Newsroom

As of July 2021, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories’ OT SDN solution is certified on the U.S. DoDIN APL. 

The DoDIN APL (Department of Defense Information Network Approved Products List) is a consolidated list of network communications products and applications that are approved for use in DoD information networks and control systems. When a product makes this list, it is the result of rigorous and extensive testing, validation and certification to ensure that the solution meets the cybersecurity and interoperability standards for the Defense Information System Network and Federal Acquisition Regulation.

OT SDN (operational technology software-defined networking) includes a true deny-by-default networking switch and is purpose-built for OT environments. The technology removes decision-making control from the switch and puts it with the operator, which leads to improved cybersecurity, a significant advantage over traditional packet delivery and better network situational awareness. This is because with OT SDN, the operator can now predefine all communications flows and specify exactly what types of traffic and devices are allowed on the network. Anything that doesn’t match these specifications—like a rogue packet, an adversary or an unwanted device attempting to traverse the network—is identified, denied by default and contained within the switch to prevent threats from infecting other parts of the system.

Additionally, instead of using spanning tree protocols on the underlay, this solution uses SDN on the underlay. This key difference means OT SDN eliminates vulnerable network technologies that can lead to spoofing, MAC flooding and table poisoning, ransomware attacks and more. 

To learn more about these benefits, visit the OT SDN webpage.