Testing of virtual routing for an edge device in the Smart Grid

This thesis work will provide a brief history of power distribution, then it will depict what a modern distribution network looks like and introduce two core nodes of the network, the primary and secondary substation. It will then describe how Distribution System Operators (DSOs) are either penalized or remunerated basing on quality of continuity of service indicators and it will introduce the italian example: the indicators defined by ARERA, to convey the need DSOs have of taking measures to reduce the duration of interruptions (power outages) of service caused by faults in the network. The study will then introduce remote controlling, the ability of operators to open or close switches remotely, and automation, the ability of the network itself to enact strategies aimed at reducing the duration of interruptions, to highlight the importance of routers in smart grids, and specifically in secondary substations. The study will then meet its first goal: a review of communications techniques in smart grids, to then describe what are the functions, from a networking point of view, a router needs to implement to match requirements of DSOs. The concept of edge computing and of virtualization will then be introduced, the former allowing to reduce latency of communications, and the latter coming with an impactful benefit for DSOs. As of today substations requiring routing capabilities have no choice but to be provided with a physical router. When reading this one must consider that substations may run under quite adverse conditions such as: heavy rains, high or low temperatures, floods, high humidity rates and it happens they are subject to thievery. DSOs have then to face several consistent expenses concerning routers: they first have to purchase the routers, they have to maintain them periodically and when they fault, it also occurs they have to completely replace the router if it breaks down or if it is stolen. Furthermore, DSOs have to face similar expenses for most of the devices installed in their substations (low voltage managers, fault detection devices, peripheral units, etc...). The study will then introduce the edge device, which is a solution allowing to install several virtualized device in one physical piece of equipment, thus reducing costs. In its first version it promises to implement: a virtual router, a virtual peripheral unit (a device which enables remote controlling of the electrical components, mainly switches, present in substations), a virtual low voltage manager (which is a device able to collect DSOs low voltage clients data, and to execute operations concerning low voltage lines and users) and a virtual fault detection solution (which, when a fault happens, is mainly able to understand which kind of fault that is, and on which line it has occurred). The study will then focus on its second goal, a review of the state of the art of virtual routers and their implementation scenarios. The third and last objective of this thesis is to test, together with Enel Grid's company Gridspertise, a first version of virtual router, and specifically the functions of: Dynamic Host Configuration Protocol server, secure Shell and Hypertext Transfer Protocol Secure over Wide Area Network and Local Area Netweork, Firewalling, Network Address Translation, Static Routing and Internet Protocl Security ; describing both the methodologies adopted and the testing results, highlitghing possible further steps, and a new possible testing approach.