPN 19, each processing element including a configuration module for remote VPN configuration of the mapping of external equipment to network interfaces such as ports, and routing algorithm logic to allow testing of said mapping. The router is used to commission new equipment 15-18 in one VPN after testing whilst being isolated from live equipment 10-13 in the other VPN. There may be Master and Standby lanes which may have their own main processor with first and second processing elements, the router switching the Master lane to the Standby lane to change which VPN is live. The router may be SIL-4 compliant, using a safety-critical real-time operating system. The processing elements may be respective cores of a multi-core CPU. A routing ID in the header for internal use may be derived from the identifiers of the processing element and lane. A direction control field may be in the packet payload. Hot-swapping from one VPN configuration to another is enabled. New railway network equipment can be tested within a live environment.
SAFETY-CRITICAL ROUTER
SICHERHEITSKRITISCHER ROUTER
ROUTEUR CRITIQUE POUR LA SÉCURITÉ
2020-08-19
Patent
Electronic Resource
English